Professor O'Neil,
It was nice to see you last week. I can't believe that mid-terms are over already! I'd like to tell you a little about how I came to my AmeriCorps program, as well as what it is. It's a really interesting program that I believe is unique in many ways.
After graduation and time traveling, I came back to Seattle jobless. I took an internship at the Rural Development Institute, an incredible non-profit international law firm whose charge is advocating land rights for the worlds poorest. As an intern I researched other firms who might have goals in common with RDI, as well as helped prepare for meetings with documentary film makers and authors. I realized while working there that I didn't enjoy working on the communications and development side and didn't have access to the program development and work of the attorneys as much as I had hoped. It was still a fun place to be, and if anyone is interested in international law and development, they take volunteers, interns and research assistants.
Near the end of my time at RDI I began interning at the district office of Congressman Dave Reichert of the 8th District. Because I was interning during recess, the Congressman was in the district office, which turned out to be an incredible experience! I enjoyed working with someone who, despite our differing views on many policy choices, really cared about the political process and his district. It renewed my faith in the process. At the end of August, President Bush came to endorse Congressman Reichert's 2008 reelection campaign. As the only 'staff member' not attending the event in Bellevue, I got the awesome job of driving the congressman to SeaTac to drop him off with the President and his motorcade. I have attached a picture from this event, however it's of poor quality because all I had was my cell phone.
While interning I began to realize that I couldn't work for nothing forever. As I looked at community development programs within the city of Seattle, I realized that most of the 'paid' positions were offered through AmeriCorps, which conveniently began around September 1. There are about a zillion different programs in Seattle, let alone the Puget Sound region. I applied to Solid Ground, formerly the Freemont Public Association. They had 35 positions, about 17 to chose from. These programs range from YMCA after school programs to being an advocate in the Prosecuting Attorney's Office. In fact, a great program within the City Attorney's office is called Community Court where low-level offenders are given the option to do community service instead of serving time in jail! There are four AmeriCorps folks who work in the office and out of the Millionaires Club downtown with this program.The program I ended up in is within the Seattle Police Department. I am a Victim Support Team advocate for victims of domestic violence. I also help to manage about 80 volunteers who do 8 hour shifts from Friday to Sunday every weekend. These volunteers (as well as myself occasionally) respond to a secured DV scene where the police have been called to do crisis intervention, as well as give out community resources to victims and their families. My everyday job at police headquarters consists of maintaining these resources including Hopeline Cell Phones through Verizon Wireless (great program!!), homeless and battered women's shelter information, food bank information, and information on the criminal justice system (as a brief example). I also make follow up calls with victims who's cases we received over the weekend. Our program not only serves the victims directly but we are often better received because we are civilians, not officers. Domestic violence is a truly complicated subject that isn't fully understood, let alone acknowledged by the general public, so I could go on forever!
It has been such an interesting three months so far. At Solid Ground our team meets once a week to work on other topics surrounding racism, oppression, and violence in society. We have trainings on undoing racism and the history of systemized oppression, to name a few. I can say it has been quite an experience working dually between a liberal non-profit and the police department that is often seen as a source of oppression, hatred and racism in society. As a civilian I have a unique job to wear different 'hats' while at work, representing all the different groups I work with.
I apologize this is long, but I suppose there is no short way to explain the path to AmeriCorps and a year of service. Hopefully this does shed light on the different and unique things that a UPS Alum can do after graduation. I think that UPS students stand to gain a lot from an AmeriCorps year: from day one my expectations about those who serve and those who are served have been challenged. I've been told, and I'm coming to learn, this might be the hardest and most educational year of my life. I couldn't ask for much more.
