Opinion | Diplomat Diversity Strengthens U.S. Foreign Policy

In a field long dominated by white men, we It was the majority of the room discussing US-China relations and suggesting how policy should be implemented. Along the way, I realized that Black and Brown foreign policy experts offered a unique perspective. Washington needs fresh views like this at a critical time in diplomacy between the two superpowers.

As the United States and China vie for global leadership, each government tells its own story meant to win the hearts and minds of the world. In the U.S. narrative, race relations have always threatened to obscure its image as a glorious “city on a hill.”

Since its founding, from Britain during the Revolutionary War to the Nazis during World War II to the Soviet Union during the Cold War, adversaries have exploited America’s racial tensions at home to undermine its credibility abroad. rice field. During the Vietnam War, “Hanoi Hannah” tried to persuade black GIs to defect by pointing out the economic and racial inequalities in the United States.

For decades, China has sought to forge solidarity with the global South by comparing Western colonialism, imperialism and racism to China’s own suffering in the “Century of Humiliation.” Mao hosted black leaders such as WEB Du Bois and some members of the Black Panthers.

Every year, China publishes its own report documenting racism in the United States, even as the United States continues to denounce its human rights abuses against Uyghurs and political dissidents. In 2020, China used George Floyd’s protests to highlight what it sees as U.S. hypocrisy, accusing China of stifling the 2019 Hong Kong protests, but a few months later, a nationwide The Black Lives Matter protests were dealt with severely.

I was a Foreign Office official in Barbados when the murder of Floyd sparked global protests for justice. We were asked to share honestly and acknowledge that we are a land of contradictions and home to hypocrisy. I also explained that I always had the ability to bend the arc of justice towards justice.

But to convince the wider world of the greatness of the United States, it is imperative that our overseas representatives look and feel like the people of the United States.

Black and brown Americans have unique credentials to represent our country. Many of them grew up in bilingual families, which may reduce the time and resources the government spends training them in area studies and language lessons. Many are involved with diaspora communities, where deep ties abroad serve as a doubling of foreign policy power. Biden acknowledged this at last year’s US-Africa Summit, announcing the creation of an Advisory Board on African Diaspora Engagement.

Most importantly, Black and Brown’s personal stories mirror America’s. When I was an American diplomat in China, I learned about my family history (how my grandparents immigrated from Panama to the United States) and the challenges of being Afro-Latino. made a presentation to Chinese citizens about

The Department of State works through the Pickering and Wrangell programs to recruit and retain people of color to represent the United States abroad. USAID likewise offers the Payne Fellowship, and several departments actively recruit at historically black colleges, Hispanic institutions, and other schools that serve minorities.

To double down on these efforts, agencies should reach out to young people of color earlier in their career pipelines.many high schools and colleges Students do not realize that an international career is an option. Organizations such as the Fulbright Institute, World Affairs Council of America, and Diversity Abroad are trying to educate young people about the idea of ​​studying abroad.

Even agencies and political campaigns need to work closely with diverse professional groups to recruit and retain talent. This includes Black Professionals in International Affairs, American Mandarin Society, National Association for Black Engagement with Asia, Black China Caucus, Latinx China Network.

The United States can capitalize on its unique diversity by recognizing it as one of the greatest soft power tools it can deploy in the global race of ideas.