Abstract
<jats:p>On January 27, 2025, President Trump announced his “America First Foreign Policy agenda” and signed an executive order to pause foreign assistance. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was at the epicenter of this policy decision, given it was the U.S. government implementing agency. For USAID employees, the news was devastating as all communication with implementing partners, the media and the flow of foreign aid to the most vulnerable populations ceased. As a Black American woman, the policy decision placed a heavy burden on my heart, especially serving at one of the largest foreign assistance missions in Africa. This chapter will explore the unique role of Black women in global development, the impact of USAID closure in Nigeria, black women in leadership roles, and the future of development.</jats:p>