Most 99 year olds have long since given up their car keys. But not Myrtle Braxton, who says she has two more years until her license expires and she intends to stay put behind the wheel.
Being independently mobile makes sense for the always-busy Braxton. For more than half a century, she has volunteered, organized and advocated across the city at every level and beyond, from her own Laurel Park Neighborhood Council to the National Parks and Recreation Commission.
“Everybody who works in government or works in the community to some degree in Richmond, is gonna know and work with Myrtle Braxton,” said Robert Rogers, chief of staff to Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia.
As chair of the Hospitality Committee at Easter Hill Methodist Church, she keeps the kitchen stocked and makes sure there’s always refreshments on Sundays. For nearly 60 years, she has been an integral part of the Laurel Park Neighborhood Council, spearheading everything from street paving projects to crime prevention initiatives. She belonged to the NAACP, the League of Women Voters and served on the board of the Richmond Art Center. She’s also the former chair and a current member of the Commission on Aging, a group dedicated to connecting and providing resources for the city’s elderly population. And she can always be counted on at election time to help encourage everyone to vote.
And, for decades, she served on the city Recreation and Parks Commission, helping to identify new projects in Richmond’s green spaces. Braxton believes that if residents wish to see change in their city, they have to take action themselves. To her, that spirit of civic participation isn’t saying that local government is failing – it’s part of what makes Richmond so special.
“It’s not possible for your elected officials to know everything that’s happening in the city,” Braxton told Richmondside. “They depend on the citizens to let them know when there are things that need to be done.”
In 2008, Braxton had to step down from the parks commission when the city passed a law limiting terms. When she joined the Commission on Aging soon after, the group petitioned the Richmond City Council to remove the four-year term limit, which it did not. Braxton’s term ends in 2027.
“We told them, we don’t need term limits,” Braxton said. “God takes care of our term limits.”
She admits, however, that God has allowed her a pretty long term. “Nobody ever expected me to live to be 98 years old,” she said in an interview with Richmondside before her 99th birthday, which was Monday.
A day in the life of a 99-year-old civic activist
Every day, Braxton drives to the Richmond Senior Center on Macdonald Avenue and has lunch. On the first Friday of every month, she meets with the Commission on Aging at City Hall. They work on improving living conditions for seniors in public housing and keep seniors connected through organized events and workshops. For instance, Braxton helped champion a crosswalk installation on Cutting Boulevard to help seniors living in a development nearby safely cross the busy street to a grocery store.
“A lot of seniors are homebound, and they don’t know what services are available to them,” Braxton said. “Some of the seniors live in the older neighborhoods, and they could be neglected at times, if people don’t help them get, like, the street light fixed.”
In her free time, she sometimes offers rides to her fellow parishioners, picking them up in a little dark grey Honda Civic that, according to her, “drives itself.” What is remarkable about this picture is that Braxton, who got her license renewed at 97, is older than the women she is driving around.
“When it came in the mail, I saw it’s good for four years,” she said, laughing.
Braxton moved with her three children from Berkeley to Richmond in 1967, when the Laurel Park neighborhood was still being built. She quickly fell in love with the way the city felt like a small town despite its size.
“When I lived in Berkeley, I knew the name of the mayor, but I had never met the mayor,” she said. “And, you know, here in Richmond, you meet them and then you see them, and you know your council people. To me, that’s what’s different.”
Braxton made lasting connections with everyone from the mayor, to the police chief, to her neighbors three doors down. Organizing projects and staying active in her neighborhood council strengthened her sense of community and deepened her love for Richmond and what it could be. Knowing people beyond just the neighbors next door reminded her of the communities where she grew up in Dallas, where “everybody knew everybody” on the block.
“There’s power and strength in numbers,” Braxton said. “I found that it was really worthwhile and rewarding to do things to improve the quality of life with people.”
On Sept. 9, the Contra Costa Senior Legal Services celebrated its 50th anniversary in Walnut Creek. At the event, which Braxton was unable to attend, she was honored with the West County Elder Justice Award recognizing her lifetime of contributions. One of three recipients, she was nominated by Gioia’s office.
“The animating principle of Myrtle Braxton and what she does, who she is, is all about action,” said Rogers, who presented the award. “That’s what she does. That’s what gives her power and strength, and it also is what she deeply believes is required for anything.”
“”
“…she’s so strong, physically and mentally. She’s just a force.”
— Robert Rogers, Contra Costa County supervisor John Gioia’a chief of staff
Rogers said that when his office was asked to nominate someone, there was not a doubt in their minds about who that person should be.
“Myrtle Braxton is a Hall of Fame activist, a Hall of Fame volunteer,” he said. “To know her is to respect her immensely, because she’s just so stoic, she’s so dignified, and she’s so strong, physically and mentally. She’s just a force.”
Braxton had plans to spend her birthday, which is Monday Sept. 21, celebrating with her daughter, who lives with her, members of her church and her friends. After many years of celebrating with music, parties and dancing, she was looking forward to a more intimate gathering with fancy food and drinks.
Braxton’s age doesn’t define her. She gets her own food, does her own laundry and pays her own bills. Each week, she rolls her trash bins to the curb for collection. While some people her age might come home after a long day to a crossword or a knitting project, she opens her iPad and practices using AI. She says the technology helps her with drawing up contracts and drafting reports.
“I think it’s keeping your mind active that keeps you active,” Braxton said. “I consider it a blessing, getting older.”
