I wrote a blog entry back in 2013, The Red Jacket Battle, after City Year, an AmeriCorps national service program had significantly impacted my life. Never had I been able to pour into children in such a challenging way that was proven effective in more ways than one. Never had I built confidence in such a short period. Never had I met such a group of diverse individuals aggressively and collectively attacking one mission. Never had I met an experience that was applicable to any and every other future endeavor that had come my way. Currently over 3,000 corps members serve across the globe through City Year impacting over 20,000 students lives who find it no robbery to sustain a battle that will be ever going because our country has failed to put education and national service a priority. That's not including the 80,000 Americorps members who respond to disasters, serve in schools, support veterans, build affordable housing, provide job training in rural communities and respond to other critical local needs.
 

The new administration has released the White House FY18 Budget which aims to cut National Service Programming and initiatives as AmeriCorps. I am fortunate and blessed to say that this year my first group of students graduate high school this year at which they were a unique group of 8th graders. Little do they know they probably have impacted me more than I did, but this battle must go on; it’s a detriment that we cannot survive effect programming which do that. Hear from City Year Founder/CEO Mike Brown on the impact of cutting national service programs. “Today the White House released a budget blueprint that calls for the elimination of AmeriCorps, the national service program through which one million Americans have served their country with passion, energy and distinction since 1994. AmeriCorps is one of the most successful federal programs of the last 50 years – it should be dramatically expanded, not proposed for elimination."

 

After serving two years with AmeriCorps, both years in my home state of South Carolina, it ought to be a way to allow National Service to continue and increase limited funding to support these initiatives. Now the ironic part of this entry, I titled "The Red Jacket Battle", is that the current administration indicates that the proposed budget will allow a boastful increase to the funding of our military. I have no objection to increase resources for those who protect and serve our country, but the missing element is that thousands protect and serve right here at home, so why would these efforts be cut. Actions as these would allow us, many who don't have a voice for themselves to lose a war that we may never ever be able to recover from. With the battle, we're fighting, actions like this result in FRIENDLY FIRE, only wounding and killing ourselves. Mr. President, congress, elected officials with this proposal to defund National Service you are essentially bombing your own here at home, and I sincerely urge you to expeditiously retreat and secure National Service a priority for this country.