Name: Valmore Dumont (they/them)

Where is home to you? East Providence, Rhode Island

Placement Site: Youth In Action

Education: B.A. Political Science and Certificate in International Non-Governmental Organization Studies (INGOS), Rhode Island College, Providence, RI

Biography: Valmore is the Project Coordinator VISTA serving with Youth In Action. Prior to their VISTA service, Valmore graduated with the City Year Providence class of 2020, where they served as an AmeriCorps member supporting a third-grade classroom in English, Math and Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL). They have a passion for social justice and hope to incorporate this into their future graduate studies, where they intend to research social movement dynamics. They ultimately strive to become a college professor so they can help empower young minds, just like their college professors did for them. In their down-time, Valmore likes to make music, be creative, and hang out with friends.

Why I Serve: I serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA member because I am excited by the opportunity to make an impact while simultaneously learning and developing a more nuanced awareness of non-profit dynamics. My previous position at City Year was mostly direct service, so I look forward to exploring indirect ‘behind the scenes’ work and just expanding my awareness of issues relating to social justice.

Why Brown AmeriCorps VISTA Fellowship? I chose this position because it provides me with a unique opportunity to work with a small non-profit in my home state. I was intrigued by the support and resources that the Swearer Center provides, in addition to allure of working through such a prestigious institution like Brown University. In essence, it is a place where I feel like I can make an intentional and nuanced impact.