382 Sandra Sokol: Championing social justice through social service

382 Sandra Sokol: Championing social justice through social service

Author: Gail Zelitzky and Catherine Marienau May 26, 2026 Duration: 36:34

For more than six decades, Sandra Sokol has devoted her life to building stronger, more equitable communities. Although she once imagined a career teaching in schools serving children of color her path evolved into groundbreaking volunteer and public service work focused on education, housing, and economic development. Many of the initiatives she helped launch grew into lasting organizations that continue to serve their communities today. Her leadership eventually carried her into local government, where she became a powerful advocate for collaboration, justice, and community-building. Now, in what she calls her “return to volunteering,” Sandra remains deeply engaged in advancing equity and opportunity for all. At 84, she reflects on a lifetime of service shaped by one enduring belief: meaningful change happens when people work together for the common good.

“I learned to think holistically about people and community—about education, housing, economic development—issues that concern all of us.” - Sandra Sokol

Connect with Sandra:

Email: sandrasokol@sbcglobal.net

Shining the Light on Age-Wise Collective, a group of women podcasters championing pro-aging voices. This week we highlight Beverley Glazer, a transition coach and strategic thinking partner whose podcast—Aging with Purpose and Passion—showcases the raw, empowering stories of high-achieving women who have navigated the most extreme life transitions with unshakeable resilience. https://www.agingwithpurposeandpassion.com


Hosted by Gail Zelitzky and Catherine Marienau, Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined turns the page on a well-worn cultural script. This is not a series about decline, but a collection of dialogues focused squarely on expansion. You’ll hear from women who are starting businesses, deepening their creative practices, forging new relationships, and confronting societal expectations with a refreshing blend of honesty and humor. These conversations, rooted in personal journals and lived expertise, delve into the practical and the profound-from the science of longevity to the personal journeys of resilience that define this chapter. The podcast moves beyond inspiration to offer tangible insight, framing the later decades as a time of active reinvention. Tune in for stories that replace stereotypes with specificity, and discover a community redefining what it means to grow older with purpose and curiosity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Women Over 70: Aging Reimagined
Podcast Episodes
377 Elise Magers: From Interiors to Inner Life: A Creative Evolution [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:41
Elise’s career didn’t follow a straight line—and that’s exactly what makes it so compelling. She began as a contract interior designer in Minneapolis before moving to Chicago in 1981, where a friend’s suggestion led her…
374 Phyllis Mitzen: A Lifetime of Leadership in Aging [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:21
At 84, Phyllis Mitzen is still reshaping how communities care for older adults — with curiosity, courage and a fierce commitment to action.Phyllis spent 24 years at CJE Senior Life (formerly Council on Jewish Elderly) an…
371 Karen Olson: An Undying Passion for Helping the Homeless [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:48
Some people discover their purpose early in life. For Karen Olson, 81, that moment came at age 18 when she offered a simple sandwich to a homeless woman outside a New York train station. Decades later, after retiring fro…
369 Arlene Bomer: Living a Life of Adventure with Purpose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:48
At 75, Arlene Borner may not be running marathons, but she is still running—and skiing on snow and water and playing pickleball. She may no longer be teaching children how to swim or speak English in places like Sweden o…