Editor’s Note: The John A. Hartford Foundation is collaborating with ASA to advance equity in aging by supporting ASA RISE, a 20-week social justice and leadership program for rising leaders of color in aging, and via the development and dissemination of equity-related, partnership-based thought leadership through ASA’s Generations platform. This blog post is part of that series.
When I think about the future of aging in America, one word rises above all others: belonging.
At On Aging 2026, the American Society on Aging (ASA) will gather thousands of professionals, advocates and community leaders in Atlanta under the theme The Power of Belonging: Amplifying Voices, Advancing Justice, Accelerating Connection. For me, this theme is not a catchphrase. It’s a rallying cry—a vision of the future we must build together.
Belonging as a Basic Human Need
Belonging is not a soft ideal. It is a biological necessity. Neuroscience tells us that human beings are wired for connection. Belonging lowers stress, strengthens immunity, improves cognitive health, and literally helps us live longer. Conversely, disconnection is deadly. The Surgeon General’s recent advisory on loneliness revealed that lacking strong social relationships can increase risk of premature death as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
When older adults are left out—whether through structural ageism, racism, homophobia, ableism or poverty—the result is not just loneliness. It is poorer health, reduced independence and diminished dignity. The absence of belonging compounds inequities and accelerates decline.
Where Belonging Is Missing
Too often, our systems fail to create belonging for those who most need it. And if we do not intentionally design systems of belonging, exclusion will remain the default. Black and Brown elders experience cumulative disadvantage from a lifetime of systemic racism. Older adults with HIV still face stigma that keeps them from accessing care. LGBTQ+ elders worry about whether they will be safe in senior housing or long-term care. Immigrant elders navigate language barriers that can turn simple tasks into battles for dignity. Rural elders find themselves isolated, far from culturally responsive care.
These stories are not abstractions. They are lived realities for millions of people in the United States.
What Belonging Demands
This is why belonging must be the core of aging services and advocacy. To amplify voices means that older adults are not just “served” but are shaping the policies and programs that affect their lives. It means making space for their stories, experiences and leadership.
To advance justice requires acknowledging the ways older adults have been excluded and then dismantling those barriers. Justice is about addressing inequities in healthcare access, affordable housing, economic security, and cultural representation. Justice means we measure our success not by who is in the room, but by who is missing.
Atlanta is more than a backdrop, it’s a teacher, reminding us of what’s possible when voices are amplified, justice is pursued, and connection is lived as a daily practice.
To accelerate connection challenges us to move beyond rhetoric to practice. It means redesigning services so that they not only meet physical needs but also foster community. It means rethinking workplace culture so that frontline staff feel safe, valued and included. It means forging partnerships across healthcare, housing, transportation and technology to ensure that aging is not a silo, but a shared responsibility.
Atlanta Is the Right Place, Now Is the Right Time
There is no better place than Atlanta to host On Aging 2026. Atlanta is a city whose history is shaped by struggle, resilience, and movements for civil rights. It is a city that knows belonging is never freely given—it is created through courage, persistence and coalition-building.
As ASA prepares for this gathering, I see Atlanta as more than a backdrop. I see it as a teacher, reminding us of what is possible when voices are amplified, when justice is pursued, and when connection is lived as a daily practice.
My Own Why
For me, belonging is personal. As a Black woman who has worked across communities, I know what it feels like to be invisible and hypervisible in spaces where decisions are made. I also have known the deep relief and strength that come when someone says, “You belong here, just as you are.”
That is the future I want for every older adult, every caregiver, every worker in our field. A future where no one has to fight to be seen. A future where our systems and services are built not just to sustain life but to affirm it.
An Invitation
On Aging 2026 is not just another conference. It is an invitation. An invitation to widen the circle of belonging in your organization, your community, your policies and your practice.
It is an invitation to ask yourself:
- Who feels they belong here?
- Who still feels left out?
- What am I prepared to do to change that?
Belonging is powerful because it transforms not just individuals but systems. It challenges us to create a world where aging is not feared or marginalized but honored and connected.
That is why I am so proud of ASA’s On Aging 2026 theme. It names what we must do as a field: amplify voices, advance justice, and accelerate connection.
Because aging, at its core, is not a solo journey. It is a collective one. And it will take all of us, working together, to build a future where belonging is not the exception but the norm.
Patrice L. Dickerson, PhD, is ASA’s Senior Equity Strategy Director, and co-leads the ASA RISE Fellowship program.
Photo credit: Shutterstock/fengdr2020
