Pennies, Paychecks and Plans — The Economics of Aging

“Older, younger sisters together, we learn from each other—mentors and proteges—in a dosie doe square dance. Together we all stand on shoulders of formerly enslaved and warrior ancestors whose sacrifice and struggle boosted them—and us—to heights once unimagined.”

“I thought I was going to always be sitting on top of the world. I truly didn’t think the great Julianne Malveaux would spend a year with no income. It just never occurred to me. And that’s what happened.”

“One stat that really summarizes our lifetime of disadvantage: the median wealth for black women, 60 and older is $11,000. And I’m talking about educated black women, compared to white women in the same cohort it’s $384,000.”

“I am a little scared of getting older, but it age comes with a lot of positiveness, too. Growth happens with age and experience. Age means growth – coming into yourself and knowing who you are.”

“Aging means getting better. It’s nuanced–there’s both your physical health and mental health–but what I mean is getting better at life.”

“To me, aging means coming into my own peace. It’s the ability to choose the next half of my 50 plus years. Continuously learning and growing from both those before me and coming after me.”

“Our host convened a trusted circle to kickback and react to Black women’s experiences with the three -isms: ageism, sexism, and racism.”