The Peace Corps Legacy: Carla Brown Visits New Mexico to Elevate Voices of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
By Hayden Johnson (NPCA Communications Intern)
June 16, 2025
Santa Fe, NM—The enduring ideal of Americans serving overseas through the Peace Corps remains one of President John F. Kennedy’s most admired legacies. Since its founding in 1961, more than 240,000 volunteers have served in over 140 countries, building cross-cultural understanding and advancing development at the grassroots level. But today, amid looming federal budget cuts and administrative restructuring, the Peace Corps faces an uncertain future.
In a special edition of The Forum on KSFR, Carla Brown, Vice President of the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA), joined the conversation during her weeklong tour of New Mexico. Her mission: to strengthen national advocacy for the Peace Corps, amplify the voices of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs), and reinforce the program’s enduring relevance both abroad and at home. Listen to the conversation here.
RPCVs are the Story
“The primary goal [of this tour] is to reach out to our community and really emphasize the importance of community and to really express the importance of people knowing who the Peace Corps is,” said Brown (RPCV Comoro Islands 1992—1994). “Visibility, I think is critical at this time for people to see what not only we’ve done overseas, but the impact we’ve had when we come home.”
During her meetings with RPCVs across the state, Brown said she consistently heard how Peace Corps service transformed lives—helping volunteers discover new career paths, instill deeper empathy, and foster lifelong commitments to service. She said the Peace Corps is important “because what you learn and what you experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer shapes pretty much any decision you make from that point on.” Brown believes “your outlook, what’s important to you, your fundamental values [change during service]. They play a role in everything you do going forward, at least with all of the Returned Volunteers that I know.”
Brown shared her own story of going overseas to teach English and finding her true calling in public health, co-leading a UNICEF-funded campaign to combat malnutrition and prevent disease in rural villages. That experience “shaped my whole trajectory in terms of where I wanted to go,” she said. And it’s not unique to Brown, she believes “most Peace Corps Volunteers will give you some form of that kind of conversation.”
A Program at a Crossroads
Her visit comes at a critical juncture. A recent evaluation by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has prompted proposals for internal restructuring, particularly targeting Peace Corps’ domestic staffing model. While recruitment and overseas deployments continue, the long-term implications of these changes are deeply concerning to advocates.
“We are concerned,” Brown said frankly. “[But] I’m an optimistic person and I believe in the mission. I believe in what volunteerism is and I think it is something that we as a community need to stand up for and that’s what we’re going to do… I think we are working very diligently and strategically to make sure that Peace Corps remains and that whatever structure is determined, you know, does not compromise the safety and security of Americans.”
The NPCA is closely monitoring the situation and mobilizing its network of alumni and allies to speak out and join the “Stand Up for Service” initiative. Brown stressed that the organization’s role is not only to advocate for the Peace Corps as an agency but also to ensure Current and Returned Volunteers are protected and supported, especially during times of transition.
Bringing the World Home
As Brown described, Peace Corps service is about more than helping abroad—it’s also about “bringing the world home.” Volunteers return with new languages, global perspectives, and deep cultural awareness that they then share through their careers in education, health, business, and public service.
“There are concrete benefits too,” she noted. “To me, the richness of Peace Corps Volunteers is because we are there so long, you do learn to appreciate things in a way that, you know, perhaps you wouldn’t if it’s a quick touch point.” She described the deep respect for elders in many cultures and how that reverence reshapes RPCVs’ outlooks on community and intergenerational learning. She also mentioned the cuisine and products that Volunteers are exposed to in their time abroad.
Santa Fe, NM itself holds an example of this influence: the International Folk Art Market, one of the world’s premier gatherings of global artisans, was co-founded by a returned Peace Corps Volunteer. That’s one person’s story and it is an example of how the Peace Corp “marks someone’s life” Brown said, “But think about all of the people who’ve benefited from that one touch point of someone going somewhere for two years and learning about those communities.”
The Importance of Advocacy and Optimism
Despite the challenges, Brown remains optimistic. She encouraged those who share Peace Corps values—intercultural understanding, grassroots development, and national service—to become members of the NPCA, whether they’ve served or not. She urges people to donate to NPCA to help them continue to advocate. Brown said, “We also encouraging you strongly, especially at times now, like now, to write to your congressmen, to write to your senators and let them know how important Peace Corps is and how much you believe in soft power.”
“While I am speaking to Peace Corps, I am also speaking to our friends who’ve worked at USAID, AmeriCorps. Many people don’t even realize that many people have been directly impacted by AmeriCorps. Many AmeriCorps Volunteers are right in the thick of things. So, any kind of allyship with these organizations matter and we encourage you to continue to push for and highlight the importance of national service,” Brown said.
A Call to the Next Generation
Brown also spoke passionately about the value of study abroad programs and international education. “Take the jump,” she urged, “I think the single biggest reason to study abroad is you learn so much about who you are. You have to look pretty deep inside yourself to navigate spaces where you don’t have the safety nets that you do when you’re at home.”
Her advice to students and parents was clear: travel and live internationally when you can. “It is scary, but you know, often what’s scary makes us stronger. So, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
Become a Member of NPCA here. Also, consider a donation to support our “Stand Up For Service” campaign here.