The 21 civic leaders taking part in CoGenerate’s Voices fellowship are a diverse group. They range in age from 15 to 81, and each focuses on a different aspect of civic work. But they’re all well-versed in the ins and outs of effective intergenerational collaboration....
https://youtu.be/DMmhqffPUWc As we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, we are the most age-diverse society in human history — and the most age-segregated. Our next chapter will depend on our ability to work across generations.In commemoration of the United...
On a Sunday evening in mid-May, two chefs collaborated on “The Future of the Creamery,” a five-course tasting event at Long Count, an all-vegan wine bar and restaurant in New York City’s East Village. Forty years apart in age, both chefs have towering reputations —...
Simple question: Do you miss human connection when you use self-checkout at the grocery store? Complex question: How is cogeneration threatened by AI, profit-driven “efficiencies,” and automation — and what can we do about it? Allison Pugh, author of the book The Last...
Why do you do the civic or community work that you do?
In the last several years, I witnessed three close family members experience mental and physical health declines while living alone. Sadly, my experience is not unique. Every human in the US is facing (either for themselves or a loved one) critical interrelated challenges: the loneliness epidemic, the high costs of living and living longer, caregiver burnout, insufficient and inadequate housing.
How is cogeneration helping (or how will it help) you succeed?
Cogeneration is the heart of what makes us human. I want to live in a future where mutual aid and intergenerational respect are central to our joy.
Faith in institutions is eroding around the world, but I am most curious about how we can foster faith among neighbors. Rebuilding faith starts with breaking down the silos we move in every day in our own towns. Students on campus, older adults playing mahjong, each experiencing their needs in isolation.
JoeyCo, the homesharing service I founded, curates win-win relationships between neighbors who may not have otherwise had a chance to meet and realize how symbiotic their needs and abilities are. We reduce intergenerational cleavage by helping us all move in tandem, rather than in parallel.
At JoeyCo, we’re bringing older homeowners together with college students who need an affordable place to live. We see them experience their lives expand, rather than contract. We are not only a conduit for these relationships to begin, but a steward that nurtures real improvements to life and wellbeing over time.
Got one tip to help other civic leaders collaborate more effectively with older or younger people?
Lead with curiosity and seek to understand and explore, not pigeonhole and stereotype.
A core value at JoeyCo is “center the individual,” which is so important to enabling collaboration across ages. Every person has a story that is deeper than any stereotype or first-glance judgment. We are curious about and celebrate the richness and uniqueness of every individual.
People often ask me, “What age group makes the best hosts?”, which is entirely the wrong framing! We have 90-year-olds who are effectively navigating Zoom meetings and 60-year-olds who want more chit-chat at home (just not during Days of Our Lives!). Our age and generation can color our context and cultural touchstones, but they are a small part of the beautiful complexity of each human.
What’s something giving you joy or hope right now?
I recently heard from one of our long-running Host-Joey matches that they were starting to carefully and thoughtfully chat about politics over dinner. They are eager to learn from each other and seek to understand and explore each other’s beliefs and opinions. A win for curiosity! Bringing cogenerational connection to “kitchen-table issues” gives me hope!