鈥淚t抖阴ap just our mentality,鈥� my university students in Ukraine explained. 鈥淚t抖阴ap what we know.鈥� The subject of the classroom discussion was cheating. Fifteen years ago during my Peace Corps service in Zhytomyr, a city a few hours from Kyiv, few Ukrainians viewed cheating as anything more than 鈥渢he way things are.鈥�
The memory of that classroom exchange came roaring back to me the other day when a former Ukrainian student of mine told me in a zoom chat that she was infuriated with the guy in her apartment building who cheated his neighbors because he used the funds they鈥檇 collected for a courtyard beautification project to buy a ping pong table instead. She intended to take up the matter with the apartment-housing authority.
Her conviction reminded me of the importance of a U.S. Peace Corps presence around the world. Teaching English to university students was my Peace Corps assignment in Ukraine; what students learned along the way had as much to do with critical thinking and civic responsibility as language communication.
Today I see a similar resolve as Ukrainians stand up for the sovereignty of their country against Vladimir Putin鈥檚 invading forces. Has Peace Corps played a role in transforming 鈥渢he way things are鈥� in Ukraine in 2022? Ukrainians are now unified around an emerging national mindset, a fierce commitment to the highest ideals of democracy, the heartbeat of Peace Corps work.
Since March 2020 when nearly 7,000 Americans (220 from Colorado) were evacuated from 60 countries because of the covid-19 pandemic, the Peace Corps 鈥� like so much else 鈥� was grounded. No volunteers were in the field, but evacuated volunteers and others from among the 240,000 Americans who have served abroad since the founding of Peace Corps in 1961 never stopped thinking about service. We — organized by the National Peace Corps Association, the returned volunteer membership organization — contributed to surveys and gathered in zoom rooms to compile recommendations for how the agency can best serve the needs of an ever-changing world. The Peace Corps vision — to bring the world together in peace — is more urgent today than ever as our planet faces grave challenges, including the retreat of democracy around the globe.
The good news is that volunteers will soon begin returning to service overseas. As we celebrate the March 1 anniversary of President John Kennedy鈥檚 executive order establishing the Peace Corps, about 25 countries where volunteers were serving at the time of the evacuation have been approved for volunteers to return.
Washington is listening to the Peace Corps community and agency reforms are being adopted. New ideas about incorporating racial justice and equity into agency activities are being studied and acted on.
But we need to do more to ensure a meaningful evolution of the Peace Corps. We need legislation to authorize the operational changes needed. The Peace Corps Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1456) includes provisions to improve in-service and post-service health care for volunteers; extend the mission of a Sexual Assault Advisory Council; strengthen volunteer financial benefits; expedite applications for volunteers wanting to return to service after the covid evacuation; and increase understanding among U.S. citizens of what Peace Corps is and does, and, in turn, raise respect for Peace Corps service.
When they return to their assignments abroad, Peace Corps volunteers will partner with host-country organizations across sectors responding to covid-19 realities, the effects of climate change, community economic-development concerns, and education and training needs.
It’s been over 20 years since Congress reauthorized the original Peace Corps Act, but last September, Democrats and Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee came together and passed H.R. 1456 by a vote of 44 to 4. Congress-at-large should follow their lead. Now is the time for action.
Urge our Colorado representatives to help pass the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1456) in the House as soon as possible. Please also urge Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper to actively join the House in supporting the bipartisan passage of this legislation. It抖阴ap an important step toward deepening our country鈥檚 commitment to working for peace around the world.
Bernadine Clark served as a Peace Corps volunteer with her husband Ken Clark in Ukraine (2005-2007) and in Mexico (2014-2015) as a Peace Corps Response volunteer.聽 She is a resident of downtown Denver.
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