Interview with Stephan Collins, September 27, 2023
Project: Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Stephen Collins served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Jamaica from 1981 to 1984 in the Community Economic Development program, and as Peace Corps staff in San Francisco from 1984-1986. Stephen studied Fine Arts and Textile Technology in college. He was encouraged to join Peace Corps by friends who had served. Stephen discusses his concerns about Peace Corps attitude towards gay volunteers, and feeling more assured as he got to know the country director and staff. Stephen’s first assignment was in Sherwood Content, near Duanvale. He worked with groups of ten to twelve young girls, teaching weaving skills. He later moved to Kingston where he worked on a number of craft related projects with local artisans. He became well known, and received recognition from President Edward Seaga. While working on a project at Devon House heritage site, Stephen had the opportunity to meet and speak with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles. Stephen remains friends with many of the people he lived and worked with in Jamaica, and is also active in the Friends of Benin RPCV group.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
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Interview Keyword
Peace Corps (U.S.) Jamaica (country of service) 1981-1984 (date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Community Economic Development Peace Corps (U.S.)--1980-1990 Jamaican Patois (language) Peace Corps (U.S.) – Training (cultural, language, technical) Peace Corps Staff Sherwood Content (assignment) Kingston (assignment) President Edward SeagaQueen Elizabeth Prince Charles Freinds of Benin. textile design LGBTQ+ many faces of Peace Corps #manyfacesofpeacecorps diversity in Peace Corps Sergio Delo StrologoInterview Rights
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Collins, Stephan Interview by Julius Sztuk. 27 Sep. 2023. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Collins, S. (2023, September 27). Interview by J. Sztuk. Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Collins, Stephan, interview by Julius Sztuk. September 27, 2023, Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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