According to Maggie Kuhn, founder of the Gray Panthers, "old people and women constitute America's biggest untapped and undervalued human energy source."
In August 1970, Kuhn, together with a group of five friends, founded this first "Network" that looked at the common problems faced by retirees — loss of income, loss of contact with associates and loss of one of our society's most distinguishing social roles: one's job. They became known for advocating nursing-home reform and fighting ageism. They also discovered a new kind of freedom in their retirement — the freedom to speak personally and passionately about what they believed in.
“Old age is an excellent time for outrage. My goal is to say or do at least one outrageous thing every day.”
–Maggie Kuhn, founder of the Gray Panthers
Gray Panthers' Founding
(from the Gray Panthers’ website)