Asian American lawmakers say State’s ‘assignment restrictions’ discriminate - (Melinda Ximen Blogpost)

 The following is a blog post by Melinda:

In an article from The Hill, Representative Andy Kim (D-NJ) describes leaving his job at the State Department after experiencing discrimination based on his Korean heritage. Although he never pursued work in the region, he was informed by letter during the Obama administration that he was barred from working on any issues related to Korea. 

The State’s “assignment restriction” is a heavily criticized policy, cited as a significant barrier to efforts aimed at improving diversity at the State Department. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Kim engages with State Department leadership on the restriction issue and to improve the retention and promotion of underrepresented minorities. 

“I just don’t want us to think about that [culture, native fluency, ties to other countries] as a liability or as a potential threat.” - Representative Andy Kim