Member Blog Posts

By Octavia Jimenez-Padilla | March 24, 2021 My entry in to national service came with the coalescence of massive forces in my life, the inescapable shadow of the global Covid-19 pandemic, the search for direction that accompanies a young graduates life after a constant experience in the education system, my drive for social justice, and… Read more: Rhyming Mountains

by Jerico Cummings | December 16, 2020 My final year of high school I had to take a senior level government class to meet the social studies requirement per the Rapid City Area Schools district policies. I remember being in a classroom taught by the head football coach at the time.His classroom was in the freshman… Read more: My Journey to Becoming An ANTIRACIST

by David Mariani | May 6, 2022 Some questions in life are better left unasked. “Where are you from?” makes me bristle with its (hopefully) unintended micro-aggressive questioning of my origins and American-ness. “What do you do for work?” forces me to do a sidelong glance for insinuating my worth goes only as far as… Read more: The “Else” Word

by Andrea Aviles | January 14, 2021 One morning I woke up and glanced over to my window. To my surprise, I noticed how my favorite plant, my golden photos, was dying. An upset feeling washed over me. How was this possible if yesterday she was perfectly normal? I watered her regularly, sang to her,… Read more: Total Eclipse of the Plant

by Haransh Singh | January 16, 2020 As I surge into my 5th month of what truly has been a spectacular AmeriCorps VISTA service term at the Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE), I am struck by how the experience has given me a detailed look at the gears of change. Ever… Read more: The Gears of Change

By Cindy Morales | June 10, 2022 Every community is different. Oftentimes people are measured by a standard level used for all, that completely disregards the outliers and minoritized individuals. These standards are based on communities or groups of people who do not encompass everyone. Serving on the Fort Peck Reservation with high school students… Read more: The Meaning of Success

By Amon Barry a.k.a., Prof. Barry | June 9, 2021 I was a proprietary trader for a company in Atlanta. Nice paying job. Nice crib and all. I was getting paid very well but I was filling empty inside and living selfishly. I decided to ask the universe to provide an opportunity to do something… Read more: AmeriCorps has saved my life

By Omiah Mitchell | November 29, 2021 These past two years have been unlike anything I have ever experienced before. My mind would have never been able to conceive what has occurred in this world during these past two years. At first it was wonderful to rest and just be still. Then, life quickly became… Read more: Why Not?: A Journey of Autonomy

By Demetrius Sudduth-Peterson | February 4, 2022 Before AmeriCorps, I was a high school substitute teacher with interest of gaining more professional development and career readiness within higher education. The education benefits and network provided by AmeriCorps was my initial motivating purpose, however, after being three weeks into my term, I now feel beyond appreciative… Read more: Chicago to Montana: A Bona Fide Experience of Trust

By Elizabeth Madison | December 11th, 2024 With two cars packed up and loaded to the brim, a passenger seat well equipped with snacks, and enough video essays downloaded on my phone to occupy myself for a few hours, I set off east with my sister towards Missoula, MT. I had to pull over to… Read more: Community