Building a New Bridge

For the past two years, i’ve had the honor of serving as Director of the RED professional networking groups for The Pride Chamber. That work has been deeply meaningful to me, because professional networking is not just about business cards and meetings—it’s about empowerment, visibility, and community.

For LGBTQ+ professionals, business owners, and our allies, intentional networking creates opportunity where barriers have historically existed. It builds confidence, fosters collaboration, and opens doors that might otherwise remain closed. Through this program, i’ve watched connections grow into partnerships, ideas turn into businesses, and professionals find spaces where they are fully seen and supported. Being trusted to help guide and grow that work has been a privilege i don’t take lightly.

As this new year begins for me, so does a new journey with The Pride Chamber.

Last year, i proposed a new initiative rooted in a reality we don’t talk about nearly enough: We all grow older, and that includes LGBTQ+ people. And as they age, many face disproportionately high rates of discrimination in healthcare, senior services, and deathcare. Too often, aging LGBTQ+ adults must choose between receiving care and being fully themselves.

• View Proposal

While there are many networks for senior care professionals, there are none locally that focus on partnerships, community, and shared resources for those who serve older LGBTQ+ adults. There are excellent national programs that help build skills and competency, but no local referral and support network bringing those professionals together.

That gap inspired AgeFWD. This program is something we can build together right here in Central Florida, to create a social structure and resources to bridge that gap.

AgeFWD will build a strong, informed, and compassionate network of professionals prepared to serve LGBTQ+ adults with confidence and respect. The program will focus on building competencies, meaningful referral partnerships, and ongoing education across industries—including health and death care, housing, legal services, financial planning, and deathcare.

The need for this work is clear:

• LGBTQ+ older adults are 2x as likely to live alone, 5x less likely to have been married, 2x less likely to have children, and are more likely to face poverty, homelessness, and health and mental health challenges. (SAGECare Facts on LGBT Aging, May 2025)
• Nearly 80% of older LGBTQ+ adults (age 45+) worry about having enough support as they age, and many report discrimination affecting their health experiences—including age (25%), sexual orientation (21%), and gender identity (20%) discrimination impacting their overall health. (AARP)
• 45% of LGBTQ+ adults aged 45+ live with a chronic condition or disability, meaning they interact more frequently with health and aging systems as they get older. (AARP)
• national aging-focused research shows that 28% of LGBTQ+ older adults are concerned about access to aging services, 65% worry about future medical care, and 76% are concerned about finding inclusive long-term care resources. (OUP Academic)
• Experiences of discrimination are widespread: over 41% reported at least one discrimination event, 42% reported violence related to being LGBTQ+, and 45% reported everyday discrimination, all of which correlate with increased fear and barriers to care as people age. (OUP Academic)
• Survey data shows that up to 13% of older LGBTQ+ adults have been denied care or received inferior care because they are LGBTQ+, leading some to delay or avoid necessary medical treatment. (NY State Office for the Aging)
• Through my own research and case studies while developing and updating the Identity Affirming Deathcare Directives, i also found that people of diverse identities face similar challenges in deathcare—often encountering discrimination and othering at moments of profound vulnerability, including death or the loss of a loved one. (IADD Website)

In response, AgeFWD will engage providers and businesses throughout our region, offering tools and guidance to help ensure LGBTQ+ adults receive care that honors their dignity, identity, and lived experience.

The goal is simple but powerful: fewer gaps, fewer fears, and better outcomes for our community as we age.

i’m excited—and humbled—to spend the next two years building this program with The Pride Chamber and our partners. AgeFWD represents a shift from reacting to inequity toward proactively addressing it. It’s about preparing today for the needs of tomorrow, while empowering professionals to serve every person they encounter with compassion and competence.

This next chapter feels like a natural extension of the work i’ve already been honored to do: strengthening community, expanding access, and moving us all forward—together.

Professionals – Join us!

Our Leadership Council is a team of ten people working to build this program. We meet on the second Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m., and we are currently seeking a few additional professionals who are committed to affirming, inclusive care for LGBTQ+ adults.

If you are a Central Florida business or professional who serves older adults and would like to learn more or get involved, i invite you to connect with AgeFWD. You can visit the AgeFWD website, email AgeFWD@thepridechamber.org, or call me at 407-608-9242.

Invitation: Ribbon Cutting Event

Please mark your calendar and join us on May 6, 2026, 6-8 p.m. for the Ribbon Cutting celebration of the AgeFWD program. The event is sponsored by Dignity Memorial and will be held at their Baldwin Fairchild location in Winter Park (7520 Aloma Ave).