AFSA NEWS 64 MAY-JUNE 2026 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Rally Marks One Year Since USAID Dismantling On February 27, hundreds of former U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) employees, contractors, alumni, and supporters gathered at the 14th Street steps of the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., to mark one year since the agency’s dismantling and the dismissal of its workforce. The rally, organized by AFGE Local 1534, AFSA, the USAID Alumni Association, OneAID, Aid on the Hill, and Our USAID Community, concluded a monthlong commemoration honoring USAID’s 10,000 development professionals and the hundreds of thousands across the foreign assistance sector whose careers were abruptly cut short in early 2025. One of the first agencies targeted during the Trump administration’s governmentwide downsizing effort, USAID lost approximately 97 percent of its staff within weeks. The layoffs affected Foreign Service officers, Civil Service employees, and thousands of contractors worldwide. “It was disorienting, it was painful, and for many of us, it was also quite traumatic,” former USAID senior civil servant Maria Price Detherage told the crowd. But, she said, the service continues: “An agency closed, a building closed, a chapter closed, but service did not close.” “This administration did not just dismantle an agency; it targeted a workforce,” said Laura Pavlovic of Our USAID Community, noting the abrupt lockouts, loss of email access for personnel overseas, and widespread terminations. Despite the upheaval, speakers expressed hope that USAID’s mission and values endure beyond the institution itself. “Let us be clear, these values did not disappear with the dismantling of USAID,” said Chris Milligan, chair of the USAID Alumni Association. “They live on in people like you.” AFSA President John Dinkelman told the crowd: “I am inspired every day by the strength shown by this amazing group of people. You give hope to the ideals of USAID and the values of America. Your dedication to public service and continued desire and focus on serving the American public is being noticed and will be remembered. This is not the end. We are in this fight for the long haul.” AFSA continues to stand with its USAID members and alumni, advocating for the protection of the professional, nonpartisan development workforce and supporting ongoing legal and legislative efforts related to the agency’s closure. At the conclusion of the rally, Detherage administered the USAID oath of office to the crowd as a broader commitment to the Constitution and the principles behind service itself. n Hundreds gathered at the 14th Street steps of the Ronald Reagan Building on February 27 to mark one year since USAID’s dismantling. AFSA/NIKKI GAMER AFSA President John Dinkelman addresses the rally as attendees hold AFSA and USAID flags and signs. AFSA/NIKKI GAMER
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