From DREAM to the Peace Corps
Randy during his first trip to the DR in 2013
Having the opportunity to work with the DREAM Project back in 2013 is one that I will never forget. Their commitment to youth development and creating opportunities for advancement serve as an inspiration to many. I truly believe that I wouldn’t be where am I now, returning to the DR this past August as a Youth Development Facilitator as a Peace Corps volunteer, without my first experience with DREAM. They opened my eyes to the impact that intercultural engagement, and stepping outside of your comfort zone can have on a young person's future, and for that, I am forever grateful.
Loving the DREAM Project for the First Time
Randy with his classmates on his first trip to the DR
Randy with his Program Manager for the Youth Development Sector, Keila Bello, at the Peace Corps Swearing-In ceremony
I first became involved with the DREAM Project through my high school, Farmington Hills Harrison. We coordinated a week and a half long trip to Cabarete to help support the DREAM Projects’ goals of increasing literacy in youth and build some intercultural understanding. Since then, I loved the idea of giving back to the youth in the DR. I am really up to helping youth have a better future. That's why I returned to the country to continue supporting at-risk youth.
Ever since that first experience in the DR, I have always felt a calling within me to return at some point in my life. After a summer internship experience in California, one of the directors learned of my love for travel and service and suggested that I look into the Peace Corps. Once I learned that they had positions in the Dominican Republic, my mind was made up. I truly feel as though I am living a dream. What I find more interesting about the Dominican culture is how welcoming everyone is, and how willing they are to help one another. In addition, I have a strong appreciation for the cultural diversity here, it’s amazing to see.
Last but not least, my message to all Dominican youth is “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken. Ambition will take you as far as you let it, determination will do the rest.”
About the Author: Randy Perkins, Former DREAM Fellow
Randy Perkins was born and raised in Metro Detroit, Michigan. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Arts from Michigan State University where he double majored in International Relations and Criminal Justice in 2020. For the past three years, he has worked first as an intern, and then as Office Manager/Director of Constituent Relations for state senator Marshall Bullock II in Michigan.