AFSA NEWS AFSA NEWSTHE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION AFSA Celebrates Foreign Service Day Lunchtime at AFSA’s Foreign Service Day reception. AFSA/MARK PARKHOMENKO CALENDAR Please check afsa.org/events for the most up-to-date information. July 4-5 Independence Day holiday AFSA offices closed July 17 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Governing Board meeting July 23 12-1 p.m. Book Notes: Behind the White House Curtain by AFSA Governing Board member Steve Herman August 21 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Governing Board meeting September 2 Labor Day AFSA offices closed September 12 4:30-6:30 p.m. AFSA Centennial Happy Hour September 18 12-1:30 p.m. AFSA Governing Board meeting September 27 7:05 p.m. FS Night at Nationals Park This May marked the 59th anniversary of Foreign Service Day and the centennials of the Foreign Service and AFSA. The association hosted a lively open house and invited members to stop by its headquarters to help celebrate Foreign Service Day. Over the course of the 4-hour event, about 200 Foreign Service members visited. AFSA HQ bustled with activity on May 2 as association officers and staff welcomed active-duty and retired Foreign Service members and alumni for a day of networking and reconnecting with friends and colleagues. Attendees posed for professional headshots with photographer Joaquin Sosa before grabbing a spot in line for authentic Spanish flauta sandwiches from José Andrés’ Pepe food truck. Guests beat the D.C. heat by enjoying free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. AFSA staff were on hand throughout the day to answer questions and share information and materials about retirement services, membership benefits, advocacy, and upcoming centennial festivities. The brandnew centennial edition of The Foreign Service Journal arrived in time for sharing with visitors. The day also marked the soft launch of AFSA’s latest book, the centennial edition of The Voice of the Foreign Service: A History of the THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY AUGUST 2024 49 AFSA opens its doors to celebrate Foreign Service Day. AFSA/MARK PARKHOMENKO AFSA/JOAQUIN SOSA American Foreign Service Association at 100. Books were for sale at a special member rate of $20 at the event, and author Harry Kopp was there to sign copies. (To purchase the new, mustread AFSA history book, Continued on page 54 FSJ publications team with copies of just-published centennial FSJ and book The Voice of the Foreign Service. Not pictured: Senior Editor Susan Maitra, Advertising Manager Molly Long, and Art Director Caryn Suko Smith. visit https://afsa.org/voiceforeign-service.) On the eve of the open house, Kim (Greenplate) Sullivan, AFSA’s director of congressional advocacy, led the annual Advocacy Year in Review virtual event, joined by Sean O’Gorman, AFSA’s policy analyst. Sullivan outlined AFSA’s advocacy goals for the centennial year.
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