June 3, 2015 – Peace Corps Worldwide

Mark Wentling (Honduras 1967-69, 1970-73; PC Staff Togo, Gabon & Niger 1973-77) Says Goodbye to Africa

Jun 03 2015

After two years as a PCV in Honduras, Mark went to Africa in 1970 as a Peace Corps Volunteer, working in the southern Ewe district of Agu, near Gha. Next he was hired as an APCD for rural development. He left Togo in early 1975 to serve as the Peace Corps CD in Gabon and, briefly, in the Central African Republic. In 1976, he was transferred by the Peace Corps to Niger, and in 1977, started a long career with USAID in Niger, then onto Guinea, Togo, Benin, Angola, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Burkina Faso, Madagascar and South Africa. He worked as the USAID Mission Director in six of these countries. After USAID, his work with NGOs took him to Niger, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Congo and Angola. Work and travel has allowed him to visit all . . .

Tom Spanbauer’s I LOVED YOU MORE wins a "Lammy"

Jun 03 2015

27th Annual Lambda Literary Award Winners The winners of the 27th Annual Lambda Literary Awards (the “Lammys”) were announced on Sunday night in a gala ceremony hosted by comedienne Kate Clinton at Cooper Union in New York City. The Lambda ceremony brought together over 550 attendees, sponsors, and celebrities to celebrate excellence in LGBT literature and 27 years of the groundbreaking literary awards. Lauren Patten of the hit Broadway show Fun Home and performer Toshi Reagon gave special performances. Gloria Steinem introduced Rita Mae Brown, author of the classic, Rubyfruit Jungle, who received the Pioneer Award. In a sign of the transgender coming of age, Casey Plett winner in the Transgender Fiction category for A Safe Girl to Love ended her acceptance speech with, “The transgender community is taking over!” Tony Valenzuela, Lambda Literary Foundation Executive Director, congratulated all the winners, including our Tom Spanbauer ( Kenya 1969-71) who won the Gay . . .

Archive - June 3, 2015