âPale, Male and Yaleâ: Can The State Department Be Fixed?
Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley is the first ever chief diversity and inclusion officer at an agency notorious for discrimination and wrecked by a racist president.
By Akbar Shahid Ahmed
Updated
May 13, 2021
Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley remembers when President Donald Trumpâs first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, promised to make the State Department more diverse. He cited one particular policy: ensuring a minority candidate was considered for all ambassador positions.
âThey may not be ready, but we will know where the talent pool is,â the secretary said at an August 2017 event.
The remark deeply hurt her.