AmeriCorps focuses on national service and, in partnership with state and local entities, seeks to respond to the most pressing issues facing our communities. The VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) Program may be the most recognizable AmeriCorps program, but the parent organization, the Corporation for National and Community Service, covers many areas of urgent need nationally and locally.

The State AmeriCorps Program provides direct service at nonprofits, schools or local government agencies, and the YWCA of Asheville has been so fortunate to have three AmeriCorps members working in our Early Childhood Center and Early Learning Program. Shamira Temple and Miraqle La Pierre, in ECC, and “Cabbage” Dixon, in ELP, bring a calm and loving spirit to the children and families in their care. The YWCA recently celebrated a successful first year with AmeriCorps, and the amazing AmeriCorps members who work in our early childcare programs. Shamira Temple, the YWCA’s first AmeriCorps member, recently graduated from the AmeriCorps program. We took a minute to talk to Shamira and Miraqle La Pierre, who works in the YW of Asheville’s Early Childhood Center, and looks forward to graduating from AmeriCorps in February, 2024.

Shamira, can you share a little about yourself?

So a little bit about me is that I love helping others. It really comes natural to me. I don't really think about myself or my situation. It's like if you can do something for someone, it's an automatic response to just do it. I'm a mom of three boys, I love helping others, and I love trying new things. Something that I noticed lately is it's so easy to just shut down when things get hard but life don't stop, so my biggest thing that I've been trying to do lately is push through, and once I do it it's so rewarding you know just to fight through those hard times, so that's something that I just recognized about myself.

What motivates you?

What motivates me are my kids, my three boys. They motivate me everyday to get up and make a change. This past year they motivated me to try something new, working in childcare, and to go back to school. I just moved for them, I have a new place for my kids. My kids are my world so anything I can do to better myself or my home for them, they're my biggest motivation. 

What is your favorite thing about your role?

My favorite thing about working in child care with AmeriCorps is that it brought back a childhood dream of mine of being a teacher. Life happens. Your ideas change, your goals change, and I honestly didn't think I was able to be a teacher because of that. But AmeriCorps gave me the opportunity to work with kids, further my education and bring my childhood dream back to life. I didn't think it was possible to be a teacher again and because of AmeriCorps, it just brought it back to reality. Like I'm really doing what I wanted to do as a kid, so that's one of the greatest things about this role. And working with the kids; they help me, they motivate me, and it's just an awesome place to be. Just teaching them things and watching them learn, all of that. 

What are you most proud of in your work as an AmeriCorps member at the YWCA?

I'm proud of the connections I made and the lives I changed. I just didn't think this stuff was possible and to see where I am now and where I was a year ago, I am very proud that I have successfully completed a year with AmeriCorps and just checking things off my goals, furthering my education, and helping these kids.

What are you looking forward to after you complete your service year?

After completing my service with AmeriCorps, I plan to continue my education. I would like my bachelors in Early Childhood Education and to continue working with kids. I feel like this is where I want to be for the rest of my life. As far as working, I feel like I could be here for many years working with kids. I'm back where I wanted to be, I'm back where I need to be and I don't want to be anywhere else.

What is something that someone would be surprised to know about you?

A lot of people find it surprising that I like the Blues. I love old soulful music, like it relaxes my soul. I think that a lot of people wouldn't expect that from me. They’re probably like “the blues, really? You?” But yeah, just play me some blues, let me sit on the porch, just chill out a little.

Who is the most important or empowering woman in your life?

I would have to say my mom. She changed her life for us. She was able to move and adapt and do whatever is needed or whatever was necessary, whether it's leaving family, leaving friends, whatever she had to do for her kids. She wasn't afraid of change and that empowered me going through hard times not to be afraid of change and do whatever I need to do for my boys and she embedded that in me not to give up and don't be afraid to change. Stop running from it because sometimes change is good. It can be uncomfortable in the beginning but change is good and she showed me that. We moved around a lot just so she could make sure that we had everything we needed. That helped me with my kids today. She empowered me because she wasn't afraid to make any changes in her life to better herself and her kids and I use that today for me and mine. No matter what it is, I’m not afraid to make any changes when it comes to me and my boys to keep us safe, to keep us healthy, whatever I have to do.

Next, we checked in with Miraqle La Pierre

Miraqle, can you share a little about yourself?

My name is Miraqle. I just recently turned twenty on the fourth of July. I work in childcare, the first time ever doing that. It has its ups and downs but it’s very rewarding. I like cuddling with the babies a lot. 

What motivates you?

It’s God. There are so many things going on in the world, but if you have something you can always come back to that you know is just really good and can have you in a safe space, you know you can keep on going. 

What is your favorite thing about your role?

Other than cuddling with babies? I don’t have kids, so I have a lot of love to give. Sometimes people feel like they don’t have a nurturing spirit, but when you’re with babies, you have no other instinct other than to pick them up, hold them, and love on them. Working with kids, just being able to watch the way they grow and how they can go from not being able to speak very well, to then if you’re working with them, being able to say certain words, or their colors and counting is really awesome. 

What are you most proud of in your work as an AmeriCorps member at the YWCA?

It’s a lot. I think being able to see the change in kids, being able to see where they started and where they are now. Yes, they may only spend about four hours with you a day, but if we’re really talking, you’re spending twenty hours a week with these kids.They’re getting to know you and you’re getting to know them and also getting to see a little bit of yourself in them like “hey, I used to be that kid.” So you start spending one-on-one time with them and building a personal relationship to the point where if there is something wrong, they feel comfortable enough to come to the teacher and say “I need your help.” It’s just the small things. We know that we’re seeing these kids and making a difference in their lives. It’s like “ok, I’ve helped that kid and I love to help them.” It’s great when you see them, but sometimes it hurts when they move on to full time childcare and you know you will miss them so much; they tug on your heart strings. 

What are you looking forward to after you complete your service year?

I’m hoping not to go anywhere because there’s nowhere else that you get to cuddle with babies. Being with kids in general, being able to have fun and do arts and crafts, I don’t want to go anywhere else to do that. I want to stay here, and I also want to go to college. 

What is something that someone would be surprised to know about you?

I used to be an activist. Some people think that I’m really quiet since I don’t talk a lot unless I feel like it. But whenever someone opens their mouth to talk about things that I think are important, a lot of things come out and it’s just like “whoa, I didn’t know that you could speak like that.” I also like to write a lot. Writing is another form of communication for me; I write a lot better than I speak. I write poetry, but I also write a lot about love because I think love is really beautiful. I still write about it, but now I write a lot more about how I view life. When I was grieving, I would write about that and how continuing to pursue life and go forward with it is very important. It’s kind of all over the place; I write about whatever I’m feeling. 

Who is the most important or empowering woman in your life?

One of them right now is one of the ladies at my church. She is so sweet. I call her my “spiritual mom.” She basically adopted a few of the kids at church. She mothers us and it’s so crazy to see how someone who has only known us for a few months has basically walked through life with us and how much love that she has to give to us. I see it when I’m here too. I don’t have any kids, so I walk into a classroom not knowing what to expect, but knowing that I have a lot of love to give. I think when you have a lot of love to give, it puts you in a great position. Just seeing how she is with me, I see that that’s also how I am with the kids. She’s very loving and nurturing and an all around great person. She speaks so much wisdom and knowledge and I learn from that. I can’t wait to be that type of parent or that type of older lady in the church one day like “hey, you’re going through something? I’ve got you. I can help you out. I can hold a few of your burdens for you. I’ve been through it.” I feel like it’s always important to share, and walking through life with each other is very important because we’re not meant to do life alone.