Session 3. Unravelling Ageism: beyond the hashtag
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2–3.30pm, Thursday 22 September
If living in a crucible of bias is a daily reality, then the ageing population may experience it more than anyone else. Ingrained stereotypes are prolific and pervade our conversations, actions and attitudes. The questions to answer head-on, is, 'What progress have we actually made and how do we actively employ empathy to hear the evidence and act on it? What would a world divested of these biases mean for everyone?'
This session will look at how we shift, acknowledge and break away from ingrained ageism and stepping beyond tokenism to create meaningful action based on empathic understanding and true respect.
Keynotes: 14.00 – 14.30
- Chair: George Lee
- Speakers: Rankin, Ashton Applewhite
Lightning talks: 14.30 – 15.00
- Chair: George Lee & Lynne Corner
- Speakers: Rosalind Wilson, Sandi Rickaby, Ed Link, Alison Edwards
Panel discussion: 15.00 – 15.30
- Chair: Chris McGinley
- Panellists: Richard Griffiths, Michael Strantz, Lise Pape
Session 3 Presenters
Keynotes
Rankin
Rankin is a British photographer, publisher, and film director, who’s portfolio ranges from portraiture to documentary having photographed high-profile musicians, actors, models and cultural icons. He is best known for work that is on the cultural cusp: producing rule-breaking campaigns for brands such as Unilever, L’Oreal and Samsonite; alongside creating wide reaching projects for charities including Oxfam, Women’s Aid and Macmillan. Always pursuing projects that push his limits, Rankin has stood out for his creative fearlessness. His work characteristically probes and questions social norms and ideas of beauty. Personal or commercial, his images have become part of contemporary iconography.
Ashton Applewhite
Ashton Applewhite is the author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism and the co-founder of the Old School Anti-Ageism Clearinghouse. An internationally recognized expert on ageism, she speaks widely at venues that have included the TED mainstage and the United Nations, has written for Harper’s, the Guardian, and the New York Times, and is the voice of Yo, Is This Ageist?. Ashton is at the forefront of the emerging movement to raise awareness of ageism and to dismantle it.
Lightning talks
Alison Edwards
Biography coming soon
Ed Link
Ed has been retired over 20 years. He went to sea in the Merchant Navy at 16 straight from school. Later training as an electrical engineer in the Royal Navy in which he served for eleven years. On leaving the RN he signed up for the Open University gaining an honours degree in Mathematics. Followed later by another first degree in Philosophy and an MA from Manchester University after retirement. A varied working life in the aerospace and Information Technology industries as an engineer, mathematician, marketer and management consultant. He has served as a board member on various charities since retiring.
Sandi Rickaby
Biography coming soon
Rosalind Wilson
Biography coming soon
Panelists
Lise Pape
Biography coming soon
Michael Strantz
Michael Strantz is an Austrian designer based in London, where he recently graduated in Design Products from the Royal College of Art. He is currently working as a design contractor for PriestmanGoode, where he is working on an inclusive and human-centric design to support active mobility.
Michael’s background is in manual and material culture, which includes hands-on experience in woodworking and prototyping. He has continuously developed his practice and worked on concepts that address social and environmental needs and suggest alternatives for the future.
Richard Griffiths
Biography coming soon
Chairs
Chris McGinley
Chris McGinley is a Senior Research Fellow at the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design (HHCD) where he leads the Age & Diversity Research space. He is a graduate of Strathclyde University where he completed a Masters degree in Product Design Engineering, receiving the Outstanding Team Design Award from The Society of Design Engineers. Chris joined the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design as a Research Associate in 2004, working on numerous user-focused projects for a broad range of industry clients.
George Lee
George Lee, Community Lead for the RCA Design Institute, is a highly respected disrupter and innovator in the age space, leading the way in showing how cross generational innovation leads to social and economic impact.
Lynne Corner
Professor Lynne Corner is COO and Director of VOICE at the UKs National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA). VOICE is an international organisation and network which harnesses the immense human capital of the public, including older people – their experience, wisdom, knowledge, skills and insights. Members work closely with a wide range of businesses and researchers to identify consumer unmet needs, priorities and aspirations - and together co-design and co- develop products and services that are so needed to help us all live healthy, better, purposeful longer lives. Lynne has a particular interest in inter-generational exchnage and the use of artificial intelligence and data. NICA and VOICE work with businesses from all sectors to help develop their strategies on the immense commercial opportunities for growth from healthy longevity. She is a Trustee of the Lewy Body Society.
