Aging in America is not a race-neutral experience. Firmly entrenched disadvantages compound over a lifetime, making Black aging a unique and urgent issue. Yet, Black elders don't just survive-they build. Their fortitude has shaped families, communities, and movements for generations. Drawing on lived experiences, cultural knowledge, and groundbreaking insights, Raymond A. Jetson illuminates the power of Black elders. He dismantles toxic narratives about Black aging and offers a transformative vision-one rooted in the strength of community, digital empowerment, and intergenerational connection. As the founder of Aging While Black and an AARP Purpose Prize winner, he confronts the realities of ageism and racial inequalities while charting a new path-one that embraces innovation, connection, and the radical possibilities of a future where Black elders are valued, empowered, and celebrated. Aging While Black is an action guide for change, inviting readers to disrupt the established order, build powerful connections, and boldly imagine a future where Black elders reach full potential and their guidance shapes a more inclusive and just society for generations to come. For readers who appreciate perspective-shaping works like The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson or The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, Aging While Black offers a fresh perspective on one of today's most critical issues. Raymond A. Jetson is the catalytic force that has powered the evolution of the Baton Rouge based social enterprise MetroMorphosis. Utilizing an innovative asset based, community centered change model, MetroMorphosis seeks to transform inner city neighborhoods through racial, social and economic equity. In February 2023 Jetson launched Aging While Black, a movement designed to amplify the value and experiences of Black elders by exploring the intersection of aging and race. The movement is being advanced through communty building around three essential pillars: Recalibrating the Village, Embracing Innovation and Rapid Change, and Leaning into Sankofa. The pillars center the wellbeing of Black elders by the overhaul of the systems that support Black life, adapting new technologies and their potential, and embedding the wisdom of the elders into hte fabric of the culture. He has a rich history of pubic service and impacting people. From April 2006 through December 2009, Raymond served as CEO for the Louisiana Family Recovery Corps a nonprofit focused on supporting the recovery of families impacted by disasters. Prior to joining the Recovery Corps, Jetson was the deputy secretary for the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH). In this capacity, he provided leadership for the state’s largest agency. Raymond served as the state Representative for District 61 in the Louisiana House of representatives for more than 15 years. And for 23 years he served as the pastor of the Star Hill Church. Jetson was also a Fellow in the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University in 2010 and 2011, and an Encore Public Voices and Forward Promise Fellow. Raymond has continually emerged as a leading voice on community change strategies, social innovation, issues impacting boys and men of color, and authentic community engagement. Jetson has served as a source for USA TODAY, The New York Times, NBC Nightly News, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Publisher: Manuscripts LLC Publish Date: June 06, 2025 Pages: 264 Language: English Type: Paperback EAN/UPC: 9798889264538 Dimensions: 8.5 X 5.5 X 0.6 inches | 0.7 pounds BISAC Categories: Politics, Society & Current Affairs, Self-Help
