In the working world, it’s crucial to evaluate individuals based on their abilities, rather than how old (or young) they are. Ageism is a significant issue in politics this year and on the job: Some 14,144 claims about age discrimination were filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2023. It’s not uncommon to hear about people of retirement age being referred to as “over the hill,” but is it really true?
Consider Betty Reid Soskin, a U.S. national park ranger who shattered stereotypes by joining forces with the park service in her 80s and working until she retired at the age of 100 in 2022. At that time, she was also among the 33% of rangers who were women and the 6.7% who were black. The past two decades have been the busiest and most impactful of her life, proving that there’s ample room for redefining expectations about what any of us can do at any age in our lives.
In her early adult years, Soskin ran a record store with her husband and turned down a career as a jazz singer to raise her children. She also got involved in activism. At 85, she helped in planning the Rosie the Riveter / World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, Calif., along the San Francisco Bay.
Soskin fell naturally into the role of park ranger, she said in an interview with Alphy. “I became a consultant for four years, and at the end of that time, they dropped the uniform on me, and I became the ranger.”
To Soskin, the famous Rosie icon, which encouraged women to join the war effort, represented a white woman’s point of view, so as a ranger, she incorporated her experiences with segregation into her tours, along with the histories of other people of color in the region, as they related to the war. This enriched the park’s narrative, providing a more comprehensive view of the era and new depth to the regional history offered at the park. “What gets remembered depends on who is in the room doing the remembering,” she said.
Living in the Moment
Soskin said her life has evolved in different phases, each of which she lived to fullest to keep herself engaged and feeling vital. “Aging and retirement doesn't mean stop living,” she said. “There is a lot more life to live, as well as a lot to celebrate.”
As each new chapter opened she looked for a new purpose for her energies and talents to propel herself forward. “Keep asking questions because the answers change, and each answer leads to more questions," she said. “I have lived contemporary with all of the times that I've been given. I've been contemporary, and I've never settled for any age.”
The bottom line: Soskin's career proves that age doesn't limit productivity or innovation, because substantial contributions can be made at any stage of life. Talent is ageless — experience can add value.
Amanda Nurse is the editorial and operations coordinator at Alphy.
Reflect AI by Alphy is an AI communication compliance solution that detects and flags language that is harmful, unlawful, and unethical in digital communication. Alphy was founded to reduce the risk of litigation from harmful and discriminatory communication while helping employees communicate more effectively.
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