Behind the Scenes with Fatema Sumar

Behind the Scenes with US Foreign Policy Advisor, Fatema Sumar

By Farrah Hamid

Here’s an understatement for you: US foreign policy is complicated. As global citizens (and voracious Daily Show consumers), we think, talk and fight about the topic all the time, yet it isn’t often that we think about the men and women behind the scenes in the US government, working to ensure the best decisions are made. These are the people aside from the Obamas, Clintons and yes, Bushs’, of the world.

Fatema Sumar is one of these people. As a professional staff member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sumar works directly under the committee’s Chairman, Senator John Kerry. elan caught up with the New Jersey native (just like us!) to talk about her day-to-day work, the Muslim-American community, career advice and more.

1. Describe your role on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee?

I am a foreign policy advisor to Senator John Kerry, who is Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. My portfolio includes South and Central Asia and U.S. engagement with global Muslim communities. The Committee has been looking at critical issues in Afghanistan and Pakistan, holding public hearings to examine aspects of our foreign policy, and working on legislation. For instance, last year, we helped pass the “Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act” that tripled our civilian assistance to Pakistan. We have regular oversight briefings on the budget, and how we are spending money in the region.

2. What is a typical day for you like on the job?

A lot of meetings! Today for instance, I met with our speechwriter, and discussed an op-ed that we drafted to commemorate the one year anniversary of President Obama’s speech in Cairo. I attended a classified briefing on our humanitarian assistance strategy in Pakistan. I met with the U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan, who was visiting Washington, to discuss how things are going in the region. After this interview, I have a meeting with the Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs to discuss our bilateral relationship with other key Senate staff. A typical day could entail lots of meetings with the Obama administration, NGOs, and foreign embassies.

In addition to all the meetings, there’s lots of writing – press statements, speeches, memos for my boss, Senator Kerry. We organize hearings on our issues for the Senators on our Committee. We also track legislation and give recommendations on how Senators should vote on things going on in our part of the world. For example, there was a supplemental bill on the floor of the Senate recently about funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

3. What inspired you to take up a career at the Senate?

After I graduated from graduate school, I was a Presidential Management Fellow, and got a posting at the State Department, which I really enjoyed. I learned how the Department works here in Washington and how our embassies operate overseas, and was able to do rotations within the federal government. My first was at the U.S. embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan where I focused on economic issues. I then came to Capitol Hill as a foreign policy fellow for Senator Casey, where I had a chance to advise him on issues mostly related to South Asia and the Middle East. Following the November 2008 elections, there were a lot of changes in Washington. When Senator Kerry became the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, his office called me and I decided it would be exciting to work on foreign policy for the legislative branch, a completely different perspective than the executive branch.

4. What advice do you have for young Muslims who want to break into careers with the US government?

I would say be flexible and take time to learn about the various opportunities available throughout the government – at the federal and local levels. Talk to lots of people and ask how they got their start working for the government. A lot of people come in and say they want to work on foreign policy and think there are only a few ways to do that. In fact, there are many opportunities – the White House, the Treasury Department, the State Department, the Defense Department, the Department of Homeland Security, intelligence agencies, the FBI, USAID, Capitol Hill, and there may also be opportunities at the state and local level. Look for fellowship and internship opportunities like the Presidential Management Fellows or White House Fellows. Be open to different possibilities, network, and seize opportunities as they open.

5. Your focus is on Central and South Asia . What are some examples of initiatives you are working on?

We do a lot of oversight of the budget and how we are spending U.S. taxpayer dollars in the region. We have briefings with the State Department and USAID to understand U.S. strategy in the region and to see if our policies make sense given the political climate on the ground. We also travel to the region frequently to meet the leaders of those countries, speak with civil society, and meet with our embassy representatives to get a sense of what is going on the ground.

For instance, in February, I traveled with Senator Kerry to Doha, Qatar where he delivered a keynote address on U.S. relations with Muslim communities and following that we went to New Delhi and Islamabad to meet with the leaders of those countries to discuss our bilateral relationships and U.S. policy in South Asia. Right now, we are working on a bill to create a pilot professional exchange program between the United States and Muslim-majority countries.

6. The Obama administration seems to be undertaking a number of initiatives to strengthen ties with Muslim communities in the US and abroad, such as the recent Entrepreneurship Summit. How do you feel about the President’s commitment level in terms of engagement with Muslims?

I think it’s really remarkable if we all think where we were a year and a half ago and how much the tone has changed, and how the US government views engagement. There is a new way of thinking about very complex relations. For me, it’s one of the most encouraging signs from this administration in terms of turning a new page. I know there is frustration out there that there hasn’t been enough change, but regional policies are very, very hard and after a long time, we are on the right road. It’s going to be a long road, but at least we are heading in the right direction and I think that’s very encouraging.

7. You are a Muslim woman in the Senate – a rarity I’m sure. What kinds of pressures, if any, are you faced with?

There is a small, but growing, number of Muslim-American staffers on Capitol Hill and throughout the federal government. I feel privileged to be able to serve my country in this position and bring a different perspective to the table as an Indian-American, Muslim-American, as a female, and as a mother. It’s an incredibly exciting opportunity to be here and play the role I get to play.

8. What do you think are the biggest challenges young Muslims in America are facing today?

I think there is a little bit of an identity crisis going on. It’s so hard to be yourself when you are projected everyday with issues in the media about violence and extremism, and you are constantly being judged on your religion first. Growing up in the pre -9/11 world, I identified first as a South Asian or an Indian-American. I never used to talk about my religion in a public setting – that is a struggle that I think a lot of young Muslims in the US have to grapple with. I remember when I was in college, which was pre 9/11, the identifying question was always where you are from, and I’d always say New Jersey. That was how you’d used to identify yourself.

9. You are a New Jersey native, like elan! What do you miss most about home?

I grew up in East Brunswick – I had a really good time. It was the typical suburbs, we played soccer a lot, and I traveled all around the state doing that. It was a fun place to grow up – good schools, good community, great family life and great place to spend your childhood. I miss the pizza. Jersey has good pizza.

10. Where is the most interesting place that you’ve traveled on the job?

Tough question. So many fascinating places out there especially in South and Central Asia. I don’t want to pick favorites in that region, so outside that region, places I love traveling to for fun include Malaysia, because my mom’s family is from there and I’ve been there so many times. There is just such a rich and vibrant culture, and I love the food. Istanbul is also a favorite – it is a vibrant mixture of architecture and history and all the Islamic traditions.

11. What was your nickname as a child?

People called me Fatty, which was ironic because I was always underweight.

12. What’s the first thing you do on Sunday mornings?

Bake muffins with my daughter if we’re not feeling too lazy.

13. What’s the best thing about life in DC?

DC has really grown on me as a city in a surprising way. There is a tremendous amount of things to do here – monuments, museums, parks, restaurants, great neighborhoods, and lots of festivals. I have a young daughter so it’s a great place to raise a child – she loves going to the Smithsonian museums.

14. Who is your biggest role model in your career?

My mother comes to mind – she’s a psychiatrist so it’s not like we do anything alike in terms of professions. But she raised four daughters and worked full-time. She was always on call yet she managed to balance her personal and professional responsibilities, including cooking every meal for us. As a woman of the professional workforce today and as a mother, I really admire now how she was able to balance all of those responsibilities and juggle it all. Women don’t get enough credit for balancing. My mother is someone I look up to in terms of having it all and being successful.

Contact the author:

Email: fhamid@elanthemag.com

Twitter: twitter.com/FarrahEditor