In 1970, Maggie Kuhn was forced to retire because she had reached the mystical age of 65. That arbitrary act spurred her into action at an age when many of her peers were settling into their quiet, “golden years.” She and a group of like-minded friends formed the “Gray Panthers,” an advocacy organization for those deemed “elderly.”
Her advice to people to create change was simple. “Leave safety behind … Stand before the people you fear and speak your mind — even if your voice shakes … And do your homework.”
One of the most common roadblocks I hear that keeps people — and especially women — from speaking up is fear.