Resilient Neighborhoods: Seniors A Go-Go keeps Brightmoor Seniors Engaged

(Jacqueline Ford-Brazzel heads up a senior program at Brightmoor Alliance) By Julie R. Riddle In the Detroit neighborhood of Brightmoor, a group of pole dancing, crime-fighting, take-no-guff seniors believe their twilight years are for having fun, not sitting still. Organizers started Seniors A Go-Go, a Brightmoor Alliance project, a few years ago after a Brightmoor resident lost patience with community programs that only seemed to address the needs of younger neighborhood residents. “One day, I just said, ‘It’s time for you to talk about the seniors,’” says Evadney Clark, whose gentle revolt sparked the conversations that led to the creation of Seniors A Go-Go. “We are here. We are alive. We need to belong somewhere.” Now, a group of planners meets weekly to iron out the details of the program they’re building to engage and strengthen the 2,000-some seniors who live in Brightmoor. The group plans outings, classes, and other senior-focused activities for the neighborhood and encourages seniors to show up and speak up at community meetings. Such engagement empowers older people to continue adding their valuable voices to their community, says Rev. Larry Simmons, executive director of Brightmoor Alliance. Seniors A Go-Go, led for and by seniors, fills a...