SEAPAX Holiday Potluck

Thanks to everyone who came out for this year’s Annual Picnic! Many of us met in person for the first time, sparking lively conversations and fostering connections. Looking ahead, we are considering resuming our traditional holiday potluck, hosted at a member’s home. If you are interested in sharing your home for a party on November 5 or 12, please email Brianna Celaya at brianna.celaya19@gmail.com.

Service

We have two fun outdoor service opportunities coming up!

Gardening

World Relief has invited SEAPAX "rockstar volunteers" (their words!) to help at their community garden in Kent on Saturday, October 8 or Saturday, October 22 from 9 am-12 pm. We'll be weeding, mulching, and more. We need a minimum of 10 volunteers, so please email Ellen at emarnstein@gmail.com to let us know which day works best.

Lifting Trees

King Conservation District is looking for volunteers on Saturday, October 15 from 9 am-2 pm at Kenmore City Hall and Saturday, October 22 from 11 am-2 pm at Juanita Beach Park to help at their tree giveaways. Duties include unloading trees, checking people in, and traffic control. Email Ellen at emarnstein@gmail.com to sign up for one or both!

September Happy Hour

Join us for September Happy Hour! This month we will be at Olmste(a)d on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, September 21 from 5 to 8 pm. Enjoy speciality cocktails in a hip loungy space that is guaranteed to be nothing like your ol' homestead...

Questions? Email Garrett at gmorkill@gmail.com.

Advocacy

As Congress returns to Washington, D.C., we are entering a very important five-week period to both pass the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act and confirm Carol Spahn to be the next Peace Corps Director. While the Advocacy Committee works to schedule meetings with offices, we encourage everyone to message your representatives and urge them to support upcoming Peace Corps legislation!

DEI Committee

We are quickly approaching the two-year anniversary of NPCA's Connect to the Future. A great way to stay involved and ensure a more equitable Peace Corps as we start to see more volunteers return to the field is to ensure NPCA holds true to its promises and commitments. If you are interested in getting involved with advocacy and communication with NPCA about Connect to the Future, please email Kenney at trankenney59@gmail.com.

In addition, the DEI Committee is considering running a book club pilot, with the first book being Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together at the Cafeteria by Beverly Daniel Tatum. If interested, please reach out to Kenney at trankenney59@gmail.com.

NPCA News

The NPCA Affiliate Group Network Annual Meeting (AGNAM) was held August 27 over Zoom. The agenda included updates on advocacy in support of the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act, presentations by Loret Miller Ruppe award nominees, and information about plans for strengthening the Affiliate Group Network. View a recording of the meeting here.

The NPCA Annual General Membership Meeting will take place on Sept 24, 11 am-12:30 pm PDT. All SEAPAX members are welcome to attend and can register here.

History of Peace Corps

The RPCV Oral History Archives Project (OHAP), an NPCA affiliate, preserves the Peace Corps experience by conducting in-depth oral history interviews of RPCVs, EPCVs, Peace Corps staff, and host country counterparts. RPCV interviews follow each person’s path, including their motivation to join the Peace Corps, onboarding and training, activities during Peace Corps service, intercultural experiences, and reflections on the impact Peace Corps service had on themselves, the communities in which they served, and increasing Americans’ understanding of the world. Visit the OHAP website for more information and to sign up to be interviewed.

Posting Peace, celebrating 60 years of Peace Corps through historic posters, maps, and poetry, continues through October 16 at ArtReach Gallery in Portland. Co-hosted by The Museum of the Peace Corps Experience, the exhibition features guest lecturers Jody Olsen, PC Director, 2018-2021 (September 18); Carol Spahn, PC CEO (October 6); and Alana DeJoseph, Director of A Towering Task: The Story of the Peace Corps (October 16). Details here.

Join us at the next book club meeting!

A Few Minor Adjustments: Two Years in Afghanistan: A Peace Corps Odyssey by Elana Hohl (non-fiction and RPCV-authored)

Sunday, October 9
3-5 p.m.
Virtual or location TBD

Email SEAPAXbooks1@gmail.com for more information.

Mentorship Program

New Members