black history month / culture
g Celebratin
our people
Honoring Black
History Month
Black History Month honors contributions of African Americans, from civil rights pioneers like Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King Jr. to current leaders in industry, medicine and academics. We are celebrating rich and diverse cultures, traditions and histories and acknowledging the important contributions of our Black and African American communities. On our social media platforms we were thrilled to feature Byron Williams, the Vice President of Operations for UChicago Dining, and Kwasi McManus, Resident District Manager for the University of Chicago. Both have incredible stories and insights to share. Click below to hear more from them.
Kwasi McManus
Byron Williams
RESIDENT DISTRICT MANAGER
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO DINING
“I was born and raised in Washington, D.C. I was always taught that integrity, hard work, honesty and perseverance were key core values and pillars.
“I am originally from Cleveland, Ohio. I am really proud of my upbringing; my mom and dad did everything they could to make me realize that there was a bigger world outside of me.
One thing that I am most proud of as we talk about Black History Month is my father’s contributions to community. He is one of the co-founders of Satchel Paige Little League Baseball, which honors a Negro League baseball player, Satchel Paige. It provided and afforded young Black men across the city the opportunity to play baseball. In 1999 we had the opportunity to play baseball in Cuba with the Baltimore Orioles, and this was a lifetime experience I will never forget.
My mother always made sure that in the summertime I was always able to go to a summer camp or have some type of experience. I got to go to space camp, and it was amazing to be around young people who were interested in learning. And for a week it felt really cool to be smart. To try and build rockets and try to understand propulsion at a very young age, and to see a world that was much bigger and that most people didn’t have exposure to. It’s just a reminder of my mom really looking to give me those opportunities to succeed in a bigger world.
Every Friday was essentially Soul Food Friday. We would support our local Black-owned businesses throughout Washington, D.C. One thing that I’m really proud of with Chartwells is our impact not just on the students but also the Southside community. Helping to create opportunities for minority-owned businesses that bring economic development to some of these underserved communities is something that is near and dear to my heart.”
Many Cultures and Traditions
I am very grateful for each of the experiences I’ve had, and I’m glad that I am able to apply it here at the University of Chicago.”
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FEBRUARY 2022 | CHARTWELLSMONTHLY.COM
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