Archiving Our Legacy: A Capstone for our 30th Anniversary

April 13, 2021 Leave a comment

April 13, 2021: As a capstone to mark 30 years of community, advocacy and accomplishments, LGBT Returned Peace Corps Volunteers today gifted its story archive to the Peace Corps Community Archive at the American University Library.

Everyone can continue to access and navigate our historic archive via the American University Library portal at https://wayback.archive-it.org/1435/*/https:/lgbtrpcv.org/

Our stories of service will now be preserved for future generations interested in the global impact of queer Peace Corps Volunteers.

With this legacy preserved, our organization is going on hiaitus and closing a chapter begun in 1991. Read about some of our milestone accomplishments in this post by our longtime national coordinator Mike Learned.

If you are interested in organizing a queer RPCV affiliate organization for the next generation of Peace Corps Volunteers, please contact the National Peace Corps Association.

We thank our members, contibutors and partners around the world for an incredible 30 years!

In service and frienship,
The LGBT RPCV Steering Committee

Filed under Advocacy, Our Organization Tagged with

Queer and Abroad… a Collaboration

September 10, 2018 Leave a comment

In collaboration with the It Gets Better Project, LGBT RPCV gathered some of our members and friends to contribute to “Queer and Abroad” a video where four people share their experiences of living outside of the United States. Give it a watch, tell us what you think! Storytelling is a cornerstone of our organization and it’s ever more exciting for us to see and hear these experiences.

Queer and Abroad

Clockwise: Lisa (Ghana), Manuel (Paraguay), Patrick (Senegal), and Jim (Brazil) tell their stories in a YouTube video, click the image to watch.

Filed under Alumni Stories, Brazil, Ghana, Media, Our Organization, Paraguay, Uncategorized Tagged with , , , , , ,

2018 Membership Drive and Fundraiser

May 11, 2018 2 Comments

Last year we had such a successful run with fundraising via our t-shirt sales and also sending out postcards to all of our valuable members. So, we want to do it again!!

CLICK HERE to order the 2018 Peace Corps PRIDE t-shirt that we are selling to help us raise funds. Many thanks to our Steering Committee and Members who contributed to this design, we’re really excited for it.

CLICK on the image to buy yours now!

Additionally, we want to continue offering small tokens of appreciation for our members this year. As such, please be sure to make sure you are officially affiliated with us through the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA). CLICK HERE to review and update your membership. PLEASE NOTE: NPCA membership and LGBT RPCV membership are both FREE! Donations are always welcome, but general membership is at no cost.

CLICK on the image to confirm your NPCA affiliation

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OUTspoken – Jim Kelly

December 9, 2017 Leave a comment

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Click on this image to listen to Jim’s story, roughly 12 minutes.

OUTspoken is a monthly LGBTQ storytelling event at Chicago’s Sidetrack video bar, CLICK here to learn more. In August of this year, RPCV Jim Kelly spoke about his time in the Peace Corps.

From the OUTspoken Facebook page: 
“August storyteller Jim Kelly recently celebrated 70 years on this earth. Born and raised in rural Minnesota, Jim entered the U.S. Peace Corps in 1969 as a recent college graduate with a big heart and no skills. After his 3 ½ year Peace Corps service in El Salvador, he joined a non-profit organization focused on community leadership development and helped initiate projects in small villages in Venezuela (1 year) and Chile (4 years). He returned permanently to the U.S. in 1981, and shortly thereafter joined Oak Park-based CHP International, a private training company that, under contract to the Peace Corps, staffed and managed pre-service training programs for in-coming Peace Corps Volunteers in many countries in Central and South America, the Caribbean and Africa. As an Associate Director, Jim supervised the CHP training centers in Central and South America, traveling often to conduct performance reviews and provide staff training focused on Adult Non-Formal Education. He retired in 2007, and continues to live with his husband, Bruce Broerman. They’ve been together for over 29 years and married since August 3, 2014. Jim is “stepdad” to Bruce’s two adult children, and is “Papa Jim” to their five grandchildren ages 14 to 3 ½. “

From Jim’s words: 
“On August 1, 2017, I told a story about how my Peace Corps Volunteer service led to the 1991 publication of my Master’s thesis on the experiences of Gay and Lesbian Peace Corps volunteers during the first 30 years of the agency. My recommendations about how Peace Corps could improve its training and support systems for us were shared with Peace Corps country offices around the world. “

OUTspokenPoster2017.jpg

Filed under Alumni Stories, Country Support Groups, El Salvador, Our Organization, Peace Corps News, Policy, Uncategorized Tagged with , , , , , , ,

World Connect – Making Global Local

June 21, 2017 Leave a comment

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Link to application and additional information: https://www.worldconnect-us.org/domesticgrant-application/guidelines
World Connect is inviting all RPVCs to apply for funding for domestic projects. We want you to employ your creativity, interests, experiences, and skills to lead projects that educate, inspire, and empower young people and communities in the United States.

This opportunity is designed to be flexible and creative. We are looking for innovative and thoughtful projects that inspire young people and communities in the U.S. to act and make global connections. This can be through art, education, or any medium that inspires you! Host a global development seminar with people in the industry; found a slam poetry club exploring cross-cultural linkages; organize a potluck dinner with food from all over the world! Whatever your idea is, we want to hear from you. Need inspiration? Check out the examples in the linked guidelines and application.

World Connect will accept applications for grants up to $1,000* on a rolling basis through Monday, July 31, 2017. We will review, provide feedback, and make a final decision on your application within one month. Details are included in the attached application.

Want to set up a call to brainstorm and/or so we can answer your questions? Email Julia, Director of Education and Outreach at jhaney@worldconnect-us.org to schedule a call today!

General Questions? Send them to applications@worldconnect-us.org.

* If your project requires more than $1,000 pitch us your idea—we’re excited to listen!

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