About The Gray Panthers
The Twin Cities Gray Panthers is a private, non-profit
organization committed to social justice — working across
the ages on health care, family security, employment, civic engagement,
and the issue of ageism. The Twin Cities Gray Panthers is about
empowering people to work together to solve problems facing the
whole society. It is a movement composed of individuals of all ages.
The Twin Cities Gray Panthers is part of the National Gray Panthers
organization that has local networks throughout the country.
The Gray Panthers is a Liberation Movement
Gray Panthers look at the root causes, not just the
symptoms of problems. Gray Panthers identify with social movements
(racial, ethnic, women, peace, and glbt movements). We challenge,
in non-violent and constructive ways, believing that thinking and
action go hand-in-hand. Social analysis is a critical tool for Gray
Panthers. Gray Panthers call for a massive redistribution of opportunities
and privileges as well as major ideological and cultural changes.
What We Are
Radical “constructive disrupters”
Activists working for social justice
Intergenerational
Dedicated to changing people’s attitudes about
aging
Dedicated to improving the quality of life for all
people
Dedicated to the elimination of ageism
Networks of people around the country
What We Are Not
A seniors organization
A social service provider
A vested group for the elderly
A social organization
Out to win points for older people at the expense
of other age groups
All old
Why
Gray Panthers started as a movement connecting the
power of older people with the young for issues on the cutting edge
of social change.
Together the old and young have experience and freedom
to be transformational.
Our goal is to utilize the wasted and often disregarded
talents of the old and the new knowledge of the young to provide
opportunities for each to work together on issues reflecting broad
public interests. The old and young complement each other by sharing
different insights, experiences and wisdom.
Our intergenerational coalition has only to gain
when we combine energies to form a new power base. It is a significant
energizing force that empowers us, giving new direction and hope.
To achieve our goals of unity and liberation, we
are willing to work with anyone who can help: young, old, middle-aged,
third world militants and paragons of the establishment. Our coalition
of all ages recognizes that the old are the age group most oppressed
and their needs and empowerment are our major priority. It is for
this reason that many Gray Panther programs and projects are geared
to the old, particularly advocacy for the elderly poor.
We view aging not as a problem to be avoided, but
as experience to be integrated into the total life span.
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