"People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

Growing up, Maria Brewer knew what it felt like to be othered, to be treated as an outsider. The memories of those feelings never left, and she spent her diplomatic career--which included two ambassadorships--looking for inclusivity and ways to get to 'yes.' In fact, we suspect that it was her aversion to the word 'no' that fueled her spectacular career.

'SoftPower/FulStories' uses first-person stories to explore why U.S. engagement in the world matters. Through conversations with diplomats, aid workers, Peace Corps volunteers, authors and artists, influencers, businesspeople, and more, SP/FS highlights how soft power and foreign aid and assistance strengthen America's security, prosperity, and global standing. But forget politics, policy, or punditry; this is all about the stories.