Interview with William Evensen, November 1, 2022

Interview Summary

William Evensen served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru, from 1964 through 1966, in the Community Economic Development Sector. William was inspired to volunteer by JFK’s 1963 “A Strategy of Peace” speech. He applied along with his wife, while studying at UCLA. Their training began at Cornell University. Outward Bound wilderness survival, and community development training were conducted in Puerto Rico. William was assigned to Sicaya, in the Mantaro River valley, near Huancayo. His assignment was to recruit locals to join the Mantaro Rural Electric Cooperative, Peru’s first. He tried unsuccessfully to establish two other co-ops while there. William regrets that the program focused on the Spanish speaking population, and not indigenous people. William remained politically active after his service, and co-founded the Young Professionals for Kennedy, along with Rafer Johnson, for Senator Robert F. Kennedy’s 1968 Presidential Campaign. He has written a book about his experiences in Peru and the Kennedy brothers’ push for peace, titled “JFK and RFK Made Me Do It: 1960-1968” by Sweet William © 2021 Peace Corps Writers.

Interview Keyword

Peace Corps (U.S.) Peru (country of service) 1964-1966 (date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Community Economic Development Peace Corps (U.S.)--1960-1970 Spanish (language) Peace Corps Writers UCLA Cornel University (training) Puerto Rico (training) Outward Bound Sicaya (assignment) Huancayo Mantaro Rural Electric Cooperative Young Professionals for Kennedy military veterans in Peace Corps

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