James Myers of OAN
2:40pm – Tuesday, April 2, 2024
The State Department has officially filled the position of chief diversity and inclusion officer, which had been vacant for 10 months.
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that Zakiyah Kerr-Johnson, who worked at the State Department from 2010 to 2017, has been hired to lead the State Department’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion to “advance a deep commitment to diversity.” announced that he had been selected. Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility within the Department (DEIA). ”
Johnson, who is tasked with building a “workforce that reflects America,” will succeed Ambassador Gina Abercrombie Winstanley, who served as the State Department’s chief diversity and inclusion officer from April 2021 to June 2023. .
“Over the past three years, the State Department has made significant progress on this front, but there is still work to be done,” Blinken said. “We will continue to aggressively pursue this mission because recruiting, developing and promoting the most talented workforce possible is critical to our national security.”
Mr. Blinken spoke highly of Mr. Johnson, saying, “Her previous work promoting entrepreneurship and access to opportunity for underrepresented people, and her commitment to inclusive leadership, are It has made us stronger, smarter and more innovative.”
“All of us at the Department must be committed to advancing DEIA to create the inclusive work environments needed to continue to attract and retain the nation’s best talent. Making decisions on behalf of the American people If our people do not fully reflect the diversity of our country, we all lose and our national security is weakened,” Blinken added in the announcement.
The appointment comes after Blinken created the position of chief diversity and inclusion officer in 2021. In confirming the new position, Mr. Blinken said he would “hold senior leadership accountable” for implementing new diversity and inclusion programs, reporting directly to Mr. Blinken.
Since Biden took the White House, his administration has put diversity, equity, and inclusion at the top of the nation’s list of priorities.
Blinken also sent a memo to State Department officials asking them not to use gender-specific language.
“When we talk, we should avoid using expressions like ‘brave men and women on the front lines,'” Prime Minister Blinken said on February 5.th first memo obtained national review. Instead, State Department officials were encouraged to “use more specific terms such as ‘brave first responders,’ ‘brave soldiers,’ and ‘brave DS agents.'”
New DEI guidance includes specific sexist phrases and phrases to avoid, such as “you guys,” “ladies and gentlemen,” “moms/dads,” “sons/daughters,” “husbands/wives,” etc. Contains a list of words. ”
Meanwhile, the State Department is tasked with advising the president on foreign policy and negotiating agreements with other countries. The memo comes as the United States grapples with two wars between Israel and Hamas and Ukraine and Russia.
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