GulfCorps Year-3 Kicks Off in Alabama

Read about what Corpsmembers learned during the week-long GulfCorps orientation

Image above by Mike Dumas for The Nature Conservancy

 

More than 100 young adults from across the Gulf gathered in Mobile, AL last week for GulfCorps orientation. The multi-day event offered an opportunity for Corpsmembers to network, learn tangible job skills, and work on their career goals.

Now starting its third year, GulfCorps is a collaborative initiative to support Corps along the Gulf of Mexico in engaging young people in job training and coastal restoration. Made possible by a RESTORE Act grant administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the initiative is primarily led by The Nature Conservancy, The Corps Network, and the Student Conservation Association (SCA).

“With each new group of GulfCorps participants, we see amazing potential,” said Marie Walker, COO of The Corps Network. “Many of the young people who enter this program have little experience with conservation work. Through their service, however, they not only learn the importance of protecting our coastal environments; they build confidence in their abilities to be change-makers. The Corps Network is proud to contribute to this effort to restore Gulf Coast habitats, and create opportunities for the Gulf’s youth.”

To date, GulfCorps has engaged over 150 participants in a diversity of projects, including wetland restoration, prescribed burns, invasive species removal, and living shoreline installation. Corpsmembers have completed thousands of hours of training and tens of thousands of hours of service in the field. Many GulfCorps alums have already secured full or part-time jobs in conservation.

In addition to the lead organizations, GulfCorps involves several local and national Corps responsible for recruiting participants and engaging them in projects throughout the five Gulf states. The Corps assisting in year-3 of GulfCorps include: American Conservation Experience; American YouthWorks (Louisiana Conservation Corps and Texas Conservation Corps); Climb CDC; Franklins Promise Coalition (Conservation Corps of the Emerald Coast and Conservation Corps of the Forgotten Coast); Limitless Vistas, Inc.; and the Student Conservation Association.

At orientation, which lasted from September 15 – 20, each lead partner organization had a role to play. The Corps Network focused on professional development. This included hosting a career center where Corpsmembers polished their résumés, explored job boards, and took a survey to assess their abilities and interests. Corpsmembers also began building their individual development plans; through an online platform, they will track their skills attainment and goals throughout the program and beyond.

The Student Conservation Association and The Nature Conservancy focused on skills training. Corpsmembers and Crew Leaders rotated through a range of modules. Some sessions – such as those covering risk management and group dynamics – focused on program operations. Other trainings focused on project skills Corpsmembers will use during their service. Topics included Leave No Trace, herbicide application, GPS, data collection, tool maintenance, invasive species removal, and how to monitor canopy cover and ground cover. Corpsmembers also had the chance to apply these new skills, spending the majority of Thursday in the field.

To conclude orientation, The Corps Network hosted a professional development day on Friday, September 20. Corpsmembers went through four different workshops aimed at encouraging them to take ownership of their careers. The topics ranged from interview and cover letter tips, to setting goals and building a personal brand.

In addition, The Corps Network organized a “future opportunities” panel discussion. Panelists included Bob Bendick, Director of Gulf Programs for The Nature Conservancy; Marie Walker from The Corps Network; Lashauntya Moore, Member Services Assistant at The Corps Network; and Davis Calametti, a GulfCorps alumnus from SCA now working at Weeks Bay Reserve in Alabama. Crew Leaders from different Corps asked the panelists questions about their backgrounds and current roles. Lashauntya, an alumna of Earth Conservation Corps in Washington, DC, spoke about her experience as a woman of color in conservation, and about how the Corps helped her find stability and start a career.

“Service and Conservation matter – and GulfCorps matters – because they offer a way to bring communities together. When you unify under a common, positive goal, the results are stronger people and a stronger environment,” said Lashauntya. “My advice to the new GulfCorps members: keep pushing! The world needs you.”

Corpsmembers will begin project work immediately. The program runs through the end of May 2020. This will complete the third and final year of the current grant, but GulfCorps partners are actively pursuing funding to continue the program beyond 2020.

 

Image by Mike Dumas for The Nature Conservancy

9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance 2019

The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, or Patriot Day, is a time to reflect on the lives lost in the September 11 attacks and honor the bravery and sacrifices of those who responded. This is also a day when Americans are called upon to volunteer in their communities as an act of tribute, unity and peace.

Below, read how several Member organizations of The Corps Network plan to observe this day through service, education, and remembrances.

 

American YouthWorks – Austin, TX

AmeriCorps members with American YouthWorks are helping with park maintenance and beautification. They started the morning by collecting litter around the Krieg Softball Fields in Austin, TX. They will then paint the inside of the tunnel under nearby Pleasant Valley Road. This project is made possible through collaboration with Keep Austin Beautiful and the City of Austin. Corpsmembers involved included members enrolled in YouthBuild and The Corps Network’s AmeriCorps Education Award Program and Opportunity Youth Service Initiative.

 

 

Civicorps – Oakland, CA

Civicorps’ Job Training Center Supervisors will engage all Corpsmembers in a thorough conversation regarding the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Given that each year the Corps enrolls an increasing number of Corpsmembers who are not old enough to remember the day, the discussion will become an informative session. Supervisors will review the aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy and open the conversation to all Corpsmembers. As an act of remembrance, Civicorps’ Corpmembers will dedicate a moment of silence to all individuals affected by the tragedy. They will commit their day’s service responsibilities to all living and deceased individuals who experienced the event directly.

 

 

Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps – Racine, WI

Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps will recognize this day through remembrance and through education. The Corps invited W. Roger Stauffer, a chaplain who served as part of the response effort following September 11, to give a presentation about his experience and the topic of first responder stress management.

 

 

Maine Conservation Corps – Winthrop & Monmouth, ME

Maine Conservation Corps will lead AmeriCorps members and members of the community in service projects at four locations throughout Winthrop and Monmouth, ME. Activities include stacking firewood, clearing brush, removing invasive plant species and improving trails.

 

 

Northwest Youth Corps – Eugene, OR

Northwest Youth Corps will engage Corpsmembers in landscape maintenance and fence painting at the Greenhill Humane Society. They are also partnering with FOOD for Lane County to engage Corpsmembers in community garden maintenance.

Corpsmembers involved include members from The Corps Network’s AmeriCorps Education Award Program and Opportunity Youth Service Initiative.

 

 

Polk County Conservation Youth Corps – Des Moines, IA

Polk County Conservation Youth Corps is partnering with the City of Des Moines to engage teenagers from their Fall Crew in flood cleanup activities at Gray’s Lake, a popular urban park. The crew will walk the shoreline and pick up litter and debris along with staff from the Corps and the City of Des Moines.

 

 

Rocky Mountain Conservancy – Estes Park, CO

Rocky Mountain Conservancy will recognize the National Day of Service and Remembrance by supporting Rocky Mountain National Park’s wildland firefighters. RMC is leading volunteers in fire fuel mitigation efforts at the park. Volunteers will help remove fire fuels and construct burn piles in well-trafficked “front country” areas along roads, trails, campgrounds, and the neighboring communities.

 

 

Western Colorado Conservation Corps – Crested Butte, Crawford, and Loma, CO

Western Colorado Conservation Corps will recognize the day through remembrance and education. Corpsmembers will watch two films on the events of September 11 and then reflect as a group through a guided discussion.

Participate in the “Moment of Voice” Blog Series

What is the story behind who you are?
We invite you to participate in our Moment of Voice blog series

This blog is part of The Corps Network’s Moving Forward Initiative

Our Ask

We invite Corpsmembers and Corps staff to share a personal story behind who you are. We encourage you to be open and think broadly, but here are a few story ideas to consider (you are by no means limited to this list):

  • Reflect on a defining experience from your past. What happened? How did you react in the moment? How do you feel about this experience when you look back from the present?
  • Share a family history story. Who are your people and how did your family get to where you/they are today?
    • Share a story about a parent, grandparent, or another relative or ancestor. How do their stories, their actions, and the events of the past shape who you are today?

To Consider

  • There is no word limit if you choose to share your story in writing.
  • If you prefer to share your story orally, please contact us. We’d love to arrange a time to speak with you to help capture your narrative.
    • Also, instead of writing, or to compliment a written narrative, you may choose to make your own video or audio recording of your story.
  • Please consider sharing family photos or other content to add depth to your story.

Submit
For questions, or to submit a narrative, please contact Capri St. Vil and Hannah Traverse.

Deadline
We hope to collect stories from September 1 – November 1.

A message from Capri St. Vil, Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

This blog is part of The Corps Network’s Moving Forward Initiative

 

My son recently posed a question to me: “What is the narrative behind who you are?”

I know there is power in expressive writing. It has been shown that narratives can help the writer to heal and the audience to understand. Every culture has its own stories and storytellers. In West Africa, there is the “griot”: a person who serves as a historian and repository of oral tradition. Embracing the power of storytelling not only helps us preserve memory, but also helps educate the next generation while honoring those who experienced the past.

In acknowledgement of the 400th anniversary of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, The Corps Network looks to have a “Moment of Voice” instead of a moment of silence. We believe that by sharing our personal stories and listening to the experiences of others, we can come to better understand each other, understand ourselves, and to heal.

I am asking all Corpsmembers and Corps staff to talk to their families, their elders, their community and to share their stories, so that all of us can better understand the stories of our African/Black, Indigenous, Asian, and Latino/Hispanic communities. We want to hear your stories of resistance and progress as we all look to collectively heal.  Reach out to me and Hannah since this can be done orally, visually, and through a blog. There are so many stories in our communities that are not told; through our series, a “Moment of Voice,” we want to provide a space where these voices can be heard.

I encourage you to participate by not only sharing stories that can be published, but to also participate by sharing stories among yourselves. Each one of us, through the power of narrative, can be both the teacher and the learner. Our world is changing. Many stories are lost. The narratives we hope to compile, which will reflect the combined realities of many, can help us understand the present by shining a light on the realities of the past.

Our first blog in the “Moment of Voice” series will present our COO, Marie Walker. A few weeks ago, Marie told our staff a story about recently seeing a young black family on the beach in Mississippi; behind them was an exhibit on the “Bloody Wade-Ins” that brought equal rights to Mississippi’s beaches in the 1960s. She shared with us her past experience, which I would like to share with all of you. Marie and I are similar in age, but my reality is so different from hers. However, our realities are still tied together by the collective realities of so many.

How can we know the life of everyone? We can’t, but we can see and learn through this exploration, which we hope will encourage further exploration and learning. I have to share this statement made by Bryan Stevenson in discussing his work to raise awareness about people – including many whose names are lost to history – who have been affected by racist imbalances in our justice system:

For me it is about truth telling in a way that is designed to get us to remember, and not just remember for memory’s sake, but get us to remember so that we can recover…I don’t think that we can get free until we’re willing to tell the truth about our history. I do believe in truth and reconciliation, I just think that truth and reconciliation is sequential. You can’t have the reconciliation without the truth. Truth can set you free.

Over the past few weeks, The Corps Network watched Bryan Stevenson’s new documentary, “True Justice.”  HBO initially set a date when streaming of this documentary would not be available, but it seems that this has been extended. I encourage you to watch it.

Also, please be aware of the Commemoration of the 1st African Landing that will take place at Fort Monroe, VA from August 23 – 25. I believe certain parts of this event will be live-streamed. On August 25, NPS will host a bell ringing ceremony at Fort Monroe; they encourage partners to join a nationwide bell ringing at 3:00 p.m. ET on this date. We encourage Corps to get involved. Please let us know if you plan to participate by contacting Hannah Traverse. You can learn about how to get involved and the significance of this act on the NPS website.

August 23 also marks the International Day of the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, and, at the Historic Sottherley in  Maryland, they are “honoring the memories of those that perished and survived the trans-Atlantic slave trade” as they also look to “remember the abolition of the trade and celebrate the contributions of survivors whose strength built nations.”

I encourage you to see if you can learn about events in your area. And please share information about the commemoration at Fort Monroe with others. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and contributions to our “Moment of Voice” series.

– Capri

 

Banner Photo Credit, 3 images on right:

Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, [reproduction number, e.g., LC-USF34-9058-C]

Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, photograph by Harris & Ewing, [reproduction number, e.g., LC-USZ62-123456]

 

Get Involved in National Public Lands Day 2019

The Corps Network is a proud nonprofit partner of National Public Lands Day (NPLD). Along with fellow NPLD partners the Student Conservation Association (SCA) and Conservation Legacy, we encourage the Corps community to get involved in NPLD 2019, happening Saturday, September 28.

On July 31, we teamed up with NEEF, SCA and Conservation Legacy to hold a webinar to review tips and resources for hosting a successful NPLD event. Here are some of the main takeaways.

Click here for slide deck

What is National Public Lands Day?

Hosted by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) for over 20 years, NPLD is the largest single-day volunteer effort for America’s public lands. The event takes place every year on the last Saturday of September. This year, on September 28, hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the country will celebrate NPLD by participating in projects designed to restore and enhance public parks, forests, and waterways.

 

Why Should My Corps Get Involved?

Every year, numerous Service and Conservation Corps organize NPLD events. Hosting an event is a great way to:

  • Engage new audiences – With its status as the nation’s largest one-day volunteer event for public lands, NPLD receives considerable attention and press. NPLD events can be leveraged to attract new volunteers, Corpsmembers, and supporters.
  • Engage alumni – A NPLD event is a great way to bring together your alums, even if your Corps is not hosting the event.
    • In 2019, SCA will begin a tradition of centering an entire Alumni Engagement Week around NPLD. As part of this celebration, SCA is asking their alums who currently work on public lands to organize NPLD events and recruit other alums to volunteer.
  • Engage local public land managers – Hosting an impactful NPLD event is a great way to demonstrate your Corps’ capacity to get things done.

 

Registering Your Event

All organizations hosting a NPLD event are encouraged to create an account and register their event on the NEEF website. By registering your event, you’ll unlock numerous benefits for your Corps and event participants.

  • Attract more volunteers – Official events are listed on the NPLD Event Locator map, making it easy for people in your community to learn about your activity.
  • Funding opportunities – Though funding deadlines have passed for 2019, there are annual opportunities for registered events to apply for funding and in-kind support. Additionally, NEEF offers various conservation-related grant opportunities throughout the year. Registering your NPLD event is a good way to introduce your organization to NEEF.
  • Giveaways for your volunteers – While supplies last, registered 2019 NPLD events can request free KIND bars to help fuel your volunteers! Click here for more details (deadline to submit request is August 30). Additionally, events hosted on federal public lands are eligible to gift NPLD coupons to their volunteers as a “thank you.” These coupons allow individuals to enter any national park, forest, or other participating federal site free of charge. Sites can request NPLD Volunteer Coupons when they register their events (the request just needs to come from a federal employee). The deadline to request coupons is Friday, August 23rd, 2019.
    • Did you know? — NPLD is a Fee-Free Day for NPS and other participating federal agencies. This is a great way to attract volunteers!

 

Where Can I Find Resources?

NEEF has resources to aid in planning, promoting, and hosting your event. Head to the NPLD Site Manager Promotional Toolkit to find everything from template press releases and flyers, to social media messages and tips for capturing your event on video. NEEF also offers a comprehensive Site Manager Manual that covers logistical considerations.

 

Can’t Host Your Own Event? Join One!

Even if your organization doesn’t have the capacity to host an event, consider engaging your Corpsmembers and staff in NPLD. Find events near you by clicking here.

 

Don’t Forget About the Data

Help NEEF demonstrate the impact of your event and the hundreds of other NPLD events across the country. As a site manager, you will be asked to complete a short survey after your event.

 

For more information, check out NEEF’s NPLD FAQs

 

Questions?
Tony Richardson
Program Director, Public Lands Engagement
National Environmental Education Foundation
trichardson [AT] neefusa.org		 Patricia Malizia
Senior Director of Alumni and Constituent Engagement
Student Conservation Association
Pmalizia [AT] thesca.org
April Elkins Badtke
Interim Executive Director
Stewards Individual Placement Program
april [AT] conservationlegacy.org		 Hannah Traverse
Communications Manager
The Corps Network
htraverse [AT] corpsnetwork.org

Save the Date: 2019 Corps Rendezvous

The 2019 Corps Rendezvous will take place November 1-3, 2019 in New Mexico

Save the date for this year’s Corps Rendezvous, taking place at Glorieta Camps just outside of Albuquerque, NM. The Corps Rendezvous is an annual gathering focused on creating meaningful connections among field and mid-level Corps staff; identifying preferred practices in the areas of field work, risk management, Corpsmember recruitment and support; and creating space for Corps staff to recharge, learn, and grow. This year’s event be hosted in collaboration by The Corps Network and Rocky Mountain Youth Corps – New Mexico and include peer-led sessions on topics such as mentoring, trail construction, and social and emotional learning, just to name a few.

Registration is now open and additional information can be found here. Please contact Bobby Tillett, Member Services Manager, at [email protected].

Corpsmembers Help Prepare New Cabins at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite

The Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp, CA, is a popular all-season destination for visitors to Yosemite National Park. This past spring, Fresno-based members of the California Conservation Corps (CCC) also made the trip to Fish Camp to help prepare Tenaya’s new Explorer Cabins for their grand opening.

As construction neared completion on the 50 new, luxury cabins, Delaware North, operator of the Tenaya property, partnered with the CCC to complete critical fire fuel reduction, trail brushing, and vegetation management projects. Led by a Crew Leader, 12 Corpsmembers completed 1,440 hours of service from May 15 – 30.

Using hand tools and power tools, Corpsmembers cleared overgrown vegetation among the cabins and opened paths leading to the main lodge and the nearby lake, both of which were inaccessible before. This landscaping work not only helped improve the visitor experience, but helps reduce the risk of wildfires. Corpsmembers cleared pounds of dry brush, vegetation, tree limbs, and pine needles around the property. Several Corpsmembers received on-the-job training in saw operation.

 

 

The project didn’t come without its challenges. At the beginning, Corpsmembers faced heavy snow, ice, and rain, but continued to serve through the treacherous conditions. Once the weather cleared, the Corps was back working at full capacity. Even with the inclement weather, the Corps completed the project on time.

On June 27, the cabins officially opened to the public with a ribbon cutting and ceremony. The event brought together many partners, including Mary Ellen Sprenkel, President and CEO of The Corps Network; Bruce Saito, Director of the CCC; the Corpsmembers who served on the project; and Jerry Jacobs, co-CEO of Delaware North.

The Corps Network and Delaware North have developed a partnership over the years. Since 2014, six Service and Conservation Corps have completed 10 projects with Delaware North. The first project, completed five years ago, involved restoring a historic stable at Shenandoah National Park.

Join Us in Having a Moment of Voice

Acknowledging the 400th anniversary of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and the contributions of people of African descent in the Americas

A letter from Capri St.Vil, Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion


An Invitation           

The Corps Network invites you to host a “Ceremony of Remembrance” and join us in acknowledging the 400th Anniversary of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.  We feel it’s important to recognize the legacy of this historical event and acknowledge the lasting impact and contributions of people of African descent in the Americas since 1619.

The “Door of No Return” at the House of Slaves on the island of Gorée in Senegal. This is seen as a symbolic departure point for people bound for enslavement in the Americas.
Original source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/robinelaine/102330015/

 

Background            

Four hundred years ago, in 1619, the first Africans to be sold into slavery were brought to Jamestown, VA. As presented by the group 400 Years of Inequality, we acknowledge that “inequality is a threat to our health and democracy.”  We agree that we need “a new social infrastructure to carry us through the challenges.” We need to learn from the past as we move forward together.

In our initial conversations about acknowledging this anniversary, we discussed having a moment of silence.  However, as was pointed out by a staff member at The Corps Network, we should instead have a “Moment of Voice,” and foster a space to change narratives, build relationships, and heal.

Plaque at Elmina Castle in Ghana, a Portuguese-built trading post that became a prominent stopping point for ships carrying people bound for slavery. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ghana_Elmina_Castle_Memorial_Plaque.JPG

 

Planning an Observance

We encourage you to follow the lead of the group 400 Years of Inequality and plan your observance for the week of October 12-18, 2019.

What will your observance look like? That is a question each Corps will need to decide, but it is our hope that your decision is made by coming together as an organization and with your community. Perhaps this is an opportunity to start candid conversations with your Corpsmembers about how inequity has shaped our country, but also how people can, and have, overcome these challenges. Delve into the history of the people within your community, which would include the history of Native, Latino/Hispanic, Asian, and Black people.

Eleven Corps currently participate in the Moving Forward Initiative, which is an effort, led by
The Corps Network, to address the lack of diversity in the conservation field by examining institutional and structural racism. How you recognize the 400th anniversary should spotlight the issue of equity in the environmental movement. Corpsmembers would benefit if they understood the link between their work to improve the environment and the push for racial equity in this country. Too often, the voices of people of color are lost when looking at the environmental and conservation movements. Through this work, you can demonstrate the significance of your Corpsmembers’ contributions and help them reclaim their voices.

 

Resources and Things to Consider

  • In 2016, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, supporter of The Corps Network’s Moving Forward Initiative, introduced the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Framework. This includes recommendations and an Implementation Guidebook to inform community-based TRHT processes. They also launched the National Day of Racial Healing, which takes place annually in January. In 2019, organizations across the country recognized this event with various activities, including workshops, film screenings, bus tours, and community conversations. We encourage you to use the National Day of Racial Healing to find inspiration for a 400th Anniversary observance.
  • Many people are not aware of the significance of 2019 and the 400th Anniversary of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. A good place to start your planning would be to do some research. We hope that studying history and observing this anniversary will give us an opportunity to both remember, but also move forward and carry with us as, Maya Angelou said, “the wisdom, the energy and the dreams of our ancestors.” Here are some places to begin your research:
    •  ASALH (Association for the Study of African-American Life and History, established in 1915 by Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History Month)
    • Hampton, VA 2019 Commemorative Commission
    • We encourage you to explore the Starter Kits prepared by 400 Years of Inequality. These kit includes a two-part timeline for understanding the history related to 400th anniversary, as well as other tools for starting conversations and planning an observance. (In actuality, when looking at the Americas, 2018 marked the 500th Anniversary of the first enslaved Africans brought to the Americas by the Spanish and Portuguese)
  • This website offers helpful maps for understanding the history of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
  • The National Park Service (NPS) will recognize this anniversary with an event at Fort Monroe National Monument. Learn more about how NPS is addressing this history.
  • Find out if there are already observances planned in your local community that you can join or support. You may decide on an afternoon/evening of storytelling, spoken word, or performance. Maybe your activity will involve a racial healing circle, in which participants listen to each other and learn through sharing personal truths and stories. Maybe you will consider a symbolic gesture, like planting a tree.
  • Reflect on your own story or stories within your community. There are several recent examples of organizations examining their past and ways they have perpetuated racist and discriminatory practices and ideas. However, just as there are stories of people and organizations making meaningful efforts today to confront their pasts, there are also many important and under-told stories throughout history of ways people and organizations have resisted, persisted, and made progress in the face of inequity. What truths can you uncover?  [The examples below are from 400 Years of Inequality]
    • Georgetown University is addressing the sale of enslaved persons to fund the school in the early 19th century;
    • The Montgomery Advertiser examined its coverage of lynching and issued an apology;
    • The New York Times examined its coverage of women and people of color in the obituary section and found a massive inequality. This is being addressed through more balanced coverage now as well as the creation and publication of obituaries that were missed;
    • National Geographic asked a scholar to examine the approach to race in its writing and identified a racist past but also an important evolution over time.

 

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. Please also let me know if it would be helpful for you to connect with other Corps; The Corps Network celebrates the long history in this country of coalitions coming together to challenge inequality. Let’s Amplify Our Voice.

 

I look forward to working with you.

Capri St. Vil

Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

 

Corpsmembers with Mile High Youth Corps share why they #ServeOutdoors

Every year, Service and Conservation Corps across the country engage young adults and recent veterans in maintaining some of America’s most treasured natural and cultural resources. From restoring or building new backcountry trails, to planting trees and gardens in urban areas, Corpsmembers complete important projects to help make the outdoors accessible and sustainable. To celebrate Great Outdoors Month, we’re highlighting some of the many ways Corpsmembers #ServeOutdoors.

Below, Corpsmembers with Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) in Denver, CO, share the many ways they #ServeOutdoors, as well as their plans for after their AmeriCorps term. For even more ways Corpsmembers #ServeOutdoors, check out The Many Ways AmeriCorps Members #ServeOutdoors on the CNCS website and Why Corpsmembers choose to #ServeOutdoors on The Corps Network website.

Savanna Nicoll, 22, joined the MHYC to gain job experience and because she liked being in the Great Outdoors. During her service, Savanna helped restore a trail that had been closed due to wildfire damage in Black Forest, CO. Her AmeriCorps experience has helped her on her journey to become a search and rescue paramedic.

“You learn you are capable of much more than you thought. You learn work ethic and how to work as a team. You help your community and your health by being in nature.”

 

Concerned about the decline in our natural resources, 19-year-old Ellen Wermuth decided to get involved in conservation work. One project she served doing fire mitigation at Music Meadows Ranch by removing overcrowded ponderosas trees. After her AmeriCorps experience, she plans to work towards becoming an arborist so she can help support healthy tree populations.

“It gives you so much instant gratification knowing that the work we do is prolonging the health of our beautiful planet. Everyone needs to do their part and when you can work with a team of people you can accomplish so much more.”

 

Jacob Rodgers, 24, moved from Hawaii to Colorado to join Mile High Youth Corps. He wanted to help make the environment clean and safe for everyone to enjoy. During his service, Jacob has helped protect the greenback cutthroat trout by making improvements to Bear Creek in central Colorado. Jacob hopes to travel to see even more of the Great Outdoors.

“Jacob thinks others should volunteer in the Great Outdoors so “they have a greater respect for the work done and they don’t disrespect the outdoors by destroying habitats.”

 

Alexandra Elick, 20, joined the Corps to give back to the community, protect the environment, and gain job skills. While serving with AmeriCorps she did trail maintenance on Island in the Sky near Cañon City, CO. Alexandra thinks others should volunteer in the Great Outdoors to protect and conserve nature’s beauty for future generations to enjoy. When her time with Mile High Youth Corps ends, she will continue working towards a college degree and future employment with the National Park Service.

 

Jackson Davis, 23, decided to join the Corps to gain experience in the conservation field and meet new people. He served on Bureau of Land Management property in Cañon City, CO, to preserve trails and remove fencing for ecological management. After his AmeriCorps experience, Jackson wants to continue in ecological work by getting a PhD and one day managing large tracts of public land.

“A greater emphasis on understanding and preserving ecology within the general public is crucial to future preservation attempts…[we also need to] spread knowledge of legislation regarding public lands and the proliferation of ecological management plans.”

Why Corpsmembers choose to #ServeOutdoors

Every year, Service and Conservation Corps work across the country to engage young adults and recent veterans in maintaining some of America’s most treasured natural and cultural resources. From restoring or building new backcountry trails, to planting trees and planting gardens in urban areas, Corpsmembers complete important projects to help make the outdoors accessible and sustainable. To celebrate Great Outdoors Month, we’re highlighting some of the many ways Corpsmembers #ServeOutdoors.

For even more ways Corpsmembers #ServeOutdoors, check out The Many Ways AmeriCorps Members #ServeOutdoors on the CNCS Website.

 

California

Esmeralda Adame, 27, serves on trail projects with Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps. This isn’t her first outdoor service experience, however. When she served on the Backcountry Trails Program with the California Conservation Corps, Esmeralda participated in completing an ADA-accessible trail in Providence Mountains State Recreation Area. Along with her crewmates, Esmeralda helped ensure the trail was stable and had proper drainage.

“I’ve always wanted to work outdoors and learn about our environment, but I didn’t know where to begin. I saw an ad online for the California Conservation Corps and thought, ‘this is it!’ When I heard about the Backcountry Trails Program with AmeriCorps, I instantly knew it was going to change my life. Being in the wilderness for five and a half months in tough weather conditions, miles of hiking, and bonding with your crew, you come back to civilization with a stronger mindset.

This project was one of the toughest ones in my opinion. Hauling multiple chest-sized rocks in a wheelbarrow up to the worksite, [putting the rocks in place], and learning different styles of dry masonry was very rewarding for me after seeing visitors go along the trail with ease.

I believe other people should serve in the Great Outdoors because it’s rewarding and you get to enjoy beautiful sceneries wherever you go. There should be more people, especially youth, learning about our environment and how to respect the lives within the wilderness.”

 

San Jose Conservation Corps (SJCC) members spent 10 days on the outskirts of Yosemite National Park conducting vital fire prevention operations. SJCC members trenched firebreaks, trimmed overgrowth, and cleared space for seedlings to flourish. Serving alongside their counterparts in the California Conservation Corps, members learned a host of skills in wildlife preservation, trail maintenance, and techniques for operating chainsaws and pole saws.

“Before I joined the San Jose Conservation Corps, I didn’t think much about the environment,” SJCC member Katie R. said. “But after having the opportunity to come to places like Yosemite and see how my work makes a difference for trees, plants and animals, I can’t get enough!”

 

Minnesota

Corpsmembers with Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa helped clear vegetation and install mats and tubes to protect oak saplings at Spring Lake Park Reserve in Hastings, MN. In total, Corpsmembers restored 41,700 square feet.

“We got to really hone our tree ID skills while traversing through thick foliage to find these baby oaks. Always a good week when you get to help little trees have a better chance at making it big!” said Becca Hanson, Crew Leader.

Another crew with Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa has been helping improve School Forests throughout Minnesota. School Forests are natural areas on school property that been given a special designation by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The crew has completed a wide range of projects, from removing invasive species, to installing stone benches for an outdoor amphitheater. Recently, while serving at an elementary school, they cut a new trail, cleared vegetation for an outdoor classroom, removed hazard trees, and removed invasive species.

 

Tennessee

Photo from 5/11/16 NPR story “Keeping Bears Wild — Or Trying — At National Parks.” Brandon pictured standing, at right.

Brandon Garcia’s AmeriCorps service with Southeast Conservation Corps (SECC) helped him land his current job as a Biological Science Technician with the National Park Service. During his service, Brandon participated in wildlife and fisheries management, helping monitor and research bear, elk, wild hogs, and other animals. He also received search-and-rescue training and earned his Red Card, a certification that allows him to serve on a wildland firefighting crew.

“I am thankful for SECC and AmeriCorps for letting my get the opportunity to not only work in Great Smoky Mountains, but to make the connections that I know will help pave the road to success for my future in Wildlife Management.”

 

Jay Morgan’s AmeriCorps service with Southeast Conservation Corps also prepared him for his current job as a Biological Science Technician with the National Park Service. While with Southeast Conservation Corps, he helped prevent dangerous interactions between people and bears by educating park visitors about the dangers of feeding bears with any kind of food. In his current role, Jay is doing many of the same outreach and wildlife management activities he did as an intern.

“You gain valuable experience during your time as an intern in AmeriCorps that will lead to opportunities in the future.  If you don’t believe me, I’m working with three other coworkers who all did an AmeriCorps internship prior to working in the park.”

 

 

New Mexico

Savannah Ortega is a 22-year-old serving with Rocky Mountain Youth Corps – New Mexico. Her crew recently assisted on a disaster relief project, helping suppress mold and remove damaged flooring and furniture.

“Growing up I was surrounded by the outdoors, hiking every Sunday with my family or out camping for the summer. I always enjoyed that time out in nature. I wanted purpose in life and I knew this program would help me find my purpose! It truly has been life-changing and so amazing to be part of a hard-working organization.

… Being outdoors gets you away from society and helps you gain perspective on life. I plan to work in the Conservation Field. My terms here with AmeriCorps have opened my eyes to big and better opportunities!”

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What’s ahead for the Moving Forward Initiative

A Message from Capri St.Vil, Director of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Good Afternoon:
Around this time last year, I shared my thinking around The Corps Network’s Moving Forward Initiative, which is an effort supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to expand career exposure and increase employment in conservation and resource management for young adults of color. To increase diversity in these fields of work, we recognize the need to acknowledge and address issues of racial equity in the outdoors. Through the Moving Forward Initiative, we look to explore unconscious bias and structural racism within our own organization and at our member Corps. We recognize that, although unintentional, unquestioned bias limits opportunities for young adults of color and feeds off economic inequality, which we also aim to address in this initiative.

A Focus on Corpsmembers
Every year, the member organizations of The Corps Network enroll roughly 25,000 young people, 46% of whom identified as people of color in 2018. We understand and recognize our commitment to each one of them.
For 2019-2020, the Moving Forward Initiative will focus on Corpsmember Development. With the help of our facilitator for this work, Berwick Mahdi Davenport, a core trainer with The People’s Institute, we have entitled this work, “Corpsmember Liberation and Leadership: Undoing Disempowerment.” We initially considered using the word “empowerment” to describe this work, but we struggled with the use of this term since we felt that “disempowerment” much more aptly addressed the situation. Disempowerment allows one to look at how disenfranchised groups are made to feel ineffectual or unimportant through the deprivation of power, authority, or influence. We recognized that we are not here to empower, but instead to help our Corpsmembers understand structural and institutional racism and explore how disempowerment impacts how they see themselves and how others see them.

Workshop Series
With the support of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Moving Forward Initiative, Mahdi has designed a series of workshops (in-person and virtual) where he will work with Corpsmembers from six of our Corps that are part of the Moving Forward Initiative (PowerCorps PHL, Civic Works, Mile High Youth Corps, Montana Conservation Corps, Los Angeles Conservation Corps and Civicorps). These workshops will address how disempowerment leads us to accumulate habits and tendencies that quietly live inside of us and possess the momentum to keep driving us in directions we really don’t want to go.

As Mahdi has said, “Disempowerment lives in our habits. We must focus on creating habits that work to empower us rather than disempower. Disempowerment in the final analysis ends up being the unconscious ways we are distracted from our own power.”

The intention of these workshops is to assist the Corpsmembers in changing the narrative on how they see themselves and their communities; to help them understand the impact of “internalized oppression”; and how to see oneself with new eyes. The goal is for Corpsmembers to learn how one can take power back and reclaim it, particularly if you never knew you had it.

Interactive Blogs
The Corps Network also plans to introduce a series of interactive blogs that will join the existing Moving Forward Initiative blog series housed on our website. With these blogs, Corpsmembers will have a space to critically analyze the concepts presented in the Corpsmember “Liberation and Leadership” workshops.
A primary goal of these blogs is to position the Corpsmember as both the receiver of content but also the producer of content. Corpsmembers will actively engage in amplifying their voices and identifying how, as a creator of one’s image, they can resist through the power of words and visuals. Many of the Corpsmembers we serve have been disconnected from the academic space for some time; these blogs will give them the opportunity to understand that one can be both teacher and learner.
This series will encourage Corpsmembers to engage with research about conservation and environmental issues, but through the lens of how their communities and poor communities are impacted. This work will give Corpsmembers the opportunity to engage in the concept of equity and recognize their role as the “environmental stewards” of their community, including their social media community.

Career Adventure
The third element of this work is the “Career Adventure.” Developed by Julene Jarnot, the Career Adventure is a competency model that addresses what, independent of technical expertise, our Corpsmembers need to know to successfully navigate their career. Career Adventure incorporates elements of “gamification” to increase motivation and generate a sense of ownership of learning and an “adventure mindset.” A curriculum will also be developed for Corps staff members to become learning facilitators to Corpsmembers. In this Competency-based approach Corpsmembers will show what they know; they will demonstrate in several ways that they have mastered important knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Other Activities
Later this year we will also introduce a series of “Virtual Workshops” that will give us the opportunity to further examine key topics introduced at our national conference in February. Please stay tuned.

And last, with the Google Classroom we have begun the process of starting a Learning Community where we can share and learn as we grapple with the topic of racial equity. It is here where we can develop a foundation that will provide us with the tools in which to critically examine how the concept of race has been constructed, how it has been maintained, and the role that we play as we look to explore these topics in facilitated small group discussions. If you are interested in learning more about this, please reach out to me and let me know.

When talking to Corpsmembers across the country about the impact of the Corps experience, we often hear how Corps give them “a sense of purpose” and a “feeling of “hope.” These elements resonate for us at The Corps Network, and we are looking to bring that deeper “sense of purpose” to our work in developing the next generation of leaders in our communities. However, we realize that to achieve this, our Corpsmembers as well as for our Corps must also be a part of this work.

 

Capri St. Vil
Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion