By Jen Cusick, Director of Alumni Relations, AFS-USA
Attending Advocacy Day was both exciting and a little nerve-wracking. It was my first time advocating on Capitol Hill and meeting directly with Congress Members and staffers. I was leaning into new skills but found myself channeling our AFS students who are stepping outside of their comfort zones daily throughout their programs. I felt proud to show up in support of intercultural exchange.
Representing AFS Intercultural Programs USA, six staff members joined colleagues from across the exchange field through the Alliance for International Exchange for a day of advocacy. Alongside nearly 150 advocates, the group met with 121 Congressional offices to highlight the impact of international exchange programs.
What stood out most was the power of our collective voice. In my small group of six Alliance members, each of us brought different perspectives and experiences. But when we spoke together, we made a compelling case for the real, tangible impact of people-to-people exchange.
It’s investing in our own communities firsthand while providing invaluable experiences to young people, host families, and volunteers. The five qualities of an AFSer, curiosity, resilience, open-mindedness, compassion, and adaptability, are at the core of every alumni story. When we spoke about the transformative experiences of exchange participants and alumni, those stories made the idea of public diplomacy tangible and personal.
As part of our advocacy efforts, we aligned around several key requests to Congress to support both BridgeUSA programs and U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) funded programs.
For ECA programs, including AFS-USA programs like YES, CBYX, and FLEX, we urged Congress to:
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- Finalize funding for FY25 programs and expedite FY26 program grants
- Support educational and cultural exchanges in FY27 appropriations
For BridgeUSA programs, we asked policymakers to:
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- Encourage continued strong J-1 visa issuance at U.S. embassies and consulates
- Retain the Exchange Visitor Program provision in future appropriations bills
Throughout the day, I found myself impressed by the longtime bipartisan support behind intercultural exchange. As an early celebration to the day, we learned that Senators Cory Booker (NJ) and John Boozman (AK) were creating a Senate Caucus on International Exchanges. On both sides of the aisle, the Senate staffers we met with were engaged in the conversation and asks.
Advocacy Day reminded me that international exchange is more than a program, it’s a bridge between cultures.
Every student, host family, and alum becomes part of a larger effort to build understanding across borders. Walking away from my first Advocacy Day, I felt encouraged and motivated by what can happen when our community comes together to champion the value of exchange.
