Elam is the highest-ranking American woman in the US diplomatic mission to Belgium, and Sharpless is top woman at the American Embassy in Paris, France. The climate for Black advancement in foreign service is currently very bad. No Blacks are in the UN delegation and ambassadorships have deceased.
At a time when diversity in promotions and assignments appears to be missing from the State Department, the achievements of two Black women have touched off glowing conversations in Europe.
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