The Ambassador

President Obama appointed Carlos Pascual as the U.S. Ambassador to México last summer. Ambassador Pascual was born in Cuba and grew up in the United States. He graduated from Stanford and Harvard. Previously, he worked for USAID in Africa, was the ambassador to Ukraine, and most recently served as vice-president of the Brookings Institution. He is considered an expert in the post-conflict stabilization and reconstruction of states.

We had the honor of attending a reception at the ambassador's residence as part of the Fulbright-García Robles mid-term conference, and I was impressed with how Ambassador Pascual spoke about the relationship between the U.S. and México. He referred to the beautiful artwork on display at the ambassador's residence, and said that he very specifically had chosen pieces that challenge boundaries, that encourage us to re-think the lines that divide us. The well-being, the vitality, of the United States and México are linked inextricably, he said. The two nations share responsibility for shaping a positive future for their collective people, nuestro pueblo.

In his formal presentation speech to México's president, Felipe Calderón, in October, Ambassador Pascual stated,

[N]uestra fortaleza está en nuestro pueblo -- en nuestra creatividad, honestidad, decencia, compromiso de trabajar arduamente y en la convicción moral de que debemos y podemos, juntos, dejarles un futuro mejor a nuestras familias y a las generaciones por venir.

Our [the United States' and México's] strength is in our people - in our creativity, integrity, decency, work ethic, and moral conviction that we should and we can, together, leave a better future for our families and the generations that come.

After he spoke, we all went into the garden, framed by calla lilies glowing under the full moon, and listened to (and whooped for!) a most fabulous mariachi band.