Every March, National Women's History Month serves as a time to celebrate womanhood, remember female trailblazers, and encourage us to continue working towards gender equality.
MSA recently sat down with Sierra, an AmeriCorps member, and Veronica, a Commonwealth Corps member, to talk about service and representation during Women's History Month and beyond.
Veronica, a Commonwealth Corps member, was already involved in the Cambridge Women's Center (CWC) before embarking on a year of service. "I have extensive history with [CWC], having first volunteered, then interned, and now being a [Commonwealth Corps] fellow," she said. "I wanted to become a fellow at the center to become involved with the behind-the-scenes."
Sierra, an AmeriCorps member serving at the Student Conservation Association's Massachusetts Historic Preservation Corps (MHPC), had a similar story: she already had completed a year of service in 2019. "I loved the people I met, the knowledge I gained, and the time I spent outdoors." After finishing that program, she talked with the directors of the MHPC program. "Theirorganization and care for the well being of [their members] was too compelling not to join."
"The representation of a space has scared me away from hundreds of learning opportunities where it didn’t 'look' like I could belong," Sierra said. "It wasn’t until my first AmeriCorps program when another woman and I were the only sawyers on a crew of 12 that I felt powerful as a woman in a male dominated field. She went on to be my best friend and a wildland firefighter. Because of her and many others, I now see representation as a way elements of my identity can transform a space and empower others to join." Today in AmeriCorps, Sierra works on historical preservation and maintenance trade projects across the state — showing up for other women in a space they've been historically underrepresented in.
"Representation to me means empowering girls and women," Veronica added. "When girls grow up seeing shows and movies of characters like them, it gives them the feeling they’re not alone and they are powerful." Today in Commonwealth Corps, Veronica shows up for others through the Cambridge Women's Center's women-centered work: helping with technology, working on programming and operations projects, and offering emotional support services.
Both Sierra and Veronica agreed that a year of service is a significant investment into your community and your future.
"I would tell someone doing a year of service to really put your all into it," Veronica said. "The more passion and love you pour into the community, the quicker you will form relationships with the members at your host site as well as your coworkers and supervisor. I have found the work I do at the Cambridge Women’s Center most fulfilling when I’m partaking in projects that I’m proud of and have a good team to back me up, so don’t be afraid to reach out for help and express what your passions are!"
Sierra added another piece of advice to anyone considering a year of service: "In your interview, ask to be connected with someone who is currently in the program... and ask hard hitting questions. You will learn so much about what it feels like to go through that program and what support participants receive. A year of service is a big commitment to your time, relationships, and future. You deserve to have quality support and be around quality people during that time."
Learn about joining Sierra in AmeriCorps or Veronica in Commonwealth Corps today:
