The Foreign Service Journal, September 2020

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2020 15 Contemporary Quote Right now, there are two fellowship programs that hire people of color and give them positions within the Foreign Service. I’d say that the State Department needs to increase fellowship programs like this. They need to increase hiring of people of color, promoting entry-level officers and mid-level officers so that they actually have the opportu- nity, sit at the table and make decisions within these rooms and within the embassies and consulates. So the entire State Department has to look within and see what they can do to make the culture safer, healthier for people of color that come in and give their lives and their careers and their families to its mission. —Former Foreign Service Consular Fellow Tianna Spears, when asked how the State Department could reimagine recruitment and bolster retention of diverse staff and diplomats in a July 13 interview with PRI’s “The World.” Harassment at Border Crossings I n the wake of discussions sparked by the blog posts from former State Department Consular Fellow Tianna Spears, the American Academy of Diplo- macy sent a letter on July 13 to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo regarding harass- ment of minority diplomats at U.S. border crossings. The letter was signed by Ambas- sadors (ret.) Thomas Pickering, AAD chairman, and Ronald Neumann, AAD president. Excerpts from the letter follow. “We are writing to address one acute issue: the deeply troubling pattern in the mistreatment of Black, Hispanic and other minority officers crossing U.S. bor- der/entry points. By their own testimony, many State Department officers have endured regular and persistent discrimi- nation and harassment by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers. “Problems include CBP officers not accepting standard diplomatic docu- ments; placing Black and Hispanic offi- cers in secondary examination without cause; and repeated hostile questioning and delays. This is made even more glar- ing when they travel with Caucasian col- leagues who pass through with the same documentation. … “Mistreatment of State Department personnel by U.S. CBP is not new. We have learned that such incidents have often dis- rupted the official travel of Black, Hispanic and other officers. While in the past, some incidents came to the attention of Depart- ment leadership, the continued reports, including from our most senior members, suggest that such mistreatment lives on and too often goes unaddressed. “We hope you concur that any percep- tion of tacit acceptance of such practices or indifference to the reports by Depart- ment officials or other Federal officials is unacceptable and warrants action. “We would like to suggest some steps to address and hopefully halt the mistreatment of Black and other minority staff, indeed all State Department staff, by law enforcement at border entry posts: “• A Department-wide review, ordered by you, regarding the specific incidents reported by officers and consideration of measures that can be taken within State both to intervene immediately in such cases and ensure equal treatment at the border of all staff in Mexico and world- wide; “• A review of the issue at a senior level with the Department of Homeland Security, specifically the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, to ensure such practices cease; and “• Make clear to all Department employees that you regard such mistreat- ment as unacceptable, that you expect reported cases to be addressed overseas and domestically, as appropriate, and that you will follow up regularly with the Director General and relevant senior officials at State and other agencies. “The American Academy of Diplomacy strongly supports a diverse, inclusive, well-resourced and high-impact State Department. Further progress toward this objective will require sustained effort at the most senior levels to ensure that all Department officers get the respect and dignity fromU.S. law enforcement officials, which every American is entitled to at the border and international entry points, especially while on official duty.” Top State Official Resigns Over Trump Response to Racial Issues T he State Department’s highest-level Black official, and the only Black assistant secretary of State, resigned on June 18 over President Donald Trump’s handling of racial tensions. Mary Elizabeth Taylor was the first Black woman to hold the position of assistant secretary of State for legislative affairs. At age 30, she was also the young- est. A Republican political appointee, she previously served as an aide to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). “Moments of upheaval can change you, shift the trajectory of your life, andmold your character. The President’s comments and actions surrounding racial injustice