Campaigning for CHANGE

I'm now volunteering with the Alan Khazei campaign for the Massachusetts senate seat. I see it as an opportunity to get someone into office who will be revolutionary, bringing new ideas and ways of thinking to the table. It's refreshing to support such an awesome candidate! Khazei is one of the most exciting political candidates I have come across in a long time - my excitement about Khazei is perhaps right on par with my excitement about Barack Obama's campaign. I have been a pretty disenfranchised voter for most of my eligible voting years, but first Obama, and now Khazei?! WOW. Keep them coming, and I'll be the most politically active citizen you can find.

So, for those who don't know, Alan Khazei was the co-founder of City Year, which is arguably one of the most successful national service and youth programs ever created. He's a game changer - he put national service on the map here in the US. I know that my time with AmeriCorps drastically influenced my desire to work for social change - and I'm just one of potentially millions of national service alumni that have been mobilized by the efforts that Khazei has been a part of. He's actually created a movement for social change already, without being in public office. Imagine what he can do if elected!

He's got loads of experience collaborating with government, community agencies and the private sector; he believes in citizen empowerment. Judging from his success with social movements like City Year and now, Be the Change, I think he's got the right idea about how to create the change that our country needs to succeed and prosper. US citizens have such potential power, and Khazei knows how to bring out the best in us.

VISTA Impact & Beyond!

I'm incredibly excited about the possibility that all of the new service legislation moving through right now holds both nationally and globally. You may be wondering about the impact of some of the existing programs and why upgrading and expanding them can create great social change. I'd like to share with you the AmeriCorps*VISTA annual report, which highlights projects from each of the 52 United States: Overcoming Poverty, Building Capacity.

(If this link takes you to the Vista Campus website, simply login as a guest to see the report.)

I'm particularly proud to share this report, as the project that I was a VISTA member and leader in for the last two years, the Children & Youth Project of NW PA, is the featured project in Pennsylvania.

Read it over, and I hope you'll be inspired to raise your voice in favor of the Serve America Act and the GIVE Act. It's the right time to expand national service in our country - I get chills imagining the potential that will be unleashed with the support of this legislation!

My AmeriCorps experience is such a large part of the reason that I'm studying what I am right now and aspire to work for social change in the future. Not only will this legislation impact those being served by the expansion of programs and those who commit to service during their terms of service, but I venture to predict a large increase in the number of people entering social impact fields as a result of their term of service. It's life-changing to be a part of a national service movement, and as service opportunities expand, the potential for creating a critical mass of people concerned with the future of our world also expands.

Co-Sponsor the Serve America Act!

As an AmeriCorps*VISTA alum who believes in the power of national service, this is something near to my heart. The Serve America Act has the potential to drastically expand the national service movement. Now you can be part of the change by co-sponsoring the legislation. Check it out here: http://www.bethechangeaction.org/servicenation/take_action/cosponsor

In my opinion, it's a crucial time for important programs like this to expand!