Write what you know. If there's something you don't know, go and research it. Experience plays a larger part if you're writing non-fiction.
I have written from both the position of empathy and experience, despite the fact I am under 30 years of age I have had a lot of experiences in my life both good and bad, I have a great deal empathy for people who have had similar or the exact same experiences that I have had.
Mines a hodgepodge. I wouldn't worry about lack of experience - it's not the experiences that matter it's how you can turn the ones you have + opinions + views + observations into something of interest. Having read a lot of autobios when I was younger I realized that even the most exciting experience can be turned into dry anecdotes. I would also say observation can often trump experience because experience can be limiting, distorted, and cause judgments whereas observation allows you the freedom of taking in multiple peoples experiences and getting a more rounded viewpoint for what you need.
Well, I was reading something the other day that according to Hemingway (I'm pretty sure) the greatest works of fiction are at essence autobiographies. The plot and events may be largely fictional, but the heart of the piece (and often times a lot more than that) is directly relevant to the author. Taking a look at what I consider to be some of the great works, I'd have to agree that in many cases this is true.
