For our first episode of Season 5, we interviewed current U.S. Diplomat and Columbia University graduate student in the School of International and Public Affairs–– Fareed Abdullah. Together, we chatted about the “art of being a diplomat.”

Fareed is a U.S. diplomat taking a sabbatical from diplomacy to think, write, and perfect the theory behind the art of being a diplomat. He comes to the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia with more than 14 years of experience at the U.S. Department of State. Fareed has worked and lived in several countries around the world like Senegal, China, and the United Arab Emirates, speaks several languages, and enjoys the process of learning new ways of addressing persistent challenges.

This season of MCN is funded by Columbia University’s Social Justice Mini Grant. Throughout this season, current graduate students at CU will speak to the complexity of identity through the lens of Black hair. My hope is that conversing about their graduate work rooted in International Relations, Playwriting, and various facets of Africana Studies can continue to expand the mission of MCN.

Overall, I’m interested in steering our creative research towards uncovering a clearer intersection between the Arts, Education & Development in a way that feels global, flexible, communal & accessible. I believe that it is possible and thank you Columbia University for the opportunity to expand this work 🙏🏾🤓.