Expat Diaries: Black Women Aging Abroad Are Embracing The Power Of Communal Living

Who doesn’t love The Golden Girls? Whether you watched it during its original run in the ‘80s or caught it through reruns, you probably laughed at the antics and camaraderie of four women building a life together under one roof in sunny Jameca Woody Cooper, PhD, a counseling psychologist in St. Louis and fellow world traveler who has worked with older adults for more than two decades. “On their overall well-being, their mental health, their physical health, their cognitive abilities, and really their longevity.” Social connection, she explains, keeps the mind engaged and alert, helping to prevent cognitive decline by encouraging communication, presence, and a sense of being seen.

For Black women, this pull toward community is cultural. “We’re communal beings,” Cooper says. “We once lived in tribes and communities with elders, intergenerational communities where everyone was valued. And in those communities, the elders had the most value.”

Choosing to age together abroad offers emotional and psychological relief from the systems that have long marginalized us. It creates spaces where Black women are seen and valued not for their income, education, or skin color, but for who they truly are. As Cooper explains, finding community is healing.

Tucked in the heart of the Lake Chapala area of Mexico, a former boutique hotel has been reborn as something far more intimate and intentional. Casa de Caoba, otherwise known as The Mahogany House, is a communal living space created by and for Black women over 50. “We have renamed the house Casa de Caoba, because it’s all Black women,” says Sunya Folayan, 70, a textile artist, musician, and creative force from Charlotte, North Carolina, who co-manages the space with her business partner, Donna “Savvy” Jones. The three-story building includes four private suites, shared kitchens, and a rooftop with sweeping views. This is a space where slow mornings, community meals, and laughter can coexist with deep privacy and time for reflection. “On the third floor is our communal area, there’s a large living area, a large chef’s kitchen,” she explains. “It’s where we come together.”

Folayan moved to Mexico permanently in December 2021 after initially arriving for an artist’s residency earlier that year. Now with adult children and grandchildren still in the U.S., she’s chosen to root herself in a life>Donna “Savvy”Jones, Folayan’s business partner and a resident of Casa de Caoba, has an idea. At 65, she’s redefining what retirement can look like for Black women ready to reclaim their time, power, and purpose. Originally from Muskegon Heights, Michigan, Jones spent nearly 34 years working as a psychiatric nurse before retiring and relocating to Mexico. Her message is clear: “We don’t have to die alone. We don’t have to live alone,” she says. “The second act can be your best act.”

For Jones, the heart of co-living is all about companionship, growth, and collaboration. “Each of us brings something different to the table,” she says. “Instead of being in competition, we’re in collaboration. I get to straighten my queen’s crown, and we grow together.” Over time, she adds, “We actually become family.”

Jones now teaches other women how to build lives rooted in clarity, community, and what she calls “grace gigs”—sustainable, soul-aligned work and living that centers more rest over hustle. As a coach, she guides women through the practical and emotional terrain of co-living.

Her method is both strategic and spiritual: use tools like Myers-Briggs or the Color Spectrum to understand personality dynamics, ask honest questions about financial stability, and watch for red flags like frequent moves or vague plans. She recommends a minimum six-month commitment and encourages open conversations early on about life target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hacienda Elm, an all-inclusive mature living community in San Miguel de Allende, a one-level property with private suites, walking trails, fruit trees, and intentional design elements. Born in Toronto to Jamaican parents who migrated to Canada in the 1960s, she grew up in Connecticut before leaving the U.S. in 2000.

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