William Way Community Center
Title: Cultivating Connection: Supporting LGBTQ+ Elders at William Way
Student Interns:
Lydia Ephrem
University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing
Sarah Rosoff
University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice
Academic Preceptor:
Dalmacio Dennis Flores, PhD, ACRN, FAAN
University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing
Johanna K.P. Greeson, PhD, MSS, MLSP
University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Policy & Practice
Community Preceptor:
Kyle Macklin
Elder Initiative Social Engagement Coordinator, William Way LGBT Community Center
Ed Miller
Elder Initiative Program Manager, William Way LGBT Community Center
Community Site:
The William Way LGBT Community Center has been dedicated to serving the LGBTQIA+ community in the greater Philadelphia area since 1976. The Elder Initiative is a program within William Way that focuses on promoting community, advocacy, and crucial resources for older LGBTQIA+ individuals. Through support groups, free grocery days, educational health sessions, and community-building events, the initiative works to combat isolation and foster a sense of belonging among a historically marginalized population.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps interns supported current programming, such as weekly check-ins, grocery days, and birthday celebrations at both the William Way LGBT Community Center and the John C. Anderson LGBTQ-friendly apartment complex. Interns independently created and led presentations for residents and other constituents related to oral health and intergenerational LGBTQ+ experiences. The interns researched issues affecting the livelihoods of LGBTQ+ elders and local resources that work to dismantle barriers caused by these issues, building comprehensive resource lists and a formal policy impact statement. Given the timing of the BTG internship, Pride Month support was also a component of their experience. The interns tabled at local Pride events and assisted with merchandise inventory.
Reflections
My internship at William Way Elder Initiative showed me the power of storytelling in building trust, empathy, and community across generations. One of the most meaningful moments was sharing my personal coming out story at a Pride event, where I saw how vulnerability and lived experience could foster understanding and meaningful dialogue among attendees. Through conversations with LGBTQ+ elders and discussions about recent policies affecting LGBTQ+ rights and healthcare, I gained a deeper appreciation for the ways public policy directly shapes the health, visibility, and well-being of marginalized communities. This experience reinforced my commitment to becoming a compassionate healthcare provider who values listening to patients’ stories and advocating for marginalized communities.
Lydia Ephrem
Working with the Elder Initiative this summer has profoundly shaped both my personal and professional trajectory. While I initially expected to support and learn through specific programming and tasks, I found that the true meaning of this work was fostered in my interpersonal interactions with my fellow intern, other staff, and the elders we worked with. It was through this dialogue that I came to appreciate the importance of intergenerational connections. Whether engaging in small talk with the John C. Anderson Apartment residents during lunch, participating in a virtual book club meeting centered on queer identity, or creating intentional spaces for cross-generational conversation, I found myself slowing down and focusing on the people around me, rather than a specific task. These experiences expanded my own understanding of community building, while deepening my appreciation for the resilience and complexity of the LGBTQ+ community. This internship has left me more confident in my own practice, more intentional in how I show up for others, and more certain that my future lies in supporting LGBTQ+ individuals.
Sarah Rosoff
Partners
