Peace Corps Polyglot

Former NPCA Advocate Making Her Mark in Uganda

 

We first met Nicole Fiol about three years ago.

Nicole connected with us as we were preparing for an NPCA Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill.  While most of the participants were returned Peace Corps volunteers or former Peace Corps staff, Nicole's interest in participating was driven by her passion as a Peace Corps applicant.

Nicole impressed us in many ways.  Her positive energy, her vibrant personality and her ability to get result!  In the picture above, Nicole met with staff of then Congressman Luis Fortuno of Puerto Rico, who subsequently signed onto a Peace Corps funding Dear Colleague letter.

We also took note of Nicole's story of the time and financial challenges she faced as a Peace Corps applicant from Puerto Rico.  Because of this, we asked her to share her story with Congress by testifying at a Senate hearing on Peace Corps legislation.

The qualities of patience and perseverance that are essential to a good advocate are also important traits for Peace Corps applicants such as Nicole. It eventually worked out as Nicole was assigned to a post in eastern Uganda.

Earlier this month, as mudslides devastated Uganda's Bududa region, Nicole was the first volunteer to arrive and begin providing disaster assistance.  Your can follow this link to read more about the work of Nicole and her Peace Corps colleagues - inspiring global engagement that continues to make us proud.  

NPCA Honors Senate Peace Corps Champions

The annual Capitol Hill gathering of NPCA's Director's Circle provided an opportunity to recognize two retiring Senators who have been strong voices for the importance of the Peace Corps.

NPCA recognized Missouri Senator Kit Bond (above, standing) for his strong support for increased Peace Corps funding as an important element of "smart power" in our outreach to the world. During the program, we read a letter of congratulations sent by the St. Louis Peace Corps Association which said in part, "We thank Senator Bond for his persistence in calling for an expansion of the Peace Corps to put greater numbers of Americans into vitally important countries around the world, changing minds about America one small village at a time."

 We also recognized Connecticut Senator and Dominican Republic RPCV Chris Dodd (above, center) for his lifetime commitment to service and his many contributions to the Peace Corps community. In presenting an award to Senator Dodd, former  Senator Harris Wofford (above, left) said "We have been made richer for the so many things you have done. The loss to the Senate will be a gain to the whole citizen sector of this republic." 

Romance and politics – Director’s Circle Weekend 2010

Earlier this month, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, former staff staff and other members of the Peace Corps community arrived in Washington, DC from across the country to participate in NPCA’s annual Director’s Circle Weekend.

The weekend included events such as special recognition of Senators Kit Bond and Christopher Dodd for their great support of the Peace Corps community, remarks from Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams and former Peace Corps Director Kevin O’Donnell, a special tour of the African Art Museum given by RPCV docent, Bonnie Gottlieb (Cote D’Ivoire 72-74) and many opportunities to share stories about how the community continues to serve after Peace Corps. The weekend will be remembered for the stories of Peace Corps romances (!), African dancing and the lively session on Peace Corps’ role in U.S. foreign policy.

Among the attendees, NPCA was happy to welcome its newest members Peter Laugharn (Morocco 82-84), David Lockshin (Costa Rica 81-84) and Kathleen Harnig (Bulgaria 98-00) as well as many members of the NPCA Board of Directors and Advisory Council. Special thanks to Frances Holliday Alford (Republic of Korea 78-80), Chair of the Director’s Circle, Tom Scanlon (Chile 61-63) our host for Friday evening’s reception and everyone who helped to make this a fantastic weekend. 

To learn more about the Director's Circle, and how you can join, click here.

[Top photo:  Tom Scanlon, NPCA board member David Magnani and Sen. Harris Wofford.  Bottom photo:  Kevin O'Donnell, NPCA Advisory Council member Ginny Kirkwood and Helen Lowman.]

"Advocating with the National Peace Corps Association was Fun"

[Guest bloggers Nancy Stills (Kenya 03-05, Peace Corps Response 2008) and Peace Corps applicant Antoine McGrath talk about their recent experience of advocating for Peace Corps on Capitol Hill.]

"On the March 2nd 2010 Peace Corps National Day of Action 50 volunteer advocates stormed Capitol Hill** to meet with their representatives and urge support for robust Peace Corps funding for 2011 and Peace Corps’s 50th anniversary. We were among these eager roaming advocates: Nancy Stills (Kenya 03-05 & Peace Corps Response Volunteer Antigua and Barbuda 2008), and Antoine McGrath, a 2011 hopeful.

Jonathan Pearson, the National Peace Corps Association Advocacy Coordinator prepared us well with an intense schedule of meetings and all the legislative information we needed, including the annual Senate and House Peace Corps funding “Dear Colleague” letter urging fellow members of Congress to sign.  He told us that our personal stories and passion were equally, if not more important than knowing the right thing to say and would have the most lasting effect on the people we met.

Jonathan could not have been more right. Our day was packed with House and Senate meetings in which Nancy shared her volunteer experiences and what the future of Peace Corps means to our changing world and U.S. relations. Antoine shared his application hopes and how their support can make service for him – and thousands of others - possible. The policy advisors and staff that we met expressed sincere respect for Peace Corps service and genuine affection for the Volunteers that serve. Staffers and guests to our meetings shared their own stories of friends and colleagues in the Peace Corps, their own application considerations, and, in one case, their time as a Peace Corps Volunteer. At the very least, everyone had a friend in the Peace Corps.

By the end of the day we felt that together we had made a positive difference. Along with the other Volunteers we ran into in the Congressional and Senate halls racing to their meetings, this was certainly true. The following day we heard that a Congressman who had never signed in the past, signed the House “Dear Colleague” letter. Since our day on the Hill, we’re told dozens of Senators and Representatives signed in support of 2011 Peace Corps funding.

Advocating with the National Peace Corps Association was fun, our Hill meetings couldn’t have been more welcomed and in the process we made a new friend in one another. Next year we hope to see all of you in the Peace Corps ranks--people who have heard life calling."

-- Nancy Stills and Antoine McGrath

**You can see photos of Peace Corps advocates on the Hill on our Facebook page.

Final Days for Action on Peace Corps Funding Letters

 
During the March 2nd National Day of Action, former NPCA intern Rachel Shattuck of Dundee, Illinois met with her Congressman, Bill Foster to make the case for increased Peace Corps funding.  Last week, Congressman Foster signed onto the House Dear Colleague letter for the first time!

Are you the next Rachel Shattuck?  Is your Senator or Congressman the next Representative Foster?

There's still time for lawmakers to take action, but time is running out:

In the House of Representatives, 99 lawmakers have signed the Farr-Honda-Petri-Driehaus-Garamendi Dear Colleague letter urging $465 million for Peace Corps in Fiscal Year 2011.  Tuesday morning is the deadline for signing onto the letter.  Follow this link to see which Congressmen/women have already signed onto the letter.

In the Senate, 14 Senators have signed onto the Dodd-Corker Dear Colleague letter urging robust funding for the Peace Corps.  Tuesday evening is the deadline for signing onto this letter.  Follow this link to see which Senators have already signed onto the letter.

Please go to www.morepeacecorps.org follow the link to your state, and follow the instructions to take action.

(Photo above: l to r, Illinois RPCV Rob Marshall, former NPCA intern Rachel Shattuck, Congressman Bill Foster and RPCV Mike Wood during the March 2nd National Day of Action)

The Day is Over...But the Action is Just Getting Started!

As people from across the nation were making phone calls, sending faxes and churning out email messages to lawmakers on Capitol Hill, 46 volunteer advocates walked the halls of Congress during the March 2nd National Day of Action in Support of the Peace Corps.

Combined with other citizen advocates who arrived in town later in the week, a total of 55 individuals participated in 112 face-to-face meetings with Senators, Congressmen and/or their staff.  In addition to that, they helped deliver packets to all other congressional offices, holding informal meetings with staff in a number of instances.

The message?  To thank Congress for its outstanding support of the Peace Corps during last year's appropriations process, and to urge continued support as work begins on the Fiscal Year 2011 budget.

The advocates focused on so-called "Dear Colleague" letters urging the key appropriations subcommittee to support robust funding for the Peace Corps.  As of 3 PM on March 8th, 59 Congressmen/women and seven Senators had signed onto these letters.

We Need YOU to Take Action:  Even though NPCA's National Day of Action is over, a critical period of follow-up is underway.  Senators have until March 16th to add their name to the Senate letter.  The House letter has a March 15th deadline.  Taking effective action is as easy as 1, 2, 3:

STEP ONE:  Visit www.morepeacecorps.org and click on your state.

STEP TWO:  Scroll down to your Senators or Congressman/woman to see if they have already signed onto the Senate (or House) letter.  If they have, contact them and say thank you!  If they have not, go to the top of your state page for simple instructions on how to take action by phone or email.

STEP THREE:  Please contact five other people you know - they don't have to be RPCVs or former Peace Corps staff - provide them with the action link and ask them to take action today!  

Thanks to all our advocates who generated such a strong and vibrant Peace Corps presence on Capitol Hill.    Contact us at [email protected] to find out how you can help! 

Visit www.facebook.com/peacecorpsconnect for more photographs from the Day of Action.

And be on the lookout for more updates and action appeals over the next ten days.

   

 

It's Here! National Day of Action Takes Aim at Capitol Hill

There are many ways to mark Peace Corps week.  One of the most important is to be an advocate for a bigger, better and bolder Peace Corps.  That's why the National Peace Corps Association launched a National Day of Action six years ago.

Today's the day!  Follow this link and then go to your state for specific actions you can take to be an effective advocate.  It only takes a few moments to make a phone call, just a little more time to send an email or fax.  And when you take that action today you will be joined by thousands of others from all around the nation!

That's not all.  Your National Day of Action efforts on the home front are being backed up today by nearly 50 volunteers who are on Capitol Hill, holding meetings, delivering information, making the case for Peace Corps and urging lawmakers to sign Senate and House "Dear Colleague" letters supporting robust Peace Corps funding for Fiscal Year 2011.  More than 90 meetings are scheduled, and these volunteer advocates are hoping to drop off information to nearly all of the 535 congressional offices.

Look for updates on twitter, Facebook and other networks.  And please spread the word!  Anyone who cares about the Peace Corps can participate.  Thank you!