Community Outreach and Advocacy
Advocacy & Education
December 16, 2020: Lila Holzman, Julien Joy, and Caitlin Dickson were panelists for the Jobs with Jodi podcast. They shared their experiences working in the environmental sector and tips for other RPCVs looking for jobs in the environmental field.
December 7 - 9, 2020: During Lobby Week, members (Brady Fergusson, Dylan Hinson, Mike Roman, Barbara Jue) spoke with legislators, virtually advocating for the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act.
December 6, 2020: Presentation to Friends of Micronesia on our environmental efforts.
December 5 - 6, 2020: Virtual CCL Lobby Day. More information can be found on the Peace Corps Action Team.
December 3, 2020: PCAT presented and began work on their plan to reach out to 11 conservative members of Congress on EICDA.
December 2020:Work begun on a collaborative webinar with Kiss the Ground and CCL Climate Business Leaders in support of the Growing Climate Solutions Act S.1251, which addresses carbon sequestration in the agriculture sector.
November 2020: Member LTE published in the New York Times. Presentation to Minnesota RPCVs on our environmental efforts.
October 2020:Get Out The (Environmental) Vote efforts begun with a Wisconsin Voter Jam and members working with the Environmental Voter Project.
July 12, 2020: Anote's Ark film followed by Q&A Panel and fundraising event. Raising awareness through film about how some countries, like Kiribati, are already threatened from climate change due to rising sea levels. Just over $2,000 was donated to the Rotary Club of Tarawa. The Rotary Club of Tarawa used the money to build public toilets and shower facilities in different Kiribati villages. Read more about the money fund raised here.
June 16-18, 2020: Virtual meetings with our Members of Congress. Important effort to build and sustain relationships with them.
June 13, 2020: CCL Virtual Climate Change Conference | A Community Stronger Than COVID from 1:00 – 5:00 PM EDT.
May 2020: NPCA offered support with consultant Mike Kiernan (expert assistance on group development) and Director of Strategic Communications, Steven Saum (sharing contacts in the Peace Corps community). Watch us grow!
May 7, 2020:Four Global Issues Town Halls on Social Action and Climate Change.
April 2020: WorldView articles published in Spring issue on"Day Begins Here" by Mike Roman and "Earth Day at 50" by Kate Schachter.
February 2020: The Peace Corps Action Team began 1) working on a conservative congressional representative outreach plan, and 2) tracking legislation on Global Climate Change Resilience bill H.R.4732 and S.2565 and ways to support it.
Webinars
Join us the first Thursday of every month at our Leadership Meeting, which occasionally include Zoom webinars!
November 5, 2020: Webinar with Paul Thompson who presented a history of Braver Angels and what they do with their HAT (Hold America Together) program. Braver Angels is an organization that brings conservatives and liberals together to find common ground to help decrease depolarization. The program focuses on signing the HAT letter and writing LTEs (Letters to Editor).
August 6, 2020: Webinar with Sarah Goodspeed, Senior Youth and Policy Manager, who works at Climate Generation. She presented on sharing your personal climate story. Learn more about Climate Generation and Sarah here.
May 7, 2020: Webinar with Mike Kiernan, consultant for the NPCA. He reported on the results of the 2020 Global Issues Survey. The #1 priority issue found in the survey was Climate Change.
Administrative
December 2020: Job Description template prepared, and formal positions with duties laid out; identified needed positions.
November 2020: Climate Story Portal begun on our website; first meeting of the newly-formed Communications Team.
October 2020: Formation of the Communications Team (Caitlin Dickson, Kate Schachter, & Meredith Miller-Vostrejs), the Membership Team (Jeb Eddy, Mel Siegel, & Paul Thompson), and the Science/ Advisory Team (Sara Bower, Dylan Hinson, Tom Potter, and Mel Siegel).
September 22, 2020: The Strategic Plan was finalized and approved.
August 2020: Meredith Miller Vostrejs volunteered as newsletter editor and MailChimp mailings took on a new and improved look; Discussions begun on a Social Advisory Committee under the umbrella of NPCA. Mike Roman to represent our group.
May 2020: Evacuated RPCV, Caitlyn Dickson, began work as website administrator.
March 2020: Began the pivot to virtual everything due to COVID-19.