Combating Ageism in a Socially Distanced World

On February 10, Lifetime Arts Director of Education, Annie Montgomery, and Pushcart Prize nominated poet, Mary Moore Easter, delivered “Combating Ageism in a Socially-Distanced World” as part of Rootwork, an online learning series hosted by the National Guild for Community Arts Education.

The workshop, attended by nearly 100 teaching artists, education directors, and administrators, focused on the ways in which creative aging arts education programs combat ageism and reconnect older adults during the pandemic. “We wanted to expose attendees to Mary's point of view (that aligns with Lifetime Arts') that all older adults are: thinkers, creators, learners, and contributors who have the right to be seen.” said Annie. 

Key clips:

• Mary demonstrated how she helps her students explore ageism in a virtual class format. (12:37).
• Participants shared their own ideas about how creative aging programs alter perceptions about aging. (29:56).
• Mary shared stories from her personal journey to overcome ageism. (36:53).