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
357 Lynn Hazan: A Passion for Performance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:46
From the moment you hear Lynn Hazan, 70, speak, one thing is unmistakable: performance isn’t just something she does — it’s the lens through which she experiences the world.Born and raised in Canada, Lynn moves comfortab…
356 Darlene Norman: Belief in Your Own Advocacy Starts with Faith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:46
Long a member of the Apostolic Church of God in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago, Darlene’s faith has been a constant even as she experiences the inevitable ups and downs of life. At 71, Darlene’s serene manner shine…
355 Laurel Baer: Caregiving Offers a Deep Sense of Purpose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:00
When Laurel married in her late 50s, she never imagined she’d become her husband’s full-time caregiver just five years later. Now, twenty years into that journey, she calls it a blessing: “He is so easy to care for…. I h…
354 Jody Wilhelm: From Rural Recluse to Global Filmmaker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:20
Jody’s life reads like a movie—one she ultimately wrote and directed herself. Growing up in isolation and surviving severe trauma, she moved through poverty, rape, separation from siblings, and profound loss—the deaths o…
353 Sophy Burnam: The Inner Experience of Being Old [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:28
Sophy Burnham has lived many creative lives—and she’s still expanding. Known as a deeply imaginative and award-winning author, Sophy has written 17 books across genres: novels and nonfiction, children’s stories, poetry,…
350 Jan Golden: Jokes About Getting Older are Getting Old [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:56
Jan Golden is a one-woman force when it comes to changing how the media and greeting card agencies represent aging. For 4 years, Age-Friendly Vibes has featured cards, buttons, stickers and prints that reflect pro-aging…