Get Involved!

Join our network of supporters in advocating for change by participating in various activities.

Attend Virtual Events with guest speakers and our Global Partners to stay informed and connected with our work. Express your thoughts on population-related issues by writing LTEs or Op-Ed pieces, amplifying your voice on critical topics. Become a local advocate by raising awareness in your community—share resources, foster conversations, and be a catalyst for change. Take direct action by contacting your representatives, urging them to prioritize investments in family planning programs. Stand up for reproductive rights by working with our sister organization, Population Connection Action Fund.

Together, we can create a powerful force for positive transformation! Learn more about how to get involved with our efforts below.

Partner Perspectives

Site Visit with Maya Health Alliance

Join us for the second session of our virtual Site Visit Series, spotlighting our Guatemalan partners, Maya Health Alliance!

Since 2007, Maya Health Alliance, also known as Wuqu’ Kawoq, has been advancing quality healthcare services in rural regions of Guatemala. Their community-based approach combines medicine, culture, and language to overcome barriers to care and improve women’s health, maternal-infant health, and chronic disease outcomes.

This session will begin with a presentation by Population Connection Senior Analyst Hannah Evans, who visited Maya Health Alliance earlier this year. Hannah will provide an important overview of Guatemala’s demographic trends before diving into photos and stories from her site visit. Then, we will hear from Anne Kraemer, co-founder and CEO of Maya Health Alliance, to further explore the organization’s founding mission, key programs, and future goals. Anne will share compelling stories from program participants that you won’t want to miss out on!

Date: Tuesday, August 19th
Time: 4pm ET/1pm PT

Register Here!

Book Club Discussion

The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2024

Edited by Bill McKibben and Jaime Green, this compelling anthology brings together twenty powerful essays that reflect on a year marked by environmental upheaval and awe-inspiring natural phenomena. From wildfires and biodiversity loss to innovative efforts to protect wildlife, these stories offer both urgency and hope as we consider humanity’s evolving relationship with the planet.

Whether you read the entire collection or just a few essays, we’d love for you to join the conversation!

Date: Tuesday, August 26th
Time: 4pm ET/1pm PT

Register Here!

John Milliken

Member Since 2008

Population Connection member John Milliken’s life has been shaped by a rich tapestry of experiences, starting with his upbringing in a military family.

John was around ten-years-old when he visited his grandparents in New York City. The sheer number of people there struck him. “When I saw how crowded New York City was, I’d lie awake at night thinking, ‘How do they have enough clean water for all these people? There must be 10,000 flushes going on all the time in that city!” This curiosity grew as he moved from Elmira, a small farm community,  to a larger city, Sacramento, California, where he became more involved in thinking about the world’s growing population.

Shortly after graduating from Sacramento State College, John joined the Air Force in 1967, serving two tours in Vietnam and spending 14 years, including reserve time, in the military. His career took a different flight path when he became a pilot for Delta, a role he filled for 28 years. His wife, a flight attendant, joined him in exploring the world, often with their son in tow.

Now retired from his flying career, John stays busy with his love for antique cars and traveling. He combines his hobbies and travels to judge car shows, including serving as Chief Judge at the International Auto Expo in New Delhi and the San Marino Car Show in California.

John was aware of the Zero Population Growth (ZPG) movement and became a supporting donor of Population Connection in 2008. He views rapid population growth as the root cause of many global issues. He expresses concern about the environmental changes he has witnessed over the years, saying, “I’ve traveled to other places, too, that I knew when I was much, much younger, and now they’re changed, and not nearly as pretty as they were before.”

John’s frustration with the lack of attention to population issues motivates him to stay involved. He actively responds to misleading headlines about population growth, particularly those from economists, by writing letters to the editor. “I would like people to become more aware of their carbon footprints,” John says, emphasizing his desire to break stigmas and shift negative perceptions about how population impacts our environment and social issues. His activism extends to women’s rights, a cause he passionately supports.

As a member of Population Connection, John is part of the Leadership Circle and stays engaged through virtual programs and reading our quarterly magazine. He also enjoys the interactive #MyPopulationNumber activity, reflecting on how the global population has grown during his lifetime: “When I was born in December of 44′, there were 2.4 billion people. My wife was born in August of ’58, and it was up to 2.9 billion people. When my son was born in 1995, the population was 5.7 billion. It has gone from 2.4 billion people to 8.2 billion people in my 80 years.”

Through his activism, John hopes to inspire others to become more aware of their impact on the planet and to advocate for meaningful change in addressing population growth and its role in global issues. We greatly appreciate having such a passionate member dedicated to protecting our planet. If you’re as committed to achieving global population stabilization as John, we encourage you to contact us at engage@popconnect.org or to tune in for an upcoming virtual event!

Membership Relations Staff