Unheard Voices of Service

Since the 1960s, Peace Corps and legacy AmeriCorps programs have been at the forefront of making a difference in communities both domestically and abroad. Volunteers and members have built the capacity of local organizations, fought climate change, strengthened access to education and healthcare, and so much more—changing the lives of those they serve and their own.   AmeriCorps.gov/Serve

This episode explores the American Climate Corps, gaining a valuable perspective from folks serving on the ground, conserving nature and preventing natural disasters. Host Chiena Ty is an American Climate Corps member and biodiversity and environmental justice communications fellow with the California Natural Resources Agency. She is joined by Giorgio Zampaglione who is serving in the Forest Corps in Shasta-Trinity National Forest in Northern California.

In this special edition of the podcast celebrating AmeriCorps 30th anniversary, host Sandy Scott, Senior Advisor to the CEO, chats with alums from the very first class of AmeriCorps, Laura Sullivan Ethridge and Philip Wu, as well as a recent alum, Paulette Evans. Together, they explore how national service differed 30 years ago and how service has evolved.

For 30 years, AmeriCorps programs have forged pathways to employment for AmeriCorps members and those they serve – helping them gain valuable experience and skills that carry weight on a resume. In this episode, we are joined by Billie Udofia, an AmeriCorps alum who served in the VISTA program with Florida Campus Compact in Tallahassee, Fla. Discover how her service with AmeriCorps prepared her for a successful career in the private sector.

For individuals across the country, attending the college of your dreams isn't as easy as just applying. It takes a lot of preparation, research, time, and networking to navigate the application process. Fortunately, there are organizations and nonprofits dedicated to helping Americans achieve their educational goals, from choosing universities to graduating. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. John Holleman, NACAC director of DEI and HBCU initiatives, and Scott Del Rossi, vice president of College Possible. Tune in as we discover what it takes to be a successful college student today.

It was over 60 years ago that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his famous March on Washington speech that inspired millions.  As the federal agency responsible for leading Americans in MLK Day of Service, we asked “Does Dr. King's dream still hold weight today? Dr. Stacie NC Grant, the 26th International President & CEO of Zeta Phi Beta, Inc., joins us to explore this question and break down how service takes us from charity to justice. Tune in to hear how the first Divine Nine organization to partner with AmeriCorps makes a difference internationally, how we can all make a difference, and more.

Going back to our nation's founding, men and women have stepped up in various ways to defend our independence, freedom, and peace. Whether on domestic soil or serving in foreign lands, our Veterans give their all to those of us who call the United States of America home. But how does national service shape the lives of those who serve? Their families? Celebrate Military Appreciation Month and explore the impact of two veterans' service, both in and out of uniform.

It's hard to imagine the 9/11 attacks inspiring someone to serve, but that's exactly what happened with AmeriCorps Alumna and 9/11 Day Ambassador Cait Leavey. Cait lost her father, Lieutenant Joseph Leavey, on that day in the World Trade Center attack but found ways to heal through service. Cait chooses to remember her father by inspiring others to give back and doing what her father loved – helping others in need.   Tune in to hear how she inspires others to serve on this day and continue her father's legacy of helping others in need.

When she tells people she's an AmeriCorps alumna who’s working to open doors to higher education for incarcerated youth, headed to Harvard graduate school, they make certain assumptions about her life. When she tells them she was working as a stripper before 18 years old, inducted into a fraud ring, and spent more nights in jail, they’re almost certain to make assumptions about how the rest of her life will play out. The thing is, both stories of her life are true. Meet AmeriCorps alumna Shani, who found her true calling through service. Shani was incarcerated, healing from a traumatic past as a single mother. Despite roadblocks in her life, Shani invested in herself, attending University of California, Berkeley, and serving with Impact Justice to help young people who face challenges like her. Today, she's completing her master's at Harvard University. Tune in to hear Shani's inspirational story. Learn more about AmeriCorps.