Zakiya Carr Johnson has been appointed as the next Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO) at the Department of State by President Biden's administration.
The State Department has confirmed that Carr Johnson will lead the Office of Diversity and Inclusion with the aim of advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) within the Department.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored the significance of Carr Johnson's new role in driving DEIA initiatives within the agency. In a statement, Blinken articulated, American diplomacy can only succeed if it fully harnesses all of the talent that our nation has to offer. That is why I created the position of CDIO to elevate DEIA within our organization and give it the dedicated senior-level attention that it deserves.
Blinken expressed his confidence in Carr Johnson's ability to cultivate a workforce that mirrors the diversity of America. Additionally, she will be entrusted with addressing the concerning "massive retention issue" at the State Department, as highlighted by NBC News. A senior official disclosed to NBC News, We disproportionately see women and minorities leaving. Not in high numbers, but they add up over time and they harm our pipeline.
Nevertheless, Carr Johnson's appointment has sparked apprehensions regarding her perspectives on race and gender. In a video articulating her views, she criticized the prevalent culture of misogyny in the US, asserting, "The culture of misogyny has allowed men to act without consequence." Carr Johnson advocated for dismantling traditional structures to instigate change, stating, We've got to be about the work of dismantling that traditional structure at every juncture.
Furthermore, Carr Johnson identified herself as a feminist, challenging the negative stereotypes associated with feminists. She lamented, For some reason, theres also this very negative stereotype of feminists being very angry people who just dont smile and dont know how to have a good time. Carr Johnson concluded by affirming, Unfortunately guess what? We have great times.
Login