On Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday every year—a national day of service—we celebrate not only his legacy but also LISC's AmeriCorps members, who are answering his call to action and dedicating themselves to serve the under-resourced communities we work with, every day of the year. Since the program's inception, LISC AmeriCorps has placed more than 3,400 full- and part-time members in over 102 communities across the country. Meet some of them here, and learn about new and creative ways they are fueling equity and impact through their service.
Above: 2023 LISC AmeriCorps members at the annual Leadership Conference in Atlanta, GA – May 2023.
On February 4, 1968, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., took to the pulpit of his home church for what would prove to be the last time. His sermon that day at Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church addressed the very human desire to be extraordinary—and to be celebrated as such. “We all want to be important, to surpass others, to achieve distinction, to lead the parade,” King said. He didn’t condemn this impulse but asked his listeners to focus their energy on achieving greatness through service, a path open to all people regardless of status or material wealth.
King even mused about what he would want said about him at his own funeral, which would take place in the same church just two months later. “I’d like somebody to mention that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others.”
And so this year on MLK’s birthday we remember him by recognizing individuals who have dedicated themselves, not just over a long weekend but day after day, to extraordinary and creative acts of service. There are no better examples than the people who make up LISC’s AmeriCorps membership.
Take Kiaora Muhammad, for example, a member serving at Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mary Rigg offers personalized services to empower adults, youth, and families. In her role as an employment support specialist, Muhammad has a firsthand view of what housing and employment insecurity look like for people in her community. “It’s easy to assume the worst of people,” she says, “but everyone has a story.” Muhammad wanted to create a safe space where people experiencing housing instability could come and feel good about themselves, opening the door to engage them in conversations about employment and housing. She had the idea but needed funding to get it off the ground. That’s where LISC AmeriCorps came in, providing a $1,000 investment in her vision—Cold Cuts N’ Cutz.
Simply, Cold Cuts N’ Cutz provides a haircut and lunch to those experiencing housing insecurity. The initiative brings people to Mary Rigg, and while they are being treated to a new ‘do’ and a meal, staff speak with their neighbors in need and talk about what the not-for-profit has to offer—like linking them to career services, like resume workshops and career opportunities. “Providing these services, giving people a safe place without judgment can boost their morale, encourage them to keep rebuilding their lives, and allow them to let their guard down and express their struggles,” explains Muhammad.
Today’s crisis of housing insecurity and widening inequality can feel overwhelming, even paralyzing. But LISC’s AmeriCorps program takes the long view of history, as the Rev. King did, by investing in our next generation of community development talent. LISC places AmeriCorps members in service organizations around the country, coupling meaningful community service with training to expand the pool of community development professionals, particularly among people of color who, more often than not, are residents of communities served by our partner sites. This year, over 80% of our members identified as living in the community they serve—a prime example of how LISC invests in community-rooted change.
With her Cold Cuts N’ Cutz initiative, Muhammad was one of eight LISC AmeriCorps members to win a competitive LISC AmeriCorps Equity and Innovation Award this year. These mini-grants empower service members to develop, launch, and lead a project that could change the circumstances of those they serve—if only they had a bit of cash to make it happen. With so many of the organizations where members serve experiencing ever-tightening budgets, LISC leans into our role as grant maker and community builder to invest in members’ visions and sense of agency. Winners receive awards ranging from $500 to $1,000 to implement their projects. This year, the awards supported more than 30 community-based events that reached an estimated 350 people.
This is LISC's third Equity and Innovation mini-grant competition. We recognize that members need to know how to plan a project and write a grant proposal if they’re going to pursue a career in community economic development. Beginning early in members’ service term, we bring them together for monthly meetings, a virtual training series, and our signature in-person event—the AmeriCorps Leadership Conference. The intensive training members receive on project planning, DEIJ, community development, career development, and coaching help them engage in their service in more meaningful ways.
What MLK preached in his final sermon at Ebenezer was what he called “a new definition of greatness”—that of loving and courageous service to others. Muhammad exemplifies that path, that choice, and so do this year’s other LISC AmeriCorps Equity and Innovation Award winners. Meet them below.
Jada Davine Turner is serving at the Edna Martin Christian Center (EMCC) in Indianapolis, Indiana, a community center that offers educational, income, health, and empowerment resources to its clients. In her role as a community empowerment specialist, Turner helps people connect to various financial, educational, and personal support services. In addition to her AmeriCorps service, Turner is also a hairstylist specializing in braids, and she is using her skills to kick off a new initiative at EMCC called Davine’s Braid-A-Thon.
LISC AmeriCorps member Donna Saunders.
Cassandra Ford is serving as a resident engagement coordinator at the Kalamazoo Eastside Neighborhood Association (KENA) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Ford works to establish relationships with residents of the Eastside neighborhood and works with them and partner organizations to improve and celebrate the Eastside. She develops and distributes outreach materials related to neighborhood events and activities, implements surveys, and collects resident feedback while assisting with developing programs and events volunteers wish to implement. In her free time, Ford is an avid baker and especially enjoys making pound cakes. Her love for baking and community inspired Ford to launch a program called Poundin’ for C.A.K.E., a monthly community engagement initiative designed to help residents find the “confidence to feel accepted, and gain knowledge to elevate.” Her goal is to create a welcoming space at KENA where the community can share feedback and ideas about how to improve the neighborhood. A $500 grant helps Ford with the costs of facilitating the meetings, including providing refreshments like pound cake and coffee, supplies, and guest speakers.
LISC AmeriCorps member Rebeca (Bex) Nava-McClellan poses with mini magazine coloring books used for their project Coloring Books for Clean Energy Communities.
Elizabeth Brown is serving at the Dominican Center for Women in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Center is in the heart of the Amani neighborhood, which is home to a large Dominican population. The Center works with neighborhood residents to provide direct services and convenes partners together with residents in support of its priority areas of safety, housing, economic development, education, and family well-being. In her role as a youth organizer, Brown engages youth in project-based opportunities for creativity and youth leadership development, and works with youth to amplify their voices by helping to implement strategies to improve community outcomes, such as crime prevention. Brown’s project, Pop Up Fun Days! is an exciting initiative to reimagine the Amani neighborhood’s parks, which have been stereotyped as “bad areas” where crime occurs. A $500 grant supports the fun days, which will feature food, games, and community resources to promote community safety and wellness programs; residents are invited back to the parks to participate in activities together.
LISC AmeriCorps member Sarah O’Toole stands in front of the welcome sign at Jewish Family Service of San Diego.
LISC AmeriCorps member Reyna Symonds (seated, top right) facilitates an event with YETEP members.If you are interested in being our next award winner, many local LISC offices are recruiting members now. Visit our Apply to be a Member page for more information.