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AMERICORPS ACCESS PROJECT
AmeriCorps ACCESS
Project
413 South Edgeworth Street
Greensboro, NC 27401
Phone: 336.256.1375
Fax: 336.334.5413
2009 - 2010 Pr ogram Year
ACCESS EXPRESS
Martin Luther King Jr.
Day of Service
As many of you know, the second
quarter of the AmeriCorps year is a
very busy and exciting one. This is the
time when AmeriCorps members are really
settling into their site agency and starting
to feel a little more comfortable with the
service they are doing. Also during the
second quarter, AmeriCorps becomes busy
with trainings and events. The big event
during the second quarter was our Martin
Luther King Jr. Day of Service. It was during this event
that the AmeriCorps ACCESS collaborated with
AmeriCorps ACC and went to the Glen Haven Commu-
nity Center. AmeriCorps members educated the children
of Glen Haven community about Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. and the key role he played in the Civil Rights
Movement.
Along with serving at Glen Haven, some of our AmeriCorps
members went to one of our partner agencies, Greensboro
Children’s Museum and collaborated with them and North Caro-
lina A&T State University to help educate the greater community
on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement.
More pictures and information about this event can be found on
the Center for New North Carolinians
website. These were two very exciting
events and we are extremely pleased
with our AmeriCorps members!
Special points of
interest:
MLK Day of Service
Cakalak Thunder
CERT Training
Changes
Citizenship
Refugee Conference
Member’s Birthdays
V O L U M E V , I S S U E 2
“Almost always, the creative dedicated
minority has made the
world better.” Martin Luther King Jr.
V O L U M E V , I S S U E 2
“One of the important tasks we should have as teachers should be
not to have the experience on behalf of the students. We cannot do
that. They have to have their experience.” Paula Freire
During MLK Day of Service the street
performing group Cakalak Thunder
came to Glen Haven and performed
for the community. After performing
they led the residents in a march
around Glen Haven, honoring Martin
Luther King Jr. and his service. Then
the members of Cakalak Thunder
played drums with the kids, while
others danced and sang.
A C C E S S E X P R E S S
P A G E 2
A C C E S S E X P R E S S
Community Emergency Response
Training (CERT)
Each year the NC Commission on Volunteerism
requires that AmeriCorps programs have members
trained in Disaster Preparedness. Twelve members
also need to be trained in Disaster Response, and
these individuals will comprise the AmeriCorps
Disaster Response Team. AmeriCorps ACCESS
collaborated with AmeriCorps Partnership to End
Homelessness and underwent an extensive Com-
munity Emergency Response Training (CERT).
This training consisted of topics such as Disaster
Medical Operations, Light Search and Rescue and
Disaster Psychology. On the last day of the training
AmeriCorps members responded to a mock
disaster.
“Education must provide the opportunities for self-
fulfillment; it can at best provide a rich and
challenging environment for the individual to
explore, in his own way.” Noam Chomsky
V O L U M E V , I S S U E 2 P A G E 3
P A G E 4
V O L U M E V , I S S U E 2
A C C E S S E X P R E S S
A lot of changes happen during the
AmeriCorps year! This quarter we
had two exciting changes we would
like to highlight. First is the marriage
of our second year AmeriCorps
member Jack Tyler to AmeriCorps
Alum Cindy Jones.
Jack and Cyndi got married!
By Jack Tyler
On April 3rd at Northeast Park in
Gibsonville, we married in a beautiful
ceremony and setting. The ceremony was based around handfasting, a
Celtic ritual, where the connection between nature and humans is acknowledged. And I think that nature
blessed the day too, because it was a perfect day for life. The wind picked up early but died down later.
Many people helped set up the wedding, but two people spent much of their time and money in the weeks
before: namely, my mom, Kaye Campbell, and my aunt, Joye Campbell. We hope that everyone who came
had a great time because community is what all of this is about.
I am pleased to be joining the CNNC family and glad to be in a role of support of our fine
AmeriCorps program. I have spent the last ten years on the social work faculty at UNCG.
Prior to teaching I was in the social work practice world for over twenty years. I have
worked as a clinical social worker, a community organizer, a manager and a politically en-
gaged practitioner. While in the Social Work Department I watched my colleagues Raleigh Bai-
ley and Maura Nsonwu in their work with immigrants and refugees. It was pretty impressive and
I had great respect for their knowledge and skills in this complex practice area.
Every day I am learning more about the immigrant and refugee community---its issues,
accomplishments and challenges. I have learned that our AmeriCorps program is an important
part of helping that community deal with its challenges. I am pleased to be associated
with this important effort.
Changes
“From the depth of need and despair,
people can work together, can organize
themselves to solve their own problems
and fill their own needs with dignity and
strength.”
Cesar Chavez
Our second big change this year was the
retiring of Raleigh Bailey. Dr. Bailey
wrote a wonderful account of his time
with the Center in our last newsletter.
This quarter we wanted the new interim
director, Dan Beerman, to introduce
himself.
Check out our Facebook page
AmeriCorps ACCESS (NC)
www.facebook.com
Visit the webpage
http://cnnc.uncg.edu/programs/americorps
V O L U M E V , I S S U E 2
P A G E 5
A C C E S S E X P R E S S
Citizenship Training
On March 24th members of AmeriCorps
ACCESS and AmeriCorps ACC traveled to
Raleigh to undergo Citizenship Training. This
training was to educate AmeriCorps members
on what it means to be an engaged citizen.
Jack Register (presenting left), Director of
Advocacy and Legislation with the NC
chapter of the National Association of Social
Workers presented on the legislative process
and how people can become more engaged in
this process.
After the morning presentation, AmeriCorps members
(below) went to the NC Legislative Building to do a
tour. Here AmeriCorps members are hearing a
presentation on the legislative process.
It was not a full day of work, some
members were able to enjoy the
beautiful day.
“It was we, the people; not we, the white male citi-
zens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the
whole people, who formed the Union... Men, their
rights and nothing more; women, their rights and
nothing less.” Susan B. Anthony
After hearing a presentation on the legislative
process, AmeriCorps members attempted to find
their representatives and introduce themselves to
them.
P A G E 6
A C C E S S E X P R E S S
Second Annual National Conference
Association of Refugee Service Professionals
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s Center for New North Carolinians in conjunction with the
Association of Refugee Service Professionals will be hosting their Second Annual National Conference
ARSP is an incorporated nonprofit association of professionals working with immigrants, refugees, and dis-
placed people. Association goals are to promote professional development among its members, create and
maintain professional standards, and advocate for those issues affecting its members as well as uprooted and
displaced people. The first annual conference was held at the University of Texas in Austin in February of
2009.
WHEN: May 17 and 18, 2010
WHERE: The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), Elliott University Center
WHO: The conference targets professionals engaged in the field of refugee resettlement; supplemental human
services providers such as ESOL teachers and Departments of Health and Social Services staff, other provid-
ers engaged in the provision of culturally competent services; refugee and immigrant workers engaged with
their newcomer communities; and academics and students who are engaged in research and education related
to newcomer communities.
WHY: There is an ongoing need to recognize and disseminate best practices in the field of refugee resettle-
ment and the provision of culturally competent services to newcomers in the United States. The conference
will address this goal through the interaction of academic researchers, culture brokers, and professionals who
serve on the front lines of refugee resettlement and immigrant services.
THEMES: Workshops, keynote address, and other activities will focus on themes of Best Practices includ-
ing: Health and Mental Health; Research and Ethics; and Policy Development and Advocacy. The Keynote
address will be delivered by Ms. Lavinia Limon, former Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement dur-
ing the Clinton Administration and currently director of the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.
CONFERENCE HOSTS: Research Fellows of the Center for New North Carolinians will serve as hosts,
facilitators, and presenters for the conference. CNNC Research Fellows are academic researchers and human
services professionals who are engaged in projects addressing needs of newcomers. Many are also Ameri-
Corps Professional Corps members committed to equitable integration of newcomers into society.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION: contact Stephanie Baldwin at 336 256-1480 or
V O L U M E V , I S S U E 2
AmeriCorps: Getting Things Done!
V O L U M E V , I S S U E 2
P A G E 7
AmeriCorps ACCESS Project provides training and
support for AmeriCorps members serving their
communities across North Carolina.
AmeriCorps meets human needs and encourages
community development through the activities of
program members. It is supported by a partnership
of
federal and state governments and local communities.
ACCESS helps refugee and immigrant communities gain
better access to human services, build bridges of
understanding with neighbors, and become economically
self-sufficient residents of our state.
One of our partner agencies, Lutheran Family Services, is offering free
citizenship classes for people who are eligible for citizenship and tutor-
ing.
Contact:
Andrea Fisher
ELT Civics and Outreach Coordinator
Lutheran Family Services
People deal too much with the
negative, with what is wrong. Why
not try and see positive things, to just
touch those things and make them
bloom? Thich Nhat Hanh
Andrea Dalporto 1.30 Norma Brown 3.17 Sarah Cowles 3.30 Lacey Hendrix 1.01
Gabrielle Howell 1.18 Brian Lesser 3.20
Rossy Marroquin 1.18
Claudia Rebolledo 2.21
John Sumner 3.18 Andrew Supple 3.11
David Torres 2.14 Huong Tran 2.05
Teresa Wellendorf 2.17
Happy Birthday Members!
A C C E S S E X P R E S S
Mark your calendars now! AmeriCorps Graduation will
be on Saturday, July 31!!!
This will be held on UNC-Greensboro’s Campus in the
Sullivan Science Building Auditorium (room 101).
DETAILS TO COME!!!
Retired CNNC Director Raleigh Bailey
received the NC Long Leaf Pine Certifi-
cate. This Certificate is presented to
individuals who have worked for more
than 30 years for the state of NC. The
certificate was presented at a luncheon
at the quarterly meeting of the commis-
sioners for the NC Commission on Vol-
unteerism. Here Raleigh is pictured with
his wife Judy after receiving the award.
Congratulations Raleigh!!