‘Birding Is for Everyone’: Blazing a Trail for Birders of Color

(Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on Rewire.) When I first reached out to Jason Ward, the 33-year-old host of the popular YouTube series Birds of North America, I was hoping to speak with him for a lighthearted piece full of tips and … Continue reading

In Sync With the Natural World: Honoring the Hours

Sitting at my desk, I glance out the window at the sun and ponder where I am relative to the monastic hours. 7:30 a.m. is about halfway between Prime, the traditional morning prayer time for Christians, and Terce, which originally meant three hours aft… Continue reading

Adjusting Daily Routines During the Pandemic

Teresa Elwert usually is out and about every day, doing volunteer work, exercising and meeting up with friends. Four times a week, the 68-year-old leads a group of other retirees in her New York City neighborhood on what she calls “brisk walks” through… Continue reading

A Virus Doesn’t Care. People Do.

(Across caregiving and community, business and intergenerational attitudes, the pandemic and how we respond to it could change us forever. Next Avenue turned to some of our Influencers in Aging, a diverse group of thought leaders, for their insights, c… Continue reading

How Art Can Help Heal

When you meet Tisha Kenny — vibrant and enthusiastic — you’d never believe she’s a cancer survivor, not to mention a three-time survivor of breast cancer in her 30s. “I never thought I’d see 40,” says Kenny, 74, a San Francisco artist who’s a retired n… Continue reading

From Love Canal to Tesoro, the Fight for Environmental Justice Continues

How many people can say they’ve stopped corporate pollution in its tracks? Lois Gibbs and Linda Garcia can. Both have won the Goldman Environmental Prize, the world’s largest award for grassroots environmental activism. Gibbs received the honor in 1990… Continue reading

Facing 70: Finding Peace in Being ‘Real’

(Editor’s Note: This is the first in an occasional series of features about people facing a new decade (50-90) who reflect on their past and share what energizes them about life today.) Sixty-nine hit me like a tornado, fast-moving and whipping up emot… Continue reading

Pack Your Curiosity for an Educational Trip

Once you’ve seen the Eiffel Tower, well, you’ve seen the Eiffel Tower. But when you learn about the history of how it was built (this architectural marvel was designed as the entrance to the World’s Fair of 1889 commemorating the 100th anniversary of t… Continue reading

Mad for Midcentury: A Trip to Palm Springs’ Modernism Week

Arguably, midcentury modern’s biggest fans are the second cohort of boomers, those Americans born between 1956 and 1964. There’s more to our obsession with midcentury modern style, however, than a love of sleek, simple design. The allure is nostalgia. … Continue reading

What You Do to Reduce Loneliness

(Editor’s Note: This is part of our Loneliness + Isolation series brought to you by Consumer Cellular.) Various surveys of older Americans have found that between 33% and 43% of them are lonely. But we wanted to find out how lonely, what makes them fee… Continue reading