Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-ACC-2019-042
Yancy Garrido served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from January 1987 to August 1990 in a community mental health program. He speaks of how his heritage as the son of Cuban refugees influenced his decision to join the Peace Corps. As he was already fluent in Spanish, he convinced the trainers to let him do an internship at a health center in Comayaguela. Garrido was stationed in Gracias a Dios in Lempira Department, where he gave workshops and ultimately built a network of community mental health facilitators. He talks about the rewards and dangers of being a volunteer in Honduras at that time, and how he integrated with the community. He shares a continuing connection with the country because his wife and daughter are from there. Finally, Garrido discusses the importance of the Peace Corps and states that people of color should be more actively recruited. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, December 9, 2018. 1 digital audio file.