From Dismissed by DOGE to Rooted in Renewal: Lessons from the Soil After AmeriCorps On April 28, 2025, I received a text message from my project manager inviting me to a "required Zoom meeting." Like many other AmeriCorps members, I joined, unaware that it would be my last official acts of service, ending May 9, 2025. Within minutes, I and hundreds of others across the country were dismissed. Not for misconduct. Not for poor performance. But because the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) decided our roles were expendable. Just like that, my position as a Literacy Mentor with The United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierras was over. For months, I had poured my energy into helping children unlock the magic of reading. I tested, tracked progress, encouraged hesitant learners, and celebrated every small victory. The work was slow, like planting seeds. And suddenly, it was gone. But life has a way of continuing, and so does growth. Finding Grounding in the Ga...