THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JUNE 2025 55 AFSA NEWS FS Retirees Rally to Support Legal Defense Fund AFSA President Tom Yazdgerdi addresses a crowd of retired and active-duty Foreign Service members gathered in support of the Legal Defense Fund. AFSA/MARK PARKHOMENKO AFSA Governing Board Meeting, February 19, 2025 The board elected President Tom Yazdgerdi to serve as chair of the AFSA Governing Board for the remainder of the term. The board accepted Zeke Spears’ resignation as FAS alternate representative. The board agreed to form an ad-hoc committee on artificial intelligence, to be chaired by Tina Wong and further consisting of any board members, AFSA staff, and AFSA members the president appoints, to report by the June 2025 AFSA Governing Board meeting. n On March 19, more than 60 retired and active-duty Foreign Service members gathered at AFSA headquarters for an important conversation about the future of the profession and the vital role of the Legal Defense Fund (LDF). The event featured remarks by AFSA President Tom Yazdgerdi and Secretary Sue Saarnio, followed by a Q&A session with the audience. The gathering served as a call to action. AFSA’s Legal Defense Fund, established in 2007 in honor of the late Richard Scissors, provides financial support to members facing institutionally significant legal challenges. Scissors, a longtime AFSA staffer, was deeply respected for his mastery of labor-management issues and tireless advocacy on behalf of AFSA members. Today, the LDF carries on his legacy by helping members—individually or as part of a group—retain specialized legal counsel when AFSA’s internal resources are not sufficient. AFSA leaders emphasized the stalwart commitment of retirees, who have stepped up to support their colleagues with remarkable generosity. As one attendee put it, “We may be retired, but we’re not done.” Since the start of 2025, contributions to the LDF Ambassador (ret.) Sandra Clark speaks about the importance of retiree engagement and member outreach. AFSA/MARK PARKHOMENKO have exceeded $291,000, pushing the fund’s total balance to more than $600,000. These resources are vital as the Foreign Service confronts growing threats to its mission and personnel. (During the 2020-2021 impeachment inquiries, the fund disbursed $400,000 in legal support.) AFSA leadership encourages retirees in the DMV area and beyond to stay connected and informed. As new legal and professional challenges emerge, the strength of the LDF will continue to depend on the engagement and support of the broader Foreign Service community. While not tax-deductible, donations are always welcome, and details on how to contribute can be found at https://afsa.org/donate. n
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