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Readout of Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn’s Participation in Panel with Secretary Cardona, Secretary Fudge, and AmeriCorps CEO Smith at George Washington University and Service Project at Powell Elementary School
Washington, D.C. – In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn participated in a panel with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge, and AmeriCorps CEO Michael Smith today at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
Director Spahn discussed how international service intersects with the civil rights legacy Dr. King inspired, through the Peace Corps’ people-to-people approach to diplomacy and mission to spread world peace and friendship. For nearly 62 years, the agency has harnessed the power of human connection to send 240,000 Peace Corps volunteers to participate in the type of cross-cultural exchange that is critical to achieving Dr. King’s dream of a more equal society.
Following the panel, Director Spahn led a service project at Powell Elementary School, in the District’s Petworth neighborhood. Activities included making bulletin boards for Black History Month, mural touch-ups, and painting positive affirmations on restroom doors.
About the Peace Corps: The Peace Corps is an international service network of volunteers, community members, host country partners and staff who are driven by the agency’s mission of world peace and friendship. At the invitation of governments around the world, Peace Corps volunteers work alongside community members on locally-prioritized projects in the areas of education, health, environment, agriculture, community economic development and youth development. Through service, members of the Peace Corps network develop transferable skills and hone intercultural competencies that position them to be the next generation of global leaders. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans have served in 142 countries worldwide. For more information, visit peacecorps.gov and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
PRESS CONTACT:
Charmion Kinder
Peace Corps Communications Director
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