NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ODNI News Release No. 16-17
June 15, 2017
FBI Hosts Sixth Annual “IC Pride” Summit
Keynote Speakers from IC, Congress, and Human Rights Campaign
LGBTA—A for Allies—officers from across the Intelligence Community today gathered at FBI Headquarters for the Sixth Annual “IC Pride” Summit. Notably, this year’s event included speakers from outside the IC: Congressman André Carson and Nicole Cozier, Director of Diversity and Inclusion for Human Rights Campaign. Additionally, Deputy Director of National Intelligence Dawn Eilenberger, Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, and Office of Naval Intelligence Commander Rear Admiral Robert Sharp provided keynote remarks.
Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe welcomed the assembly of IC members in Bonaparte Auditorium. This year’s Summit focused on amplifying the voices of LGBTA people of color and people with disabilities to encourage employees from all walks of life to promote diversity and achieve mission success. “The bedrock of the Intelligence Community is our credibility. To maintain that credibility, we must understand and reflect the people we protect, across the full spectrum of diversity that is the strength of this country,” said Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. “We all need to be allies, to walk in each other's shoes, to try to understand what it's like, for example, to be gay, a person of color, or transgender or all of these at the same time.”
Congressman Andre Carson—a long-time advocate for the LGBT community—said, “No one should ever be discriminated against or denied services based on who they are or who they love.”
Nicole Cozier, Director of Diversity and Inclusion for Human Rights Campaign, shared her wealth of knowledge from her career, which has mostly focused on gender equity.
Deputy DNI Dawn Eilenberger addressed the assembly and shared her reflections on LGBT equality, in addition to words from DNI Coats, whose schedule precluded his attendance. Reflecting on the Summit, DNI Coats said:
“Since my confirmation as DNI, I have been impressed with spirit of service that permeates the IC. As I get to know more IC officers, I am struck by the wide variety of backgrounds that enrich our workforce. Because the IC’s mission is to protect our country by understanding the complexities of the world, I would argue that we need the widest pool of talent—including the officers we are celebrating here today.
You may have heard that I referred to the position of DNI as akin to the head coach of a football team, with each agency director playing the role of a coach with unique expertise. But the buck stops with me for the whole team, and you have my word that I will do everything to empower each of you, including defending the law of the land and anyone who feels any discrimination. I’m sorry I could not be here today, and I am proud to lead our team.”
After the keynote speakers, break-out sessions met—in-person and via video teleconferences from posts around the globe—to discuss:
• Law Enforcement and the Transgender Community
• Religion and LGBT Issues in the Workplace
• In-Between: Deconstructing the Binary and Ditching the Identity Hierarchy
• Intersectionality Working group Inaugural Meeting
For media inquiries—including requests for interviews with America's #LGBTSpies—please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..