The Foreign Service Journal, May 2013

38 MAY 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Fellows who successfully complete the program and USAID Foreign Service entry requirements will receive appointments as Foreign Service officers. The fellowship—which combines graduate school, internships and professional development activities—is a unique pathway into the USAID Foreign Ser- vice. Valuable as initiatives like the Payne and Rangel Fellow- ships are, waiting until the university level to start introducing minorities to the career potential of the Foreign Service may be too late. Sharing the stories of these trailblazers, and those of more recent government professionals, with high school students (and even those in junior and elementary schools) can only improve our chances of increasing diversity within the ranks of the foreign affairs agencies. Influencing the Next Generation President John F. Kennedy famously observed that those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. With that cautionary note in mind, I believe publicizing the contributions African-Americans have made to U.S. diplo- macy and development work over the years can help attract young, diverse talent to careers in international affairs. This is especially true in tough economic times, when financial strains are a potential barrier to joining the Foreign Service. Many aspiring professionals can make lots of money in the private sector, so forgoing those opportunities for a less lucrative career in public service can be a tough sell. To help them make that choice, we need to demonstrate that it has been done—and beyond that, who did it. In many instances, understanding who came before can influence those who come next. n Our Wikipedia page, “African-Americans in Foreign Policy,” not only makes the data widely accessible, but allows anyone to contribute names and edit the listings.