DAI Southern Chapter Chair Rebecca Spitzmiller helped organize a successful World Cleanup Day 2021 here in Rome along the Tiber River. Hundreds of volunteers participated in Terra Roma. Here is the article that was published in the Veneto Views:

WORLD CLEANUP DAY is one of the biggest civic movements of our time, uniting volunteers across the world for a cleaner planet. This year’s World Cleanup Day was held on Saturday, September 18, and brought together over 25 million people across 190 countries for the cause.

In Italy, Retake Roma and its sister affiliations in cities across Italy rose to the occasion. In Rome alone, the grassroots organization unleashed about 1000 of it volunteers – known as Retakers – to carry out its multiple-site event featuring five separate cleanup sites along the Tiber River.  Dubbed “TERRA ROMA,” the event gained massive support from the community: 45 different organizations pitched in, – including NGOs, universities, embassies and business enterprises – uniting Romans and the international community along the shores of the Tiber River as it crisscrosses the Capital.

Angel has been living in Italy since July 2016. They currently live in Rome and work as an English teacher. In addition to teaching, Angel is also currently studying computer science online through an American university.

This is their first year working with Democrats Abroad, though they have a few years of prior experience on the board of a nonprofit organization (associazione culturale) here in Italy.

Angel is passionate about democracy and human rights and is excited to work on the DA Italy team.