WASHINGTON, D.C., June 11, 2024 – Ms. Alarice Grant, Consul at the Bahamas Embassy Consular Annex, on Friday, June 7, attended an event hosted by the Black Professionals in International Affairs (BPIA) in honor of its 35th anniversary that was held under the patronage of His Excellency Jacques Pitteloud, Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States, and sponsored by HP Inc.
Under the theme “Celebrating 35 Years of Excellence: Uniting for Change in International Affairs”, the event highlighted the significant achievements and contributions of Black professionals in international diplomacy.
The celebration featured remarks from Ambassador Pitteloud and keynote speeches by Ambassador Brian A. Nichols, Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. State Department; Jonathan Finer, Principal Deputy National Security Advisor and Assistant to the President; and Dr. Stacey Dixon, Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence (PDDNI).
The event also included an award ceremony, during which Chidi Blyden, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, received the International Affairs Award, and Brittany Masalosalo, Chief Public Policy Officer at HP, received the Private Sector Award.
Made possible by BPIA Advisory Council Members Shawanesh Underwood, Combiz Abdolrahimi, and Michael Serwadda, the event provided a platform for thought-provoking discussions on the role of Black professionals in shaping international policy and fostering global partnerships.
BPIA President Alexandria J. Maloney delivered a powerful speech, emphasizing BPIA’s commitment to its mission and the importance of unity and collaboration.
BPIA was founded in 1989 as an educational, charitable, non-profit membership association to increase the engagement of African Americans and other people of African heritage in international affairs and aims to develop and expand professional opportunities for African Americans and members of the African Diaspora.
