We’re proud to announce our 2026 Book Corner!
Welcome to September’s Highlights (and keep reading below for previous highlights):
RPCV Betsy Small (Sierra Leone 1984-1987)
Betsy wrote a memoir Before Before: A Story of Discovery and Loss in Sierra Leone, and was honored as a Silver Winner in the 2026 Nautilus Book Awards, which recognize notable works in social and environmental justice. Her deeply personal memoir of her service and later return to Sierra Leone was recognized in category 28 – World-Cultures’ Transformational Growth & Development. Additionally, Before Before has been recognized as a finalized for the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards.
The book offers a unique portrait of everyday lives, with a particular emphasis on women and girls before the brutal conflict of 1991 tore the country apart. Betsy invites reflection on the complicated landscape in this sometimes overlooked West African nation.
For a downloadable Book Club Discussion Guide, please click here. Find the author on LinkedIn here.
We’re starting off with July’s Highlight:
RPCV Naomi L. Shank (Senegal, 1989–1991)
Naomi published her first book, When the Universe Pivots, in 2026.
As a community development volunteer in Senegal’s Animation program, Naomi, lived in a rural village and partnered with residents to implement grassroots projects that improved quality of life. Naomi was inspired to write, When the Universe Pivots, after learning the history of people taken from Senegal and sold into slavery in America. Shortly after returning from Peace Corps service, she moved to New Orleans and was introduced to the research of historian Dr. Gwendolyn Midlo Hall, who documented that people from Senegal and The Gambia were among the first individuals enslaved in Louisiana during the 1700s and 1800s. Deeply affected by this history, Naomi set out to tell their story through fiction in a way that would engage contemporary readers.
When the Universe Pivots, is a sweeping, multigenerational novel spanning two continents and two centuries, exploring love, loss, resilience, and the enduring ties of heritage. Learn more at naomilshank.com.
More on the Author: Naomi holds an MBA in nonprofit and public management from Boston University. After a 25-year career leading philanthropic initiatives in education, economic development, healthcare, affordable housing, and interfaith bridge building, she founded SoftEarth Insights Coaching & Consulting in 2025. Visit her LinkedIn for more info.