News
Opinion | A New Generation’s Take on the Peace Corps
Op-Ed: A Gen Z Lens on Why the Complex Perceptions of the Peace Corps Must Be Examined By Zii Patel I think for many, the idea of the Peace Corps is an abstract one. For my fellow Generation Zers (I know you have opinions but hear me out), it could even be considered obscure. For the majority of my lifetime, the Peace Corps has barely existed in the words of my community, in the opinions of my peers, in the text of my books and the dialogue of TV consumed. And I had certainly never met a Peace Corps...
NPCA Board Chair Expresses Concern about the Future of Peace Corps
Protect the Peace Corps: A message from NPCA Board Chair John Lee Evans In my opinion, there is no guarantee that the Peace Corps, as we know it, will continue to exist. The Peace Corps has endured many political changes, but now we are in an unprecedented and uncertain political environment. If you believe that the experience you had in the Peace Corps should be available for the next generation, we need your help now. Whether you are a regular or infrequent NPCA donor, we are asking you to chip in an extra $50 to save the Peace Corps at...
NPCA Partners with Power the Polls
“Democracy after all is a high-risk undertaking. It means trusting the people rather than the experts; but it also means educating the people, challenging the people, inspiring the people. It means stimulating the people to think, to criticize, to question. It means respecting process as well as results.” ~Sargent Shriver, Washington, D.C., March 22, 1976 (Courtesy of the Sargent Shriver Peace Institute) Peace Corps founder Sargent Shriver inspired people in a variety of ways, not the least of which was his clarion call to the Peace Corps community to “Serve, Serve, Serve!” The ongoing commitment to service and the...
House FY 2025 Spending Bill Avoids Peace Corps Funding Cut
It's appropriations season on Capitol Hill! And, in a continued, difficult fiscal environment, a recent victory for the Peace Corps community provides a strong possibility that funding for the Peace Corps in the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2025) will – at worst – be no less than current funding levels. In The House: Overcoming a Budget Cut The House of Representatives took up its version of the FY 2025 State/Foreign Operations appropriations bill on June 26. Initially, this funding bill included a proposal to cut funding for the Peace Corps from its current $430 million to $410 million –...
Peace Corps Achievements – July 2024
News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff. By Benjamin DeMarais & Peter V. Deekle Oliver McCoy (pictured, Turkmenistan 1997–99) is set to receive the Outstanding Alumni Award from Pacific University this October, recognized for his lifelong commitment to international service and humanitarianism. Gordon Rhea (Ethiopia 1968–69) has been nominated as the next attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands by the territory’s governor, bringing his extensive background in legal expertise to the role. Christopher King Croft (Jamaica 2018–20; 2023–24) released his debut novel, Invasive Species, a...
RPCV Representatives Make Impression at UN Women’s Conference
Eight NPCA representatives make valuable connections at United Nations Women's Conference to further the conversation on global progress toward gender equality By Greg Emerson Every spring, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) holds its flagship two-week conference to bring global stakeholders together to discuss approaches to improving the lives of women and girls around the world. It’s the second-largest event on the UN calendar, after the General Assembly session in September. This year, National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) representatives were there to engage, and, most critically, build connections for an impactful partnership at next year’s meeting....
Peace Corps Achievements – May and June 2024
News and updates from the Peace Corps community — across the country, around the world, and spanning generations of returned Volunteers and staff. Compiled by Peter V. Deekle Sierra Plato (pictured, Costa Rica 2016–18) celebrated her one year work anniversary in March as a program specialist in Chicago with the Peace Corps Office of University Programs. Michael Carson (Kenya 1989–91) was appointed the new president of the International Storytelling Center (ISC) in April. Christophe Andre Tocco (Morocco, 1996–98) has been nominated to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Islamic Republic of Mauritania by President Biden. We also share the stories of Darlene...
40 Senators Sign Annual Peace Corps Funding Letter
40 Senators signed the annual Peace Corps funding Dear Colleague letter, urging support for the president's FY 2025 request of $479 million for the Peace Corps. By Jonathan Pearson Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and fellow committee member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), have sent the annual Peace Corps funding Dear Colleague letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for State/Foreign Operations. The letter urges support for President Biden's request of $479 million for the Peace Corps – an eleven percent funding increase – for the fiscal year that begins next October 1st (FY 2025)....
112 House Reps Sign Annual Peace Corps Funding Letter
The annual House Peace Corps funding Dear Colleague letter is now closed, but not before 112 lawmakers demonstrated their support. By Jonathan Pearson On Thursday, April 25, RPCV Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA), and fellow Congressman Garret Graves (R-LA), the Co-Chairs of the House Peace Corps Caucus, began circulating the annual Peace Corps funding Dear Colleague letter. This year’s letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee for State/Foreign Operations, urges support for President Biden's request of $479 million for the Peace Corps for the fiscal year that begins in October (FY 2025). This would represent an eleven percent increase over...
Black History Month: Interview with RPCV Carla Brown-Ndiaye
Fueled by a curiosity of people, cultures, and international travel, RPCV Carla Brown-Ndiaye shifted from a budding career in human resources to serving as a teacher in the Comoro Islands — along the way deepening her respect for cultural perspective. Interview conducted by Tiffany James In celebration of Black History Month, we honor the crucial role that Black Peace Corps Volunteers, staff, and communities have played globally throughout Peace Corps' more than 60-year success story. We proudly spotlight a Black RPCV whose journey of service and self-discovery transcended borders. After working in human resources for a few years after...