The following is attributable to USAID Deputy Spokesperson Shejal Pulivarti:
On May 2, Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman attended the Florida International University's (FIU) Hemispheric Security Conference in Miami, Florida to build upon the dynamic USAID-FIU partnership, which was formalized in an agreement under USAID's Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Initiative last year.
At the conference, Deputy Administrator Coleman participated in a fireside chat moderated by FIU's first recipient of the Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship Program, Pierina Anton Lopez. The discussion focused on USAID's work to implement the Agency's new Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Policy; strengthen digital democracy; address the root causes of irregular migration; support the socio-economic integration of migrants in South America; mitigate the impacts of climate change; and empower historically marginalized and underrepresented groups across the region. The Deputy Administrator also convened a conversation with FIU students to discuss how to leverage their talent and diverse perspectives to enhance USAID's development workforce.
On the sidelines of the conference, Deputy Administrator Coleman discussed USAID priorities and areas for expanded international development coordination during a meeting with the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Military Deputy Commander Vice Admiral Alvin Holsey. She also participated in a roundtable discussion with the World Affairs Council of Miami to discuss how the private sector, civil society, and members of Miami's globally-oriented community can advance international development objectives and support USAID's humanitarian response in crisis situations.
While in Miami, Deputy Administrator Coleman toured the USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance's warehouse, where she saw firsthand how commodities are pre-positioned to enable quick and efficient delivery of humanitarian relief items to the Latin America and Caribbean region, including during hurricane season.
The Deputy Administrator also received a tour of Florida International University's 12-fan Wall of Wind (WOW), one of the nation's major "Experimental Facilities" under the Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure program, with infrastructure capable of simulating a Category 5 hurricane. At the WOW, Deputy Administrator Coleman learned about ongoing research to design and test disaster-resilient infrastructure, as well as past work with USAID to test temporary shelter facilities after earthquakes in Haiti.
