Interview with Kenney Tran, July 23, 2020

Interview Summary

Kenney Tran served as a Peace Corps volunteer in in a Community Economic Development program in Salamina Magdalena, Colombia from July 2018 until March 2020, when he was evacuated because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He discusses Colombians' reaction to him as a Vietnamese American because of their monolithic view of Americans, and the work he and other volunteers serving on the Peace Corps diversity committee did to promote a greater understanding of the U.S.’s racial diversity. He discusses the need for more reality-based volunteer-to-volunteer training. He opines that Peace Corps’ goal to provide technical assistance where requested is just a vehicle for achieving the cultural communication goals 2 and 3, which are more needed than ever. He ends by talking about his lifelong commitment to working with communities of color in the U.S. and around the world.

Interview Keyword

2018-2020 (Date of service) Colombia (Country of service) Diversity in the Peace Corps Peace Corps goals Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Community Economic Development Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Evacuated Peace Corps Volunteer (EPCV) Peace Corps (U.S.)--2020-Evacuation #covid19

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.) Peace Corps (U.S.)--Colombia Colombia COVID-19 (Disease) Acculturation Communication and culture Culture Culture shock Intercultural communication Interpersonal communication and culture Interpersonal relations Interpersonal relations and culture Language and culture Language and languages Lifestyles Manners and customs Voluntarism Volunteers

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