Summary: Emily Lewis, 72, Powerful Advocate and Trainer Regarding LGBT Elders.

I am nominating Emily Lewis for the “Unleash the Power of Age in Your Community Challenge” because she is a wonderful example of someone who gives all she has for the betterment of the aging experience of LGBT elders.

In 1999, after retirement, Emily volunteered to help the newly formed Boulder County AAA’s LGBT Elder Outreach Program. The program had a monthly LGBT social/discussion group called the Rainbow Elders and in 2002, the AAA formed an LGBT Advisory Group. Emily, already a Rainbow Elder, volunteered to be on that group. She helped the group conduct focus groups and then helped with the creation of the Silver Lining Directory and the award-winning LGBT Cultural Competency program, Project Visibility.

In 2004, she was hired on as a staff member and she herself has conducted many Project Visibility trainings. In 2012, alone, she held over 23 Project Visibility trainings for 508 individuals. Evaluations report that 80% of those attending the trainings are “much more informed about the issues concerning LGBT elders. “ She is, at age 72, still going strong with providing trainings to service providers.

Emily received an Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention Award in 2012 from the Adult Protection Review Team and the Boulder County Elder Justice Coalition, in recognition of her excellent work as a tireless advocate for LGBT elders throughout her years of work with Project Visibility.

She is thoughtful, helpful and able to ride the waves of change with aplomb. She is instrumental in creating a web-based training so that more service providers have 24/7 access to the training that will help them address the needs of LGBT elders.

Our community, local as well as national, has improved in the awareness and cultural-competent practices needed to allow LGBT elders to face aging in a safe and supported environment. We know that elders in our area readily access more services than before and are certainly more aware of the variety of services that help keep them healthy and connected in their communities. We also know that members of the local LGBT community are much more aware of the strengths and needs of LGBT elders.

Emily inspires people because she is still active and involved after her initial retirement. Her contributions to the LGBT communities are enormous in terms of both breadth and depth. Her energy and commitment are truly an inspiration for all. Emily volunteers to help out others in need and is a pivotal figure in the older LGBT community. She also jumps in to help with whatever is needed. She works with Medicare Counseling team in their efforts with the open enrollment period in the Fall. She has served on a variety of boards and committees, which include the Community Foundation of Boulder County’s Open Door Fund, Via Mobility’s Service Advisory Board and the Aging Services Foundation of Boulder County.