The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2021

36 JULY-AUGUST 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL After my blog post went viral, the State Department scram- bled for answers. On Sept. 22, 2020, when Representative Joa- quin Castro (D-Texas) asked then–Director General Carol Perez about my case directly in a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on diversity at the State Department, she acknowledged the obvious: “The experiences of Tianna Spears were horrific.” Then she added: “This is our call to action: When something is happening, please encourage the person to speak up, to come to us. Sometimes we don’t know and that is one of the issues we’re going to have to tackle, which is how to have honest con- versations that do not have a negative reverberation. Because if you don’t tell us, I’m sorry, but I have 75,000 people, it’s hard to know an individual is facing this kind of horrific treatment …” But I did speak up! I repeatedly emailed and met with upper management. I explained myself over and over. My hair fell out in my sink from the harassment and stress, as State Department officials told me: “Don’t cross the border. ” Enough. Why waste precious breath attempting to convince those committed to misunderstanding? Why hold your breath waiting for your oppressor to validate your experience? An indi- vidual can create more change and progress by holding strong to their values. Rather than having the life beaten out of you, it’s best to put your hands up; and as I’ve learned, there is power in vulnerability and telling your truth. I do not believe in organizations that preclude people who look like me from having a seat at the table. Nor do I believe in organizations that gaslight former and current employees. There is nothing—no justice, apology or action—that Customs and Border Protection, Carol Perez and the State Department can give me to change the outcome of my experience. And that is where my healing begins. Conversation is accountability. If you need to control the outcome of a conversation, that is not a safe space to voice con- cerns; it is a public affairs strategy. If your organization cannot participate in conversations without fear of expected and well- deserved “negative reverberation,” it’s time for new leadership. Throwing additional people of color into a burning building only increases the fatality rate, and the onus should not be on people of color to suffer in the name of diversity and inclusion. How can the United States shape foreign policy if our founda- tion at home is shattered? How many more calls to action are needed? If the State Department truly placed importance on diversity and inclusion, the organization would not continuously produce years of such dismal results on diversity and inclusion. Years of lip service. There have been op-eds, decades of inaction and per- formative actions, essays, legislation, the recent Truman Center report, task forces and congressional hearings on reforming the State Department. And each issue of The Foreign Service Journal offers solutions and fresh perspectives on ways to improve the State Department. But what will it take and how much longer f or a much-needed reform? Do Something The State Department knows exactly why people of color quit its ranks in such large numbers early in their careers. How many more studies are needed? The culture of the State Department is flawed in fixable ways. How many employees know the names of their colleagues, treat visa applicants like human beings, do the right thing, and oper- ate with empathy? Unfortunately, the organization is also flawed in institutional and systemic ways. Managers who mistreat, harass and terrorize staff must be held accountable. Most know the common perception of the EEO process is that it is difficult to navigate and may invite future retaliation. How many people have mental illness and health conditions from being thrown into hardship tours without any support? Or from being harassed by managers who are reassigned after repeated complaints, but seldom disciplined, and thus left to repeat previous egregious behavior? If it takes a blog post fromme, a 28-year-old former consular officer, to spur State into action, so be it. But this time, do me a favor and actually do something about these issues. As Malcolm X said when asked in 1964 about progress on racial discrimination: “If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there’s no progress. If you pull it all the way out, that’s not progress. Progress is healing the wound that the blow made. And they haven’t even pulled the knife out, much less heal the wound. They won’t even admit the knife is there.” How much longer? n If it takes a blog post from me, a 28-year-old former consular officer, to spur State into action, so be it.