DEVIN MAYFIELD, BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO BE
Devin Mayfield is a highly motivated individual. From when he started volunteering in college to his work today in the Community Technology Engagement Program (CTEP) with AmeriCorps, Devin’s inward drive to help people and bring up the community is something you will find out about him the moment you meet him. From the way he speaks about his experiences volunteering and being a CTEP member, Devin has a drive and passion that is within him to improve himself and those around him.
Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, Devin wanted to study pre-Physical Therapy with the major of exercise science at Minnesota State University Mankato. This major was not conducive to Devin’s learning, but that did not prevent him from making the most of his time his time at school. He began volunteering. He joined STLF (Students Today, Leaders Forever), an organization which would transport students around the country to meet and be inspired by leaders bringing about positive social change. It was at STLF that Devin developed the skills necessary for his time in CTEP, saying, “most of my youth development came in nonprofit work.” Additionally, working with this nonprofit allowed him to find his new minor, Nonprofit Leadership. This lead Devin to engage in a lot of nonprofit work because “I really wanted to do [nonprofit work] in a big way.”
As Devin moved away from pre-Physical Therapy, he started pursuing a communication studies degree. Of the communications major, Devin proudly said it, “was a lot. There was a lot of writing, a lot of challenging thinking.” His initial move from exercise science to communication studies was sparked by his introduction to the idea of social justice activism while in college.
Devin said that social justice interested him because it “applied to me, applied to communities that me and other family members are a part of, and how to change that, and how to change narratives. That really stuck with me.” Yet, Devin has not limited his social justice lens to communities he is part of. In his free time, he would attend conferences and lectures about feminism, the systemic nature of sexism and racism, and how to find your place in these systems of oppression to become an ally. This is just another example of Devin allowing his drive to improve himself and the community.
After two more years at MSU-Mankato, Devin graduated in May 2018. Upon graduating, he decided to apply to AmeriCorps. He felt AmeriCorps was right for him because he could do “community work and service work, along with getting some forbearance on some loans. That sounds pretty good!” Devin applied to as many AmeriCorps programs as he could, including CTEP, City of Lakes, Vista in two states, College Corps, Reading Corps, and several others. Because of Devin’s interests, background in service work, and his overall drive and determination, he had many interviews arranged. But it was his former supervisor in the CTEP program convinced him by telling him of the combination of youth work and social justice involved in the program. He added “having a social justice lens with it that really what I wanted.”
Devin began the CTEP Program during Labor Day week, 2018. Although he has only been in the CTEP Program for two months, he has already received so much from it. Devin describes CTEP as a way to empower children and adults to succeed and bridge the digital divide to the latest technologies that affect low income and immigrant communities.
For his program site, Devin works at the Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center (KAYSC) located at the Minnesota Science Museum. This is a rather expansive program which you can find out more about on its website, however, a brief overview of the KAYSC mission is “empowering youth through science!” The program is comprised of three programs, each of which introduces different aspects of STEM justice. The power of STEM justice, as Devin puts it, is designed to show how “science can play a role in dismantling systems of oppression.”
Devin works with all three programs as the AmeriCorps CTEP member, who is “specifically there to serve youth and […] along the way, a CTEP member gets to know the resources around them to best serve the youth.” This involves many different areas of the program, including expanding the mission of bridging the technology divide beyond computers to making sure the groups know how to access the materials for their projects. Devin just implemented the STEM Freedom School curriculum in the KAYSC. For this implementation, Devin gave out a book about mixtures and solutions to 4th grade students. They were given the tools to make different mixtures and solutions and learn the difference between the two. Devin said that it was a success and, “a fun activity.”
Yet, it is not all fun and games with the students. Devin is there for the success of the students. He offered a word of caution: “if you are not good with youth, it is not going to work, so you have to be determined and you have to be patient.” He adds that CTEP requires that you have personal drive and determination because, “you have to ask… what I would like to do. It’s not always laid out for you.” But this loose structure does not deter Devin. For example, he told me that the structure has allowed him to spend more time with the students. This is important to him because the one-on-one experience with the youth he is serving, is the reason he is participating in the program.
Since starting with the program, Devin has found many advantages and rewards from working in CTEP. As stated earlier, Devin likes the free-flowing structure because, “You don’t have to be a strict teacher or strict instructor. You can assist with programs and you can even have your own program.” On top of that, he says that working at the KAYSC, he has seen, “great people struggling to make great things happen.” This means that he has seen the youth of the program being aware of social injustices and how they affect themselves and the community. However, it can be a struggle if there is internal strife between youth or trying to spread the message. Yet, they find a way to succeed, which really makes Devin proud, adding “I’ve never seen an organization work so well within themselves, despite the challenges they have. It’s amazing.”
Going forward, Devin hopes to get back to Physical Therapy, specifically focusing on Aquatic Physical Therapy. When asked what he wants to bring with him post AmeriCorps, he said that he will take what he learned about technology to improve the recovery time of his patients. He has learned that “in order to reach that end goal, taking baby steps and seeing, you know, what am I, what would I like to do?” Finally, he has also learned that small changes can make the biggest impact. When working with other youth coordinators who were making healthy snacks, Devin thought that the youth would not eat the food because healthy snacks aren’t fun. Yet, they found a way to make fun and healthy snack that the kids loved. “Be the change you want to be,” Devin said. Yet, Devin has always been this. From his time in STLF to his time in CTEP, Devin has always been a determined, kind, and generous leader who is becoming the change he wants to see.
