I’ve worked in storytelling and media production for over 20 years, from network and public television production to authoring a book and launching the popular digital radio show, The Agewyz Podcast. Created in 2015, The Agewyz Podcast supports people caring for family members, friends and relatives amid the demands of their own lives. As host and producer of the show, I’ve had the privilege of conducting over 150 interviews with people from diverse cultures and age groups, from millennials to the “oldest old” (85 and up). These conversations, filled with joy and heartache, have been widely praised for their honesty and affirmation of the human experience. The Agewyz Podcast has been cited by Aging Care, Elder Guru and others for the design and execution of this digital media project created for underserved community.
Life Stories for the Ages is the culmination of many years of media work and speaks to my own roots as a Greek-American whose grandparents were a big part of my life growing up. They were the wise elders I looked up to, who left behind everything that was familiar as they emigrated from Greece to the US and Canada to make a better life for themselves. My maternal Yia-Yia (grandmother) was particularly adventurous, traveling all on her own as a teenager from the Greek island of Lesbos to Toronto to meet her future husband in an arranged marriage.
I am thrilled to be using my diverse media background to build on the established tradition of oral history storytelling by updating it with new media tools that engage people emotionally, through their eyes and ears. By preserving these enduring stories, family members can cherish the unique life experiences of someone they love over and over again.