Here You Belong
Community. Connection. Support. Every Stage of Life.
Growing older should never mean growing isolated. We are an online community created specifically for LGBTQ+ older adults—a welcoming space to build friendships, access trusted resources, participate in engaging programs, and find support from people who understand your journey.
Whether you're looking to improve your health, navigate legal questions, join a discussion group, or simply connect with others who share similar experiences, you'll find a place here.
For many LGBTQ+ older adults, finding affirming spaces can be challenging. Our community was created to ensure no one has to navigate aging alone.
We bring together members from across the country through engaging virtual programming that fosters learning, wellness, friendship, and mutual support. Every event is designed with respect, inclusion, and accessibility at its core.
No matter where you live, you're part of a community that celebrates who you are.
We envision a future where every LGBTQ+ older adult has access to community, resources, affirmation, and opportunities to live with dignity, purpose, and joy.
No one should age alone.
Hear from our members:
"Joining this community reminded me that there are still people who understand my story. I've made friends from across the country."
"The health programs and legal workshops have given me confidence and peace of mind for the future."
"This is the first place in years where I truly felt like I belonged."
Your Community
Is Here For You
No Matter Where You Live
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Whether you're looking for friendship, support, education, or simply a place where you can be yourself, you'll find it here.
Become part of a growing community of LGBTQ+ older adults who are learning, laughing, supporting one another, and building meaningful connections every day. These connections especially happen through our programs, which have something meaningful every week, for example:
Health & Wellness
Stay informed with educational workshops led by healthcare professionals covering healthy aging, mental wellness, fitness, nutrition, caregiving, and LGBTQ+-affirming healthcare.
Legal & Financial Planning
Learn from experienced attorneys and experts about estate planning, Medicare, Social Security, housing, long-term care, financial security, and protecting your rights.
Support Groups
Connect with peers in professionally facilitated support groups where you can share experiences, build resilience, and know you're never alone.
Community Events
From book clubs and discussion circles to guest speakers, celebrations, and social gatherings, our events create opportunities to laugh, learn, and build lasting friendships.
Join Today
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A MESSAGE FROM OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Welcome to OutstandingLife, a 501c3 non-profit online community designed for and by LGBTQ+ older adults and their allies. Speaking as one of the founders, I am excited that we have our vision of creating intentional spaces for the LGBTQ+ community to come together, connect, experience joy, and thrive for a healthy and connected life. Our goal is to continue to build this platform side-by-side with the community I have served all these years. You are all an important part of helping OutstandingLife reach often-isolated LGBTQ+ older adults.
MEET OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
David Aronstein
David Aronstein has been an activist for LGBTQ+ rights and leader of a number of LGBTQ+-focused organizations. After receiving his Master's in Social Work degree, he founded the Gay and Lesbian Counseling Program in Salem, MA in 1982. He became part of the senior management team at the AIDS Action Committee of MA helping to grow AIDS Action from a small team of mostly volunteers to a large organization with 100 employees and an annual budget of $7 million. He founded Stonewall Communities whose primary mission was to build a residential community for LGBTQ+ older adults. He co-founded the LGBT Aging Project and the Stonewall Life-long Learning Institute which is now at UMass-Boston. Before retiring in 2019, he led the Boston Alliance for Community Health for eight years. David lives in Jamaica Plain, MA with his husband, Steven.
Board of Directors
(click to read about each board member)
David Aronstein
David Aronstein has been an activist for LGBTQ+ rights and leader of a number of LGBTQ+-focused organizations. After receiving his Master's in Social Work degree, he founded the Gay and Lesbian Counseling Program in Salem, MA in 1982. He became part of the senior management team at the AIDS Action Committee of MA helping to grow AIDS Action from a small team of mostly volunteers to a large organization with 100 employees and an annual budget of $7 million. He founded Stonewall Communities whose primary mission was to build a residential community for LGBTQ+ older adults. He co-founded the LGBT Aging Project and the Stonewall Life-long Learning Institute which is now at UMass-Boston. Before retiring in 2019, he led the Boston Alliance for Community Health for eight years. David lives in Jamaica Plain, MA with his husband, Steven.
David Aronstein
Mark Hatch
Mark works in tech and has been a part of many successful start-ups for over 20 years, and has also helped to found non-profit organizations along the way. He designed and built software applications for multi-lingual Machine Translation systems, on-line banking, large-scale data applications, and Social Media Analytics and Marketing. Mark holds an MBA from Northeastern University and also attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. He has taught Computer Science and Mathematics in the Massachusetts State College System for the past 30 years. He lives in Lynn, MA with his husband Mike.
Mark Hatch
Cynthia Wilkerson
Cynthia has over 15 years of program development and management experience. She has a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Boston University's Questrom School of Business. Cynthia is a member of several advisory boards and committees, including the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative's Executive Committee, Northeastern University Office of City and Community Engagement's Community Advisory Board, and Madison Park Technical Vocational High School's Health Assistant Program Advisory Committee. In her free time, Cynthia is an avid movie and museum goer.
Cynthia Wilkerson
Robert G. Lee
An active member of OutstandingLife, Robert is fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). He has had decades -long experience as an ASL interpreter for organizations such as Deaf, Inc., Mass General Hospital, and Boston Children’s Hospital and teacher at the university level, serving as Senior Lecturer (US = Associate Professor), British Sign Language and Deaf Studies at the University of Central Lancashire in England. He is currently works as an Associate Academic Specialist at Northeastern University where he teaches courses in the undergraduate program in ASL-English Interpreting and has written many books and academic articles. He has served on numerous professional associations’ Board of Directors. Robert lives in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood.
Robert G. Lee
Alice Fisher
Alice Fisher is a lifelong advocate and activist in the LGBTQ and disability communities. She earned her PHD in 1980 and wrote a dissertation about lesbian mothers. When not fighting for some cause she can be found hanging in her garden at Montgomery Park entertaining neighbors and friends. She has been on the board of Women and Disability, Stonewall Communities, The Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, The Equality Fund, The Advisory of Age Friendly Boston, City School, and the City of Boston Commission for Persons with Disabilities Advisory Board and a number of political campaigns.
Alice Fisher
Dominique Ramos
Dominique is a mission-driven philanthropy and nonprofit professional with deep experience in grantmaking, relationship-building, and participatory methods. With a strong track record across organizations like Prime Coalition, The Lenny Zakim Fund, and the TJX Foundation, Dominique has supported community investments, streamlined key operational processes, and advanced DEIJB efforts. Dominique holds dual master’s degrees in Sustainable International Development and Global Health Policy from Brandeis University and is dedicated to advancing equity and justice through philanthropy and community-centered partnerships.
Dominique Ramos
Sue Ash
Sue Ash
Alicia Gomez
Alicia M. Gomez, is the Chief Operating Officer of Boston Senior Home Care, a nonprofit aging-services organization serving thousands of older adults across Massachusetts through home care, care management, and supportive housing programs, with a strong commitment to whole-person wellbeing. With over 30 years of experience spanning direct practice to executive leadership in medical and community-based social work, Alicia has built a career around strengthening the systems that support aging populations. She holds an MSW from Salem State University, an MBA, and is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Board-Certified Patient Advocate. As a member of the Sandwich Generation herself, she brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her advocacy for older adults and the families who care for them. Outside of work, Alicia loves gardening, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren.
Alicia Gomez
Associates and Volunteers
Julie Nowak
Julie Nowak (she/they/xe) is the LGBTQIA+ Initiative Coordinator for Springwell, leading their outreach to older adults in the rainbow community and hosting talks, events, and cultural competency trainings that help build understanding and create affirming spaces where everyone is welcome! She is a facilitator for the Concord, MA chapter of Greater Boston PFLAG, a community of grassroots support groups embracing families with LGBTQIA+ loved ones; the Concord chapter includes several "late bloomers" and is very good for people who are questioning or coming out as mature/older adults.
Julie Nowak
Julie Nowak
Amy Ruiter it the Program Coordinator for OutstandingLife. Her background is in Human Services, Education, and The Arts. She considers her true passion to be creating and facilitating quality programming that creates connections for people. Amy holds a BFA in Painting from Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, MA, and an MS in Arts Administration and Cultural Entrepreneurship from Northeastern University. In her spare time, she loves planning trips to Walt Disney World, visiting museums, and spending time at the beach with her kids and their giant dog Teddy.
Amy Ruiter
Jennifer Knight
As OutstandingLife’s Director of Marketing and Outreach, Jenn Knight is working to expand and promote culturally appropriate programming and safe welcoming social opportunities for LGBTQ+ older adults living in Massachusetts. Jenn brings over 30 years of experience working with the aging population and 15 years' experience working with LGBTQ+ older adults. Jenn is a graduate of Worcester State University where she was inspired to pursue a career in communications and nonprofit marketing. Jenn has dedicated her entire career to serving nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts.
Jennifer Knight
Would you like to Volunteer for a program? Please let us know!