Table of Contents
- Introduction by Heather Hurlburt and Shalonda Spencer
- Decolonizing U.S. Aid and Foreign Policy by Elana Aquino and Shannon Paige
- U.S. Support for a Post-pandemic Recovery Must Prioritize Energy Equity by Sundaa Bridgett-Jones
- Global Health is a Security Issue by Mari Faines
- Antiracism as Foreign Policy: Exporting Diversity as an American Value by Nola Haynes
- Is there Room for “Bread, Dignity, and Freedom” in U.S. Foreign Policy towards the Arab World? by Amaney Jamal
- Racism & Ontological Security in America by Theodore R. Johnson
- Reimagining U.S. Foreign Policy as an Anti-racist Endeavor by Sneha Nair
- Fulfilling U.S. Human Rights Commitments as a First Step in an Anti-racist National Security Agenda by Pratima T. Narayan
Introduction by Heather Hurlburt and Shalonda Spencer
Introduction
By Heather Hurlburt and Shalonda Spencer
New America's New Models of Policy Change Initiative and Women of Color Advancing Peace, Security, and Conflict Transformation (WCAPS) are proud to present a set of eight essays exploring what a U.S. national security strategy focused on racial equity and justice could look like at home and abroad.
The authors bring decades of expertise in the U.S. government and military, NGOs, and international organizations, pursuing security, peace-building, development, and equity agendas. They represent, as well, a profound diversity of experience as Americans and as international affairs practitioners, social justice advocates, and executives who devote their lives to this work.
We hope these writings amplify a renewed movement for racial justice at home and abroad and intensify scrutiny of whether U.S. policies align with our stated national values. They aim to redefine national security from a new starting place—understanding that racial equity is about seeing people as human beings who deserve fair treatment in society. The authors unveil how we define ourselves in daily domestic life, interact with the United Nations, and handle planet-wide challenges like climate change and human rights. Their solutions are ambitious and creative—but they are well-grounded and well within reach if we choose to reach for them.