Empowering Tomorrow's Diplomats

“One of the most important things informed citizens can do is to inform other citizens.”

This is the advice Stacey Abrams — the voting rights activist, former minority leader of Georgia’s House of Representatives, and IGP Carnegie Distinguished Fellow — gave 15 SIPA fellowship recipients who will serve as American diplomats in the coming years.

Students at the roundtable conversation are participants in one of three prestigious fellowship programs: the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program, the Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship Program, and the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program — all part of a US State Department initiative that encourages diversity and excellence among foreign service officers.

“A lot of folks do not know what they need to know about foreign policy, and you [as foreign service officers] possess superior information — which means you have superior access,” said Abrams, who now holds the Ronald W. Walters Endowed Chair for Race and Black Politics at Howard University.

You stand for office for the platform but even if you do not get the job, you are not exempt from the work.

— Stacey Abrams

During the discussion, Abrams shared candid reflections about her journey as a political leader. She emphasized the importance of an informed citizenship and the need to engage actively to shape local and state policies. In one example, she expressed concerns about enshrining discriminatory practices into law, citing a religious protection bill championed by some Georgia lawmakers that opponents say will allow discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.

“I talk about voting not as a solution but as a treatment,” she told students. “If we tell people it is magic, they will become disillusioned. You have to do it over and over and we know it works because the people that benefit from it keep doing it.” 

Abrams also urged young people to attend city council meetings to understand the intersection of local governance and international affairs. She explained that “at the committee level, you learn how policy gets made and city council is where you see how it gets deployed.”

When asked how she stays inspired, she told students that the key is to not measure themselves with metrics that were not made to measure them.  

Abrams's visit to SIPA provided students with valuable insights and inspiration as they continue their journeys in the field of international affairs. Her words served as a reminder of the power of informed activism and the importance of relentless pursuit of positive change in society.

“You stand for office for the platform but even if you do not get the job, you are not exempt from the work,” said Abrams.