The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2017

54 JULY-AUGUST 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS AFSAOutreach—Our Successes So Far As this Governing Board’s two-year tenure draws to a close, we’d like to highlight one of this board’s highest priorities—outreach—and review the progress we’ve made in telling the story of the Foreign Service to the American public. The 50 States Outreach Initia- tive, under the banner of the Fund for American Diplomacy, continues to bring the story of the Foreign Service to the public and give our fellow citizens the opportunity to connect with U.S. diplomats and gain an understanding of the work they do. AFSA’s outreach efforts capitalize on results of recent polling that show nine in 10 Americans sup- port strong American global leadership. We know this leadership depends on main- taining a strong, professional career Foreign Service. We also know that diplomacy and development are cost- effective tools for maintain- ing America’s leadership in the world. Thanks to our partnership with the Una Chapman Cox Foundation, AFSA expanded its outreach capacity in March 2016 by adding a part-time position, which has enabled us to grow our Speakers Bureau and establish new strategic and outreach partnerships. AFSA Speakers Bureau The Speakers Bureau has been integral to AFSA’s out- reach and is the single most cost-effective means of reach- ing audiences around the country. We have successfully mobilized Foreign Service retirees who are enthusiastic about sharing their expertise and experience of life in the Foreign Service. Beyond satisfying speaker requests for spe- cific programs or events throughout the country, we are impressed by how many of our Speakers Bureau participants have taken it upon themselves to iden- tify speaking opportunities in their communities—for example, with civic and reli- gious groups, high schools and universities. Besides increasing the number of speakers and engagements during this period, it is critical to prepare our speakers with quality messaging that conveys—in every forum and with every audience— the value of diplomacy and development. We have begun to develop talking points that are geared to specific audiences, whether they are business leaders, students, farmers or Members of Congress. Speakers can build on these talking points and personal- ize presentations with their own “war stories,” as well as share their geographic and functional expertise. Compared with July 2015, when the current Govern- ing Board was sworn in, we have expanded our roster of speakers and nearly doubled the number of events that featured those speakers. Strategic and Outreach Partnerships AFSA has expanded its network of strategic partners. By working with national organizations that focus on global engagement and have chapters through- out the country— Global Ties U.S., the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and the World Affairs Councils of America—AFSA’s message can be heard across age groups, political affiliations and regions. In fact, so far this year, our outreach work has brought us to 46 states.