Interview with William White, May 24, 2023

Interview Summary

Dominican Republic, 1967-1969, rural community development

William White was raised in a middle-class family in Southern California. He graduated from Yale University with a Scholar of the House degree. It was a time of increased civil rights advocacy and Vietnam war protests. Will had a desire to share with others the privileges he felt he enjoyed. He described his Pre-Service Training in the rainforest near Arecibo, Puerto Rico, particularly the outward-bound activities and selection process. His work was based in El Carril, a village of some one hundred households, and eventually extended into five other communities. He was assigned to work with the Dominican Office of Community Development. Will appreciated working jointly with Dominican counterparts facilitating the change that the communities he worked with wanted. He shared the needs he was asked to assist with, and the approaches taken by the villages, from participating in leadership training to forming both local community advisory councils and a regional coordinating committee. Will talked about memorable moments, relationship building, and a change approach to development. Peace Corps changed his career aspirations.

Interview Keyword

Dominican Republic rural community development Seattle, Washington Pasadena, California middle class family parents Yale Robert Dahl professor Staughton Lynd academic civil rights era Vietnam war protests Caleb Rohrig Tom Gittens Peace Corps staff stagging Philadelphia Pre-Service Training Camp Radley rainforest deselection process Peace Corps Volunteer shield indiscretion Haina Barahona cities Encargado supervisor El Carril work site meaning “rut” counterpart collaboration Oficina de Desarrollo Comunal (ODC) Office of Community Development Monte Adentro Quita Sueno Piedra Blanca El Cajuilito Sabaneta additional work sites Honda 50 house Milagros Antonio neighbors subsistent farmers ingenio sugar cane factory publico taxi bacalao cod fish Cafecito expresso foods meetings Balaguer community organizing leadership censos census Black residents felt needs CIA trust community projects leadership training despierto awoke Peace Corps staff vacations Haiti El Salvador Colombia Peru consejos councils directivos boards El Vocero Comunal student newspaper Paolo Freire development process communication groups relationships social change cultural influences coming home credentials

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