In June 2021, I was selected out of dozens of potential candidates to participate in ALIVE VENTURES‘ three-month-long, bi-weekly advisory committee to improve future senior-aged lifestyles through the development of new generation services and products to enhance the quality of of their lives. Alive Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based incubator company launched by entrepreneur John Zapolski. Even though I am not yet a retiree myself, I appreciated the invitation to be part of this creative process and share my personal input and viewpoints.

Then on Friday, August 6, I was fortunate to join a group of a group of  thinkers, dreamers and entrepreneurs to participate in Alive Venture’s first “Alive Adventure” at Moonwater Farm in Compton, California. Art-oriented, urban farmer/co-host Kathleen Blackistone helped lead this half day workshop exploring new, smaller scale ways to improve one’s lifestyle at any age through organic farming, aquaphonics, livestock raising and healthier food preparation. It was amazing to also learn how Kathleen literally gambled her 401k savings into this model-type, micro farm-art sanctuary which many believed could never succeed and now hosts hands-on, educational visits for school children and families of nearby lower income communities