Interview with Max Rothman, April 30, 2021

Interview Summary

Max Rothman served in the Peace Corps in Venezuela from 1966-1968, as a lawyer along with other professional men (women were spouses only). He deferred his initial acceptance to serve in Liberia in order to pass the bar exam. During his pre-service training, he was especially grateful for his “phenomenal” language training. After his pre-service training at San Francisco State, Rothman was posted in a provincial state capital, Barcelona, in its mayor’s office where he and his colleague updated the city maps to reflect the growth of the city. This information was, then, used to build new schools, community centers, sewers, trash collections routes and clinics. Rothman learned how to plan projects and to implement the activities to fulfill its goals, as well as the value of public service. He credits his experiences there for his eventual career in legal services for farm workers, anti-poverty programs and human services in general for underserved populations.

Interview Keyword

Venezuela Lawyer bar exam language training San Francisco State University Barcelona, Venezuela mayor's office city maps projects anti-poverty human services career

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Interview Usage

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