LAWAC Event: Youth Diplomacy Forum & International Women's Day

Last week, Ms. Diederich, fellow Global Scholar Alexa, and I had the amazing opportunity to go to a luncheon at the LA World Affairs Council for International Women’s Day. It was an all-student event, and each table of students had a professional diplomat seated with them. The Romanian Consul General was seated at our table, but he, unfortunately, was on his phone most of the time for work.

After we ate, we heard a few pieces by composers from around the world played by a quartet from Colburn. Then, we heard from a panel of female diplomats.

The panelists were The Honorable Evgenia Beniatoglu of Greece, The Honorable Ivonne Guzman of Ecuador, and The Honorable Lamia Mekhemar of Egypt. They each had amazing stories and advice to share, and I learned a great deal about being a woman in diplomacy.

I had the opportunity to intern at the Greek Consulate last summer, but the consul at that time was a man, Consul Gregory Karahalios. I had numerous conversations with him about his life and career. There were striking differences between Consul Karahalios and Consul Beniatoglu, starting with Consul Beniatoglu’s account of sexism in her career. Upon reflection on my time at the consulate, I was not treated the same as if I was a man. I was talked down to by the Consul quite often, including one instance in which he told me I looked like a little girl and tugged my braided hair. Consul Karahalios was also rarely at the office and seemed quite disinterested in issues clients brought in, while Consul Beniatoglu talked about the programs she’s started in her first six months at this post in Los Angeles. The contrast between a hard-working woman and a complacent, sexist man in the same job reminded me of the sexism that still exists in the workplace and gave me a preview of what I may face in the future.

The event was very interesting, so thank you for everyone who made it possible!

Photo of panelists courtesy LA World Affairs Council