EP 2: Breaking the Silence on Racial Inequality with ALU President Christopher Williams

Most of the present-day media we consume are filled with progressive portrayals of diversity. In truth, however, the world hasn’t changed that much.

In this episode, I had the opportunity to have a great conversation with Christopher O.H. Williams. Christopher is a husband, father, university president, and a brand director. He acquired his MBA specializing in Strategy and General Management Economics from Harvard Business School. He received his Economics degree from Morehouse College as Magna Cum Laude.

We talk about how different our house hunting experience was 15 years ago, his daily struggles with racism in the US, his bottomless positivity and outlook in life despite everything he’s been through, and many more.

Christopher is currently living in Africa. The sense of relief he’s gained in relocating has urged him to re-channel his energy from constantly being on defensive mode into doing the things he’s passionate about. You can find him on LinkedIn writing moving articles.

If you want to become re-educated with the reality of racial inequality in the US, then this episode is for you.

Episode highlights:

• His experience studying as a scholar in the US at age 19
• How he navigated being out of his home country for the first time
• Daily displays of racial discrimination and microaggressions
• How he coped and tried to not get in trouble in America
• His brother’s presence in the country and how that helped him
• The media’s incomplete and idealistic portrayal of diversity in the US
• The constant fear of safety especially around law enforcement
• How the world hasn’t progressed much in terms of race equality
• The challenges faced by a biracial family
• The tensions of being in a biracial marriage
• Leaving a company because of racial discrimination
• Things that companies can do to address racism
• Internal vs. external stories of companies regarding diversity
• The difference between natural and “token” diversity
• Why the world needs more courageous and uncomfortable conversations

About the guest:

Christopher O.H. Williams is a university president and director of an athletic wear company. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Morehouse College with the distinction of Magna Cum Laude. He also obtained an MBA with a focus on Strategy and General Management in Harvard Business School.

He is the 1st appointed president of the African Leadership University, a not-for-profit institution founded in 2013. The university aims to generate leaders who have outstanding moral codes and strong problem-solving skills. ALU currently has 1,300 students enrolled. Its mission is to create three million African leaders by 2035.  

In 2019, Christopher was an executive-in-resident in ALU. He provided lectures on leadership, strategic planning, business case study development, career development, student venture mentoring and many more.

In addition to his current position as head of an institution, Christopher is also the director of Enda – a proudly Kenyan company that engineers high-quality athletic apparel. It is a brand that’s majority black-owned, with mostly Kenyans holding the company shares. It was also founded and led by Kenyans.

Christopher has also served several director roles for Nike. In 2005, he was the director of Strategic Planning and Business Development for Nike USA Footwear. Two years later, he led Nike’s global brand operations as the director for Strategy Integration and Implementation. And in 2010, he was the Commercial Director and Country Manager for Nike Sales in Malaysia.

Connect with Christopher:

• LinkedIn @christopherohwilliams
• Website African Leadership University

Resources mentioned:

• Christopher’s LinkedIn article Break the Silence!
• His LinkedIn article Dear Corporation: I read your posts. Now, what next?

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