Congresswoman Barbara Lee Hosts Peace Corps Acting Director for Diversity Recruitment Event at Laney College
Oakland, CA – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) hosted a Peace Corps diversity recruitment event at Oakland’s Laney College with special guest Peace Corps Acting Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee shared her experience as a leader in the fight against global poverty and diseases including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria and her current role as the Congressional Representative to the United Nations. She also encouraged attendees, many of who come from backgrounds that are traditionally under-represented in the Peace Corps, to consider service as a way to address the humanitarian crises and economic development needs across the globe.
“I commend the Peace Corps on their efforts to broaden participation of underrepresented communities,” said Congresswoman Lee. “Peace Corps volunteers are on the frontlines of poverty reduction, economic and social justice, reducing instability, and providing hope for millions of the most vulnerable around the world.”
Acting Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet shared how Peace Corps service can give them an opportunity to bring about broad positive change, hone concrete skills, and engage the global community.
Current Peace Corps volunteer and Oakland resident Teneasha Pierson also shared her experience as a current volunteer in Kenya via Skype.
California produces more Peace Corps volunteers than any other state nationwide with 973 residents currently serving, including the 32 volunteers from the 13th Congressional District. Since the Peace Corps was established in 1961, more than 28,000 California residents have served overseas as Peace Corps volunteers.
Congresswoman Lee has been a leader in the fight against the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. She co-authored legislation signed into law creating the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria in 2000, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2003, the PEPFAR Reauthorization Act in 2008, PEPFAR Steward and Oversight Act in 2013 and in 2005 legislation addressing the needs of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS. She has also been a leader in the effort to establish a National AIDS Strategy, and is a member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Human Services & Education with jurisdiction over all domestic HIV/AIDS funding. She is the only United States representative on United Nations Development Programme’s Global Commission on HIV and the Law and was the original sponsor of legislation that lead to the repeal of the Immigration and Travel ban that barred the entry of HIV positive individuals. The repeal allowed the International AIDS conference to take place in July 2012 in Washington, D.C., which was held in the U.S. after 20 years. Congresswoman Lee serves as a Representative from the United States to the 68th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.