Operation Crossroads Africa and the “Progenitors of the Peace Corps”
The program you may not know about that inspired JFK. And that has been sending U.S. volunteers abroad since 1958. By Reverend Dr. Jonathan Weaver The man who was the visionary behind Crossroads Africa, Dr. James Robinson, in many ways has not gotten the recognition he deserves. Dr. Robinson first traveled to Africa in 1954 on behalf of the Presbyterian Foreign Missions Board and saw sweeping changes taking place throughout the continent. He went to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where he was introduced to several giants in African history: Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who later served as the first president...
Mirror the Face of Our Nation: Strategies for Increasing African American Inclusion in the Peace Corps and International Careers
The past: The program you may not know about that inspired JFK. The future: How we change what America looks like abroad. Photo: Rep. Karen Bass, who delivered welcoming remarks for the event, part of the Ronald H. Brown Series, on September 14, 2021. On September 14, 2021, the Constituency for Africa hosted, and National Peace Corps Association sponsored, a series of conversations on “Strategies for Increasing African American Inclusion in the Peace Corps and International Careers.” Part of the annual Ronald H. Brown Series, the event brought together leaders in government, policy, and education, as well as some key...
Evacuation: Service cut short by medical crisis, the draft, and COVID-19
Evacuated Peace Corps Volunteers: Then and Now, We Continue to Serve — a conversation convened as part of Peace Corps Connect 2021. Pictured: “Gül” in Turkish, “rose” in English. Margo Jones served as a Volunteer in the village of Asagisayak, then in the city of Bolu. Photo by Ken St. Louis On September 25, 2021, Jodi Hammer hosted a panel of Volunteers who have been evacuated from the countries where they were serving — in the 1960s and in 2020. Hammer was a Volunteer in Ecuador 1994–97 and serves as Career Support Specialist at National Peace Corps Association. Here are edited excerpts...
Diversity and Global Credibility
We need to have a diverse and talented corps of professionals in our foreign affairs agencies — and in the wider development community. That matters when it comes to leadership and credibility alike. By Aaron Williams Peace Corps Director 2009–12 The beauty and inherent value of the Peace Corps is that it provides a different approach to America’s overseas engagement. Volunteers live in local communities, speak the national and local languages, and have great respect for the culture of the host country. Working at the grassroots level for two or more years, Peace Corps Volunteers have a unique platform...
Opinion: Missing from the Conversation About Afghanistan
I was a combat interpreter in Afghanistan, where cultural illiteracy led to U.S. failure. Illustration by Miguel Davilla By Baktash Ahadi Like many Afghan Americans, I spent much time beginning in August trying to secure safe passage from Afghanistan for family, friends, and colleagues, with tragically limited success. I also know that many Americans have been asking: Why is this crazy scramble necessary? How could Afghanistan have collapsed so quickly? As a former combat interpreter who served alongside U.S. and Afghan Special Operations forces, I can tell you part of the answer — one that’s been missing from the...
A More Sustainable Food System
C.D. Glin takes on responsibilities as vice president, global head of philanthropy for the PepsiCo Foundation By NPCA Staff C.D. Glin (South Africa 1997–99) took on responsibilities as vice president, global head of philanthropy for the PepsiCo Foundation in May. He oversees daily management of the foundation and focuses work toward a more sustainable food system. Glin had been president and CEO of the U.S. African Development Foundation, an Africa-focused philanthropic organization established by Congress to invest grant capital, build capacity, and scale locally owned, sustainable solutions for underserved and agricultural-dependent populations. He was the first director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the...
Civic Engagement and Democracy
Javier Valdés takes on responsibilities as U.S. Director of Civic Engagement and Government for the Ford Foundation By NPCA Staff Javier Valdés (Guatemala 1999–2001) took on responsibilities as U.S. Director of Civic Engagement and Government for the Ford Foundation in August. Valdés was previously co-executive director at Make the Road New York, the state’s largest immigration advocacy organization. Valdés has been instrumental in increasing affordable housing, expanding translation services in government offices, and reducing bias in policing. Among his goals now: play a pivotal role in the Ford Foundation’s ambitions to strengthen representation, participation, and leadership in U.S. democracy.
Recent Awards in Health Equity and Music Education
Awards for two members of the Peace Corps Community Photo: Maurice Lee, recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Equity By NPCA Staff Maurice Lee | Ecuador 1996–99 Maurice Lee was recognized with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Equity for his work with St. Vincent de Paul’s Virginia G. Piper Medical and Dental Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. Lee is chief medical officer and medical director there; he also founded the Arizona Safety Net, a collaboration among more than 40 Phoenix-area free and low-cost clinics aimed at improving health equity for Arizona’s uninsured. The award has been presented...
President’s Letter: After the Fall of Afghanistan, We Need the Rise of the Peace Corps
The United States needs to engage with the world — but not with top-down military-first policies. By Reed Hastings and Glenn Blumhorst Illustration by Melinda Beck Americans spent the past two decades trying to rebuild Afghanistan from the top down. Our military led the way, with huge sacrifice, and the American people spent more than $2 trillion on this effort. While hopes were raised, particularly for women, progress was fleeting. Our mission was not achieved. One could be forgiven, then, for believing that American engagement overseas is a pointless task. And one could even be forgiven for thinking that Americans should...
Honors from the Library of Congress for Friends of Tonga
A virtual read-aloud program brings recognition from the 2021 Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program. By NPCA Staff Friends of Tonga, established by Returned Peace Corps Volunteers in 2018, got some well-earned recognition this fall: 2021 Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program Best Practice Honoree. It was the creation of a virtual read-aloud program that brought the award. That program has developed a resource library of videos in which English speakers record themselves reading stories. All books have been authorized by the authors and publishers for use. The video library, with more than 80 recordings, is housed on the Friends of...