Susan Hoffman with instructor Michael Fox in the lobby of Freight & Salvage
Twenty years ago, when the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute movement began in California with 32 OLLIs at CSU and UC campuses, we talked about the longevity revolution and the bonus years that would define our futures.
It’s an aging revolution we’re engaged in, for sure. But it’s not all easy sailing. As we look forward to our fall 2022 term, our new normal includes a world many of us barely recognize.
Where do we find the strength and the common ground to create a path forward that does not depend upon guns, division and inequality? Can the Bay Area continue to be a fertile ground for ways to respond to big challenges? Can our program continue to be a beacon of hope and energy? Our answer to the last question is yes, with imagination and fun as well as analysis.
Our fall course schedule will bring song and celebration to the Freight & Salvage on Tuesdays, and storytelling, writing, drawing, and photography throughout the week. In addition we showcase political analysis from Berkeley professors who will call upon us to better understand our current moment in the context of history. What is civility and what is fascism? What do new superpowers foretell about our global future?
Our fall term reflects the clear message we heard from your responses to the annual member survey. We offer shorter courses to provide flexibility and accessibility to everyone in our diverse community and to those new members we aim to invite to participate. For all of us, the new approach to scheduling provides a fresh start midway through the 9 week term.
Thanks for being a part of a learning community that never stops being curious and engaged.
Susan Hoffman
Director, OLLI @Berkeley