In this Issue
Focus on Black History Month: African-American astronaut was a Peace Corps volunteer
Did you know that volunteering changed the life of the
first African-American woman in space? Born Oct. 17,
1956, in Decatur, Alabama and raised in Chicago, Mae
Jemison entered Stanford University as a
scholarship student at age 16. She graduated with
degrees in chemical engineering and Afro-American
studies and went on to earn her doctorate in medicine
from Cornell University.
She was working as a general practitioner in Los
Angeles, California, when NASA selected her and 14
others for astronaut training. Dr. Jemison, who
completed training as a mission specialist with NASA in
1988, became the first African-American woman in
space in 1992 aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor.
But before her historic flight, Dr. Jemison, who is fluent
in Russian, Japanese, Swahili and English, served a two
year-stint as a medical officer for the Peace Corps in
Sierra Leone and Liberia, West Africa. She has said the
experience led her to become a more "globally aware"
citizen, and several of her current projects focus on
improving healthcare in Africa.
In 1994, Jemison founded "The Earth We Share," an
annual international science camp where students,
ages 12 to 16, work together to solve current global
dilemmas. She is also a professor of environmental
studies at Dartmouth College.
To learn more about Dr. Mae Jemison, visit her web site.
Quick Links
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Greetings!
February is Black History Month and a time to reflect on
the historic and hard-fought accomplishments of
African-Americans, as well as the continued work
needed to ensure equality among all people. In living,
laughing and loving together, we
promote a better world. As many Amizade volunteers
discover, visiting another country, working alongside
local residents and exchanging ideas represent
enormous strides in achieving the great dream spoken
of by Martin Luther King Jr. more than 40 years ago.
Sincerely,
Michael Sandy, Executive Director
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Volunteers to explore Holocaust, preserve concentration camp
A few weeks ago, world leaders commemorated the
60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the
Nazi concentration camp where more than 1 million
Jews and others were killed. In the decades since,
former camps in Germany and Poland have been turned
into centers of historical learning, mourning and
remembrance, and Amizade has become part of this
important mission.
As part of a three-credit course on oppression, 15
undergraduate students from Wilkes University in
Wilkes-Barre, Pa., will journey to Auschwitz in March for
a unique opportunity to explore the Holocaust outside
the pages of a textbook. "I knew that it would give
students a broader understanding of the world and a
first-hand view of the tragedies of World War II and
the Holocaust," said Kevin Gaughenbaugh, Wilkes
University spokesman. "One of the goals of this trip is
to raise awareness of this horrible event and to make
sure it never happens again."
The opportunity to honor and serve the last remaining
Holocaust survivors before they pass into history is
rare and incomparable, said Amizade Executive Director
Michael Sandy. Survivors, their descendents and the
surrounding community are committed to preserving
the camps and increasing awareness of the atrocities.
Amizade volunteers work on maintenance of the
grounds of the Auschwitz Museum and participate in
historical preservation activities such as documentation
and archiving projects.
Christopher Kopper, Amizade's site coordinator in
Poland, said the purpose of the program is to help
students gain a more personal understanding of the
Holocaust. "Students will be confronted, up close, with
a place where more than one million Jewish people and
more than 100,000 others were murdered," Kopper
said. "As a contribution to keep this site for future
generations as a place of remembrance, students will
help with the maintenance work."
The Auschwitz Memorial Museum »
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Volunteer opportunities for everyone
Think you don't have the time or money to volunteer
with Amizade? Over the past 10 years, 2,000-plus
volunteers from all walks of life
representing nearly every U.S. state and several
countries have volunteered on our programs. We offer
a variety of volunteer options
including short-term, long-term, individual and
customized group placements, and are presently
developing some exciting service-learning courses for
this summer and the next academic year. Our programs
range in price from about $500
to $2,500, and are open to anyone over the age of 12.
Short-term programs (1-2 weeks) focus on a single,
community-driven goal. Long-term programs (one
month or longer) are currently available
in Bolivia, Brazil and Jamaica. These placements include
home-stays, intensive language training and
are tailored to the interests, needs and capabilities of
each volunteer. Amizade presently has two long-
term volunteers serving in Bolivia -- a recent high
school graduate and a retired surgeon who wanted
share his extensive medical knowledge.
Amizade's focus on the culture and history of locales
where our volunteers serve fits well with high school or
college classes, or requirements for community service.
Amizade offers volunteer options for families, couples,
singles, students and retirees who wish to give back
some of the good fortune they have experienced,
immerse themselves in another country and become
exposed to new ideas.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than
120 million Americans volunteered in some capacity
over the past two years. Were you one of them?
Learn more about our exciting volunteer options! »
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Volunteer update
Beginning this month, we would like to update you on
the progress our volutneers are making around the
world.
For the month of February, Amizade has 35 people
engaged in volunteer programs in the United States and
Bolivia. There are two long-term volunteers, a group of
12 from Elderhostel and 15 students from Ferrum
College serving in Bolivia, as well as a group of six
individuals at the Navajo Nation in Tuba City, Arizona.
We extend our gratitude for their service and wishes
for successful experiences, life-long learning and
productive partnerships.
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