Established at UMBC with the founding of Shriver Center in 1993, the Peaceworker program is grounded in the early 1960s vision of Sargent Shriver and President Kennedy who realized the potential impact of Peace Corps Volunteers returning home ready to apply the lessons and experience they gained abroad. 

Vision

A growing network of social change leaders building peace and community through service and learning in Sargent Shriver's spirit of practical idealism

Mission

To support and engage Returned Peace Corps Volunteers through a service-learning fellowship program preparing them for lives and leadership in diverse fields of public and private preserve. To impact pressing social needs in the Baltimore City region through partnerships with partnerships with community agencies involving direct and significant services of Peaceworker Fellows focused on creative solutions across a range of social concerns

Over the course of two years, 2021-2023, I established the foundation for the first Latinx Liaison position at the Choice program at UMBC. The position called for someone who could advocate for the Latine community in the numerous counties the Choice program serves: Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, Montgomery County, and Prince George County while also being culturally aware of the needs of the Latine community. 

I chose to focus my energy in building community connections with local Latine community organizations, grassroots organizations, school institutions, and activists who pushed for our voices to be heard in Maryland. The purpose behind this was to create a sustainable position for future Peaceworkers fellows who could build and expand on my previous work. These connections with the Latine community led to creating community events that spoke to the creativity and stories of the community.