For Immediate Release 

March 28, 2023

DENVER – NextFifty Initiative today announced that it is joining forces with Changing the Narrative to strengthen both organizations’ efforts to end ageism.

Changing the Narrative is a leading U.S.-based initiative that seeks to increase understanding of ageism and to change how people think, talk, and act about aging and ageism. The organization’s work involves evidence-based strategies, community education and organizing, strategic communications and innovative public-facing campaigns.

Changing the Narrative educates employers about the advantages of hiring older workers, partners with workforce development centers to train older workers on job-seeking strategies, trains healthcare professionals on how to be more age-inclusive in their practices, educates the general public about ageism, and promotes the Guidelines to Age-Inclusive Communications, among many other initiatives.

Last year, Changing the Narrative’s programs and activities reached people in all 50 states in the United States and 43 countries around the world.

Starting in April, Changing the Narrative will operate as a campaign of NextFifty Initiative. Previously, NextFifty Initiative had funded Changing the Narrative’s work through multi-year grants. 

“This merger allows both organizations to collaborate seamlessly on this critical work,” said Chandra Matthews, Director of Programs for NextFifty Initiative. “Changing the Narrative’s well-established reputation and broad reach will help NextFifty Initiative expand our role as an innovator focused on addressing ageism, which is at the root of many of the other challenges many of us experience as we get older.”

Read the full statement here

March 28, 2023

DENVER – Hoy se anunció que NextFifty Initiative unirá sus fuerzas con Changing the Narrative con el fin de reforzar los esfuerzos de ambas organizaciones para terminar con el edadismo.

Changing the Narrative es una destacada iniciativa de Estados Unidos que busca aumentar la comprensión sobre el edadismo y cambiar la manera en que las personas piensan, hablan y actúan en relación con el envejecimiento y discriminación por edad. El trabajo de la organización incluye estrategias basadas en evidencias, educación y organización comunitaria, comunicaciones estratégicas y campañas públicas innovadoras.

Changing the Narrative educa a los empleadores sobre las ventajas de contratar a trabajadores mayores, colabora con centros de desarrollo laboral para capacitar a los trabajadores mayores en estrategias de búsqueda de empleo, capacita a profesionales de la salud sobre cómo ser más inclusivos en sus prácticas en relación con la edad, educa al público general sobre el edadismo y promueve directrices para una comunicación inclusiva en cuanto a la edad, entre muchas otras iniciativas.

El año pasado, los programas y actividades de Changing the Narrative llegaron a personas de los 50 estados de Estados Unidos y a 43 países de todo el mundo.

A contar de abril, Changing the Narrative operará como una campaña de NextFifty Initiative. Anteriormente, NextFifty Initiative había financiado el trabajo de Changing the Narrative por medio de subvenciones plurianuales.

“Esta fusión permite que ambas organizaciones colaboren sin contratiempos en esta labor tan importante”, declaró Chandra Matthews, directora de programas de NextFifty Initiative. “La reputación consolidada y el amplio alcance de Changing the Narrative ayudarán a NextFifty Initiative a expandir nuestro rol como innovadores enfocados en abordar el edadismo, lo que es la causa central de muchos de los otros desafíos que tantos de nosotros experimentamos a medida que envejecemos”.

LEER MAS

Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023 Read the full statement

DENVER – Frustrated by the racks of birthday card options that mock older adults as weak, deaf, forgetful and crabby, the anti-ageism group Changing the Narrative is making birthday card shopping empowering and uplifting, producing ”age-positive” cards that celebrate aging and honor the recipients. 

A contest attracting submissions from professional greeting card designers from around the country resulted in 10 winning birthday cards—all designed by women, several by women of color— to be part of a collection of age-positive cards. The artists are from cities and states across the country, including San Diego, CA, Seattle, WA, St. Paul, MN, and Providence, Rhode Island.*

The original contest that accepted applications only from Colorado-based general artists was wildly successful, with the birthday cards selling quickly to buyers around the country. As a result, and due to popular demand, Changing the Narrative decided to expand the contest nationally.

Read the full statement

July 1, 2021 Read the full statement

CASTLE ROCK – Inspired to create a multigenerational appreciation of aging, the Seniors’ Council of Douglas County, with their partners Changing the Narrative, Douglas County Libraries and Douglas County Public Schools, are opening their “Every Age Counts!” amateur poetry contest. The contest runs August 1 through September 15, 2021 and winners will be announced by November 6, 2021.

The contest is open to Douglas County, Colorado, residents of all ages. Contestants are asked to celebrate age in the poetry form of their choice. Poems will be judged within age categories (10 and under, 11-13, 14-17, 18-22, 23-55, 56+), with winners in each. An awards ceremony will be held the afternoon of November 6, 2021 at the Highlands Ranch Library, 9292 Ridgeline Blvd. in Highlands Ranch.

Read the full statement

January 8, 2021 Read the full statement

DENVER – Frustrated by the racks of birthday card options that mock older adults, the anti-ageism group Changing the Narrative is making birthday card shopping fun again, producing ”age-positive” cards—designed by Colorado artists—that reflect the true joys of growing older.

A contest attracting submissions from over 60 Colorado artists resulted in 23 winning birthday card designs to be part of a collection of age-positive cards. The diverse group of artists and their designs share one thing: an understanding that age is something to celebrate. Read the full statement

June 18, 2020, read full statement

On June 19, Changing the Narrative will begin to survey the state’s older adults about their pre- and post-COVID experiences in the workplace. By gathering feedback from adults age 50+ on the challenges they have encountered in the workforce and when applying for jobs in addition to noting the strengths they bring to the workforce, information and advice can be shared with employers who are re-hiring.

Responses also will be used to help inform programming designed to assist those experiencing difficulties and to help people age 50+ gain access to meaningful work that fully uses their talents and abilities. Read about the Colorado survey of 50+ adults in the workplace..

June 2, 2020, read full statement

DENVER, CO – Changing the Narrative, a Colorado-based campaign to increase understanding of ageism and to shift how Coloradans think about aging, and PBS12 have teamed up to present an online series of six intergenerational conversations. Each panel will bring together leaders from across generations to discuss the current and future landscape on a wide range of issues including social connection and the future of work and ageism, against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read on about the PBS Intergenerational Discussions.

February 19, 2020, read full statement

DENVER, CO  – Beginning this month, the “Changing the Narrative – Age-friendly Workplace Initiative” (CTN-AFWI) is rolling out a certification program aimed at Colorado employers and businesses that are committed to eliminating ageism in the workplace. CTN-AFWI will help them adapt their policies, procedures, and programs so that they can become a “Certified Age-Friendly Employer” (CAFE). Read on about the CAFE program.