Catherine Hicks came into her AmeriCorps year with 30 years of tech behind her, a master's in public health ahead of her, and a personal connection to the work that made everything matter more.
A fresh alum at the time of recording, Catherine served with the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse in the Bay Area — a harm reduction organization doing life-saving work distributing Naloxone and fentanyl test strips to communities facing the overdose crisis. She brought her tech background to modernize the organization's website and expand its reach, translating it into multiple languages so more people could access resources.
But the moment that defined her year? Hearing back that a friend used the Naloxone training she provided — and someone came home because of it.
Catherine's story is about showing up even when you keep hearing "no." It's about finding out that your lived experience isn't a liability — it's your greatest asset. And it's about the quiet, radical act of seeing every person as human.
"We need to find the humanity in all people — not just people like us." — Catherine Hicks
#StillGettingThingsDone
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🤝 This episode is part of a special series produced in partnership with
250&Beyond: Our American Story and our partners:
The National Museum and Center for Service — A national organization developing a truly national museum and center dedicated to honoring and inspiring service in ALL its forms.
Independent Sector — The only national membership organization that brings together a diverse community of changemakers, nonprofits, foundations, and corporations working to strengthen civil society and ensure all people in the United States thrive.
WETA — Founded in 1961, WETA is the leading public broadcasting station in the nation's capital, serving their community with educational, cultural, news, and public affairs programs and services.
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AmeriCorps Connections lifts up real stories of AmeriCorps alumni — 100+ featured! Honest, unfiltered truth about national service. These alums aren't just reflecting — they're still getting things done! We believe these voices deserve to be heard, and we're just getting started!