AmeriCorps Full Circle‍

How many of you were an AmeriCorps member? When I mention how I was an AmeriCorps member way back when, often others chime in to say they are also AmeriCorps alumni. It’s a common bond due to similar experiences. An experience focused on service to local communities.

In many ways, my AmeriCorps experience cemented my interest in the environmental field. I went into it with my own life perspective, and it was eye-opening because I was exposed to different communities, lives, and stories.

My primary role was environmental education and community outreach for The Watershed Project, a grassroots organization in Richmond. I gained skills that I would not have gained so early in my career. I continue to have a soft spot for environmental education and wholeheartedly believe in its power for inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards. To this day, whenever I mention that my work is in service to the community, this commitment to service was born from my AmeriCorps experience.

In my current role, I’m happy to be able to bring on our first AmeriCorps member in my time here. It’s a full circle moment for me because we’re partnering with the same AmeriCorps program, Bay Area Youth Agency Consortium, where I did my term (and supervised my own AmeriCorps team after my service). I’m proud to continue that AmeriCorps tradition.

Our new AmeriCorps member will be responsible for similar tasks as I was, environmental education and community outreach. We will also be partnering with Healthy Hearts Institute to provide our member an opportunity to gain experience through the lens of an urban farm adjacent to the El Pueblo community in Pittsburg.

Our AmeriCorps member will be with us through June, so if you see our member out and about, please introduce yourself and say “Hi!”