Being able to see all the HAPs come together on the last day of class was a good wrap-up to all that we’ve learned these past two quarters and truly showed how we can turn our knowledge into action. Across both these quarters, the HAPs overall had to go through much flexibility and change. Originally, I had planned to do a solo project. Due to safety precautions, it had to be scrapped. However,I’m grateful for the opportunity to switch projects and be able to work on the “So Tell Me…” project with the team of Katie, Tiffany, Leeda, Cindy, and Sofia! When I heard the idea the first time, I was really interested as I was already a huge fan of both “Cut” and “Jubilee”. Furthermore, I thought the idea was a good way to get an intergenerational dialogue going, especially for people who may not be the best at starting conversations like me. At the time, I was a bit hesitant to reach out, but I’m glad they welcomed me into their group.
The “So Tell Me…” project gave me the opportunity to not only hear the advice of my mother (who at this point was honestly a bit tired of the interviews for class haha), but also allowed me to hear a truly diverse range of voices. It was interesting to see how despite the different backgrounds of the participants, we could find common themes among their words. The majority truly wished for the happiness of the younger generation, suggesting to us to live safely, strive to achieve, and enjoy our lives to the fullest. Like Leland’s book, I hope to keep these messages to heart and to rework how I view life and the world around me.
Aside from our own project, it was wonderful to see how well the other projects turned out. Both Alex’s and Rachael’s research projects brought light to particularly overlooked issues in the aging community. As someone who formerly volunteered in free clinics in Tijuana, Alex’s topic was particularly interesting to look at. The Phone Pals group also did amazing work even to the extent of being featured on the news! The project truly came to fruition in a time when everyone needed it most as the majority of our interactions transition to the virtual realm.I’m excited to wait and hear if the sites continue with the programs going forward. Overall, each of these projects showed how we could turn the concepts we were learning in class into action where it was needed. It showed us how to take the next step and create areas for change.
The “So Tell Me…” project gave me the opportunity to not only hear the advice of my mother (who at this point was honestly a bit tired of the interviews for class haha), but also allowed me to hear a truly diverse range of voices. It was interesting to see how despite the different backgrounds of the participants, we could find common themes among their words. The majority truly wished for the happiness of the younger generation, suggesting to us to live safely, strive to achieve, and enjoy our lives to the fullest. Like Leland’s book, I hope to keep these messages to heart and to rework how I view life and the world around me.
Aside from our own project, it was wonderful to see how well the other projects turned out. Both Alex’s and Rachael’s research projects brought light to particularly overlooked issues in the aging community. As someone who formerly volunteered in free clinics in Tijuana, Alex’s topic was particularly interesting to look at. The Phone Pals group also did amazing work even to the extent of being featured on the news! The project truly came to fruition in a time when everyone needed it most as the majority of our interactions transition to the virtual realm.I’m excited to wait and hear if the sites continue with the programs going forward. Overall, each of these projects showed how we could turn the concepts we were learning in class into action where it was needed. It showed us how to take the next step and create areas for change.