Personal Stories

Whether you’re a fan of his old Simon and Garfunkel days or prefer his more recent solo career, there’s no doubt that Paul Simon has had a remarkable musical career spanning over 6 decades. And now, as he approaches his 77th birthday in October, he’s on one last concert tour that brings him to…

LGBT seniors have perhaps witnessed more change in their personal lives, and society at large, than many of us realize. As young people, the ability to be open and honest was available to few and now, in their later years, they stand witness to the changes society has embraced in…

There’s little about getting older that is generalizable- the changes that come can sometimes be subtle, or stark, and the experience is often different depending on who you are, where you come from and what systems of support envelop you. For four students at the Columbia University Graduation School of…

If you’ve ever watched a TED Talk, you’re prepared to be engaged and stimulated by the speaker, no matter what the topic. But perhaps you’ve never seen a TED Talk quite like the recent presentation of Emily Levine, who excels at both deep thinking and stand-up comedy, all in a…

If you’re a reader of The New York Times, you no doubt remember photographer Bill Cunningham. Chronicler of all things fashion and style for the paper, Cunningham was a ubiquitous man around town with his blue coat and bicycle, captured so wonderfully in the 2010 documentary Bill Cunningham: New York. Having passed…

Listening to the news these days you’d think the only people getting involved in civic and political activism are high school or college students. However, it turns out that older people are also taking to the streets, either for issues that affect them personally or for concerns about the future…