June is Pride Month, so The New Service podcast from
Gay Pride 8-colors Flag by Stonewall Veteran Gilbert Baker
Idealist.org is taking a closer look at the experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals serving in Peace Corps and AmeriCorps.
Today’s guests are lesbian and gay former service corps participants:
- Chad Jeremy, a former AmeriCorps NCCC corps member, currently a training specialist with AmeriCorps NCCC in Perry Point, MD. Chad is an officer with National Service GLOBE, an affinity group for LGBT folks involved with national service.
- Kate Kuykendall, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (China, 1999-2001); currently a Public Affairs Officer for Peace Corps Los Angeles. Kate’s a member of the LGBT Returned Peace Corps Volunteer group.
- Martha Tierney, a former Notre Dame AmeriCorps member, currently a program offer for AmeriCorps National at the Corporation for National and Community Service. Martha is also a National Service GLOBE officer.
I spoke with them about agency policies affecting LGBT service—including policies around joining the corps with a same-sex partner; the experience of serving as a lesbian or gay corps member; and opportunities to serve on projects that relate to LGBT issues.
Listen to the show! Or read the transcript!
Also check out this interivew with one of the only known transgender Returned Peace Corps Volunteers about his service. (Because of scheduling issues, and as a way to maintain his anonymity, we agreed to a written interview with him.)
Finally, if you are an LGBT individual considering Peace Corps service, register for Kate Kuykendall’s online information session “Have Rainbow, Will Travel: The LGBT Experience in the Peace Corps” this coming Saturday. She’ll introduce Peace Corps service more specifically, and also address issues of special concern to LGBT folks.
The New Service 
Great podcast and great post. Thanks so much for writing about LGBT issues and National Service! This will be sure to be an inspiration to LGBT potential applicants. Happy Pride Month!
Awesome podcast! I hope it sheds some light and inspires many more LGBT applicants.
I am a deaf bisexual woman very strongly interested in international development. I would have been extremely interested in viewing the podcast. But without captions or transcription, as a deaf person, it is inaccessible to me. Can you please provide a transcript for all deaf people using your site?
Thanks.
Hi Andrea,
Here is the link to the transcript!! Thanks for making the request, and thanks to our intern Sara Lozito for making it happen:
https://thenewservice.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/pridemonthpodcasttranscript/
Amy
Andrea,
Thank you so much for writing and requesting a transcript! I am glad Amy has agreed to provide that for you! I hope the podcast can reach as many people as possible and the Deaf community is one that certainly can benefit from access to this conversation.
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This is fantastic! I’m so glad to read something so accepting and loving!
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