Last June, former Executive Director Andy Gaines reached out to me to explore whether I might help out at Ashby Village for a few months while he took a much-needed leave to attend to his family. Later that summer Andy decided to leave his position here in order to continue staying home during his wife’s worsening health crisis, and I became Interim Executive Director at Ashby Village. A search process commenced, it took awhile to find the right person, and now here I am, finally leaving after a full year.

A very full year indeed! We have said goodbye to people who have been central to the village during the past decade. We have welcomed extremely talented new staff, as well as new Villagers of all types. We have weathered another year of the pandemic, experiencing waves of hope and disappointment as surges came and went. We have produced brilliant cultural and educational programs that have far extended our reach and impact. We have deepened our awareness and strengthened our commitment to bringing more diversity, equity and inclusion to the village. Through it all, we have sustained a steady and impressive amount of day-to-day services, fulfilling our mission to help people live in our community with more support and less isolation.

I feel so fortunate to have been a part of it all, working together with so many of you to keep the village moving forward. I’ve been struck from the outset by the keen intelligence, passionate dedication, and overall quality of caring that you have shown to me and to each other. You’ve been generous, candid, patient, appreciative, responsive and helpful. It has truly been an honor and a pleasure to work with you.

I look forward to welcoming Bab Freiberg as Ashby Village’s new Executive Director on June 20th and to doing whatever I can to support her transition into this big new role. I have tremendous faith in her and in all of you. I will stay connected and will be excited to hear how Ashby Village continues to grow and thrive.

Many many thanks to all of you.

Avi Rose ([email protected])

Long-Time Volunteer

Ashby Village has had the privilege of Lula Greene’s knowledge and service. After 10 years as our volunteer bookkeeper, she's stepping out of that role and she will be deeply missed.

“She is so competent at what she does, and was especially helpful to us at the beginning when all of our bookkeeping and accounting was done by volunteers,” said Ashby Village Board Chair, Andra Lichtenstein ... "We were so lucky."

Read more here about Lula's dedication to Ashby Village, her other volunteer endeavors, and what she says she'll miss most about this chapter with Ashby Village.

Check the Ashby Village Calendar to see what's happening this month!

Get to know our Board members!

This month, Bryan Ricks reflects on what compelled him to join the Oakland Mayor’s Commission on Aging and support the needs of the growing senior population.

Read Bryan's story here.

Open Board Meeting Wednesday, June 15th

All members, volunteers, staff, and supporters are cordially invited to the Ashby Village Open Board meeting on June 15th.

Please RSVP by Friday, June 10th to receive the Zoom link and agenda. Your participation is welcome!

We are excited to let you know Ashby Village is finally hosting our first “live” Social Hour in over 2 years! Please join us to connect with each other in person, enjoy good food and drinks, but most of all great company!

Due to limited capacity for this in-person event at the Village, RSVP is required. Read more details, including COVID safety precautions, and RSVP here. We look forward to seeing you!

When: Monday, June 6, 2:00-3:30pm

The 90 Plus Club meets on the first Monday of the month from 2:00 to 3:30pm. If you are fortunate enough to be in this group and are a current member of Ashby Village, please join us. Our conversations are informative and fun!

The response of our members has been enthusiastic, and we have room for a few more. We are meeting on Zoom with closed captions. To attend our next session on June 6th please email your name to Tobey Klein at [email protected] or call 510-653-4205.

When: Thursday, June 9, 3:00-4:00pm

Where: *ON ZOOM* https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84801461083?pwd=elp5eDJ3V0F4bUhUVzFwS2MzWm1oZz09

Meeting ID: 848 0146 1083

Passcode: science 

Are we alone in the Universe? Humans have pondered this question since our ancestors first gazed upon the stars with a sense of curiosity. But now, for the first time in human history, we possess the tools to answer that question!

Bill Diamond, CEO of the SETI Institute, will join us to discuss research programs in astrophysics and astrobiology and to explain why the search for life beyond Earth matters to humankind and is so relevant to understanding life on our own planet. Read more and RSVP here.

When: Thursday, June 9, 4:30-5:30pm

Where: *ON ZOOM*

Civil rights attorney, Thurgood Marshall, triumphed in the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision to desegregate America’s public schools, which completed the final leg of a heroic journey to end legal segregation.

Watch this compelling film (available on Kanopy through your library) before this discussion session. Read more and RSVP to join us here!

When: June 13, 2:00-3:00pm

Where: *ON ZOOM*

For years, Ashby Village members have opened their homes to host small, personal gatherings where people can hear from our members, volunteers, Board members and staff about what it means to be part of the Village.

The pandemic disrupted our ability to gather safely in person, but that hasn't stopped us from hosting these popular information sessions virtually on Zoom!

Join us to learn more about Ashby Village - what we do, who we are, and how we are helping our community to continue Aging Better. Together.

Sponsored by Village Movement California, Ashby Village, Pasadena Village, and San Francisco Village

When: Tuesday, June 14, 2:00-3:15pm PDT

Where: *ON ZOOM* 

In the Stonewall generation, coming out took courage. It was a turbulent time, a time of fear, a time of secrecy. Intimate lives hidden in the shadows. And yet, in the midst of it all, the Stonewall Generation has continued to fight for freedom, for rights, for love, and, yes, for sex.

Author of the book The Stonewall Generation, Dr. Jane Fleishman, will join with Dr. Imani Woody, an African-American Same Gender Loving woman, who has been at the forefront of LGBTQ elders rights for decades.

Co-Sponsored by the City of Berkeley Commission on Aging and Ashby Village

When: Wednesday, June 15, 1:30-3:30pm

Where: *ON ZOOM* https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87859343194

Call-In Phone Number: 1-669-900-6833

Meeting ID: 878 5934 3194

Are there ways in which our current senior programs can improve? What programs would you like to see from Aging Services? Do you have suggestions and ideas that you would like to provide? Join the discussion and have a voice! Active participation is encouraged. This community forum will be a great opportunity for our older adults to provide us with feedback on the City’s Age-Friendly priority areas: Housing & Economic Development, Transportation and Mobility, Health & Wellness, and Social Participation & Civic Engagement.

The Events Team Presents:

Friday Afternoon at the Movies Monthly Film Series: The Band's Visit

When: Friday, June 17, 4:00-5:00pm

Where: *ON ZOOM* https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89033630718?pwd=RFpUakl4ZTZLWXJheGlFSGMxdXVxdz09

Meeting ID: 890 3363 0718

Passcode: film

Please join us for our film discussion of an unusual Israeli film, The Band’s Visit, that tells the story of a small Israeli town where daily routines get disrupted by an unexpected visit from Egyptian musicians.

As one reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes says, “For all of its dry wit and visual gags, The Band's Visit is ultimately a poignant slice of life about people from totally different backgrounds and cultures forging unexpected connections and healing old wounds.”

You will need to see the film first on your own and then we will all get together via Zoom to discuss our reactions. Read more, access the film's trailer, and RSVP to join us here!

When: Thursday, June 23, 2:00-3:00pm

Where: *ON ZOOM*

The LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Ashby Village Healthier Aging Program are collaborating to offer a unique series of free one-hour virtual learning workshops.

The June 23rd workshop will be an introduction to the LightHouse’s Adaptations Store - the only place in Northern California with a comprehensive offering of tools, technology, and other solutions for blind and visually impaired people. Join us to learn about the more 1,000 low- and high-tech vision gadgets, everything from white canes to talking clocks and thermometers to Braille playing cards. You don’t want to miss this session, but if you should, no worries: the topic will be offered again in October!

To register and/or arrange for assistance accessing Zoom, email Sheri Albers, Community Outreach Coordinator for the LightHouse, at [email protected] or call her at 415-694-7331.

The LightHouse Connection series is intended to provide information and resources offered by LightHouse as a supplement to Ashby Village’s ongoing Low Vision Support Group discussions. Sessions do not have to be taken in sequence and there is no obligation to attend them all, join us when you can. For more information on the LightHouse Connection sessions or the Low Vision Support Group, please contact [email protected].

An Ashby Village Arts & Culture Series Presentation

When: Sunday, June 26, 2:00-4:00pm

Where: *ON ZOOM* (Registration Required)

Dave Iverson was a 59-year-old KQED broadcast journalist and filmmaker when he decided to do something he’d never imagined. He moved back into his childhood home when his 95-year-old mom could no longer care for herself.

In an intimate, unvarnished conversation with NPR Senior Editor and Correspondent Ron Elving, Dave will talk about his poignant and pathbreaking new memoir, Winter Stars: An Elderly Mother, An Aging Son and Life’s Final Journey, the choices and unexpected rewards of caregiving, and our growing eldercare crisis.

Is a Reverse Mortgage Right For You? Myths and Facts

When: Thursday, June 30, 2-3:30pm

Where: *ON ZOOM* (Registration Required)

Rick Southern will enlighten us about some of the scenarios that have helped older adults as they age in place. Rick is winding down and working less himself, and he wants to help older adults be aware of their options. Rick is also an avid Village supporter and volunteers with Village of the Coastside in Half Moon Bay performing safety checks in homes. Join us to be better informed about reverse mortgages!

We are excited to welcome our newest volunteers to provide services to members, Ashby Village, and the community!

The next volunteer training is in August. Check the July Village Voices for more details.

For more information or questions about the volunteer program, please contact Jessica Sterling, Volunteer Services Coordinator at [email protected].

After a long break, Hearts 'N Hands is back in operation, thanks to a group of dedicated Ashby Village volunteers. In April, volunteers from a diverse age span of 16 to 87 years young tended to two members' yards that were in great need of weeding and ivy maintenance.

Interested in joining a gardening crew? More dates will be scheduled through the summer. Add "Gardening" to your Volunteer Connect list of skills and watch your daily emails for opportunities.

This free introductory, in-person seated yoga class will be focused on increasing strength, mobility, balance and energy. This in-person workshop will allow Nancy to give you more personalized attention and help you decide if this is an appropriate class for you.

Nancy Yates has many years of experience teaching “Adaptive Yoga in A Chair” at the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually impaired, the San Francisco Public Library and the San Francisco Veterans Medical Center. She is also a certified Arthritis Foundation instructor.

This workshop will be followed by a 10-week series of Hybrid Gentle Seated Yoga Classes.

When: Thursdays, September 1 to November 3, 1-2pm PDT

Email [email protected] for more information. Instructions to register for the 10-week series will follow at a later date.

When: Tuesdays, June 7 to July 26, 10-11am PDT

Where: *ON ZOOM*

Join us for an 8-week Zoom drop-in Mindful Meditation series to explore body and breath, thoughts and emotions, joy and equanimity. Each class will include a thematic talk and an accompanying 20-30 minute meditation with instructions for practicing at home.

While we are trying to offer as many fitness classes in-person, the ongoing virus makes all in-person classes subject to change should we have another surge. We will keep you all updated should there be any changes to our posted schedules.

Join us for the final class in this Zoom-only series Thursday, June 2, 10-11:30am

Yoga For Balance and Strength HYBRID Class

When: Thursdays, June 16 to August 18, 10-11:30am Where: *ON ZOOM* OR *IN PERSON* at Ashby Village

Students can register to attend in-person at Ashby Village or to continue to take the class on Zoom.

When: Fridays, 10-11am PDT

Where: *IN PERSON* at Epworth Church

We are still waiting for repairs to be completed at Epworth Church, at which time this class will be opening up to AV students. Please email Roberta Pressman ([email protected]) if you wish to be put on the list for this class. Ashby Village Members will have priority if capacity is limited.

When: Thursday, June 9, 10:30-11:30am PDT

Where: *IN PERSON* Morcom Gardens, meet at 700 Jean Street, Oakland entrance

Members, volunteers and their guests are invited to join us for a stroll through this beautiful public garden. The flat ground level is accessible to wheelchairs and walkers, and there are stairs and upper level options available. Read details, access directions, and RSVP here.

3 miles out and back, accessible, easy, and shady! Lunch anyone?

When: Monday, June 13, 10am-12pm

Where: *IN PERSON*

This is a paved walking path mostly shaded (for a warm summer day) with minimal total 242 ft elevation gain. There are several entry points. We will meet by the Montclair Parking garage 6235 La Salle Ave (the trail can be accessed via steep ramp or stairs). There is also another barrier-free entrance for wheelchair accessibility at 6211 Medau Place. We will have walk leaders to accommodate those who may need to turn around sooner than the 1.5 mile end point. Some may want to shop and/or have lunch in the selection of Montclair restaurants afterwards.

We want to know if we need to look for you - so please read more details, access directions, and RSVP here!

Easy with more challenging options!

When: Wednesday, June 29, 10am-12pm

Where: *IN PERSON* Skyline Gate, 8490 Skyline Blvd., Oakland

The West Ridge Trail is a wide dirt road that gently undulates through tall Monterey pines, redwoods, oaks and bay trees. There will be shade for a hot day. Beautiful panoramic views can be seen occasionally. Read more details, access directions, and RSVP here!

Dr Louise Aronson’s wonderful and enlightening presentation on Ageism at our last Healthier Aging/Arts & Culture event on March 27th has sparked much discussion around the Village about the subject of ageism and how it affects the health and wellbeing of older Americans.

In the next few months, our Healthier Aging Team will work to facilitate these discussions, as well as possible projects we may want to initiate to help reduce the deleterious effects of ageism in our lives.

For those of you who have not yet read Dr. Aronson’s book, Elderhood: Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life, it is a wonderful and highly readable summary of the issues and possible solutions to ageism. For those who missed her talk, it is available at the Ashby Village YouTube channel here.

"Exploring the Health Effects of Ageism" by Paula Spam

This article from the New York Times is a must read. It explores three decades of research by Yale Psychologist Becca Levy on how age discrimination can take years off one’s life.

"Why Heart Disease in Women Is So Often Missed or Dismissed" by Anahad O’Connor

New research shows that women may not realize their symptoms point to heart trouble and medical providers aren’t picking up on it either.

Tip of the Month

If an application isn’t working on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, something as simple as a restart might do the trick. Shutting down and restarting can fix many problems, but if restarting doesn’t work, ask for a volunteer!

In-Home support has resumed for members and volunteers with up-to-date vaccinations. Visit current information on Village Services and Programs here, and then email [email protected] or call 510-204-9200 to request assistance.

Resources on a wide range of technology topics are posted on the Village TECH TIPS & RESOURCES page.

A native of the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas, poet Wendy Trevino now lives in an apartment in San Francisco, where she makes her living as a grant writer. Today's featured poem is from her first book-length poetry collection, Cruel Fiction, which was published by Oakland's Commune Editions ("purveyor of poetry & other antagonisms") in 2018 and is available both in conventional book form and in a free download version. Trevino has been called a revolutionary poet and an experimental writer, but, for whatever it's worth, her biography on her publisher's website states explicitly, "Wendy is not an experimental writer." However one characterizes her, today's poetry selection, "Brazilian Is Not A Race #16," is as relevant as this evening's televised newscast.

Creating Inclusive and Equitable Communities

During this insightful Zoom discussion, panelists representing six different communities spoke about manifestations of bigotry they experience. Speakers shared where they deem their respective communities to be most gravely misrepresented and offered common sense ways for all to connect across cultures. If you missed this compelling and important discussion, read more here.

On May 17, the Ashby Village Healthier Aging Program partnered with Kaiser Permanente to present an information-packed webinar on osteoporosis, an enormous and complex topic important to everyone with aging bones.

Read more about prevention and treatment options discussed by Drs. Sharma and Lai, and access the recording of the presentation here.

If you missed the wonderful conversation between member and artist Judith Masur and her brother, actor Richard Masur on Sunday, May 22, you can view a recording of the event right here and also on the Ashby Village YouTube channel here.

Two days of learning, discussion, and networking, designed for current, new, and prospective new leaders.

When: June 21 and 22, 2022 | 9:00am-12:00pm PDT

Where: *ON ZOOM*

Join us to explore how villages can re-engage their members and volunteers with each other and with a shared sense of purpose and meaning. The conference is designed to re-connect villagers with their own joy and purpose. Learn more and register here.

Villages are stronger when we stick together, no matter the challenges we face. Village to Village Network is a "Village commons" where people from Villages all across the United States can connect. Read the VtV Network 2021 annual report to see all the ways the movement is growing!

Four Seasons Arts, the classical music concert series in the East Bay, offers subscribers door-to-door transportation to performances presented by internationally-known artists. Four Seasons has offered this service for many years so that people of all ages can attend concerts without the obstacles of transportation. For details and subscription enrollment for the 2022-2023 season, please call Mary Jo Hudgel, 510 845-4444.

Are you looking forward to summer family gatherings with mixed feelings because they may bring up emotional discussions about painful topics? No matter whether you’re planning to get together in person or via Zoom, join this Zoom workshop to learn and practice how to respond when you feel triggered by those closest to you so you can enjoy each other’s company in harmony.

Facilitator: Katharina Dress, founder of AGING IN HARMONY, an Ashby Village Preferred Provider. Visit this link to register.

Would you like your event or notice to appear in the next Village Voices Newsletter? Use this simple form to submit your material. Please submit by the 15th of the previous month. Late submissions are not guaranteed placement in the next newsletter.