Karen B. Decker is the American Chargé d'Affaires to Afghanistan since August 1, 2022.[1]
Career
editA Career Foreign Service Officer, Decker has previously served as the Director for Afghanistan Operations for the Afghan Relocation from September 2021 to August 2022. Prior to this assignment, spanning from September 2018 to September 2020, Decker assumed the role of Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, concurrently serving as the Senior Civilian Representative in eastern Afghanistan.[2]
#BlackGirlMagic controversy
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Chargé d’Affaires Karen Decker @USAmbKabul
Are Afghans familiar with #BlackGirlMagic and the movement it inspired? Do Afghan girls need a similar movement? What about Afghan Women? Teach me, ready to learn. #BlackHistoryMonth @Beyonce @lizzo @ReginaKing
February 15, 2023
On February 15, 2023, Decker published a tweet on the official account of the US embassy in Kabul inquiring about Afghan women's knowledge of the #BlackGirlMagic hashtag, traditionally associated with black feminism, while tagging notable African-American artists Beyoncé, Lizzo, and Regina King. The tweet, posted near the three-year anniversary of the US-Taliban deal that led to the collapse of the US-backed Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, was considered "inappropriate and ineffective" by Department of State spokesman Ned Price, and characterized by The New Arab as “tone deaf.”[3][4]
Decker later apologized, claiming that "[I] haven’t listened enough or don’t truly understand others’ lived experience", and deleted the tweet.[4]
References
edit- ^ Eqbal, Saqalain (August 1, 2022). "Karen Decker Replaces US Chargé d'Affaires for Afghanistan Ian McCary". The Khaarma Press News Agency. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ^ "Chargé d'Affaires Karen B. Decker". U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ^ Latifi, Ali M. (February 21, 2023). "No, Karen, #BlackGirlMagic won't save Afghanistan from the Taliban or the US's mess". The New Arab. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ^ a b Herlihy, Brianna. "US diplomat apologizes for tweet gone 'awry' saying Afghan women need 'movement' similar to 'Black Girl Magic'". Fox News. Retrieved 4 March 2023.