The Foreign Service Journal, September 2016

28 SEPTEMBER 2016 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL wishes, but Skip insisted that we would not leave a restaurant below the Mason-Dixon line until I was served. After a while the owners acquiesced, and we were on our merry way. What I remember most about my A-100 class was the implied expectations. One speaker told us that only about three of our 30-odd classmates would become ambassadors. It was clear to me that my classmates believed those three would come from among the white males. FSJ: When did you join AFSA? RAD: I can’t be precise, but I believe it was in the latter part of my service as a mid-level officer. Early on, I was disappointed with AFSA. In 1971 Alison Palmer filed a suit against the department on account of discrimination against women in the hiring, promotion and assignment process. In 1976 she re-filed the suit as a class action suit, which was eventually decided in her favor. AFSA did not join or sup- port this class action suit. But as I advanced in the Service, I observed and appreciated AFSA’s efforts to protect the professional interests of its members and to press for important reforms. Now, since I am retired, I appreciate AFSA more then ever for its advocacy concerning pensions and ben- efits, especially those related to health. AFSA/ALLANSAUNDERS On May 23, Ambassador Ruth Davis re-enacted the photo that appeared in the January 1970 edition of Ebony magazine, shortly after she joined the Foreign Service. Says Davis: “I am always drawn to the statue of Atlas because I believe that it is a great symbol of the importance of diplomacy in holding the world together in peace, prosperity and hope.” EBONY January 1970