Welcome to SIS Voices, an ongoing series in which SIS alumni from historically underrepresented backgrounds share their experiences working in international affairs and offer some advice to current and future students who may also find themselves in the minority in their classes and professional spaces. These alumni work in varied fields, and they share a belief that the surest way to realize the SIS vision of “waging peace” is to include all voices in the discussion.

In this edition of SIS Voices, we’re engaging with Byron Williams, SIS/MIS ’19. Byron is currently a training specialist with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in the US Department of Agriculture.

What sparked your interest in international development, organizations, facilitation, and training?

A big part of my high school experience was learning Spanish. I wanted to learn Spanish and end up in a Spanish-speaking country, but I didn’t know how to access a foreign exchange program or funding for it. My Peace Corps experience was the result of an accidental conversation I had with a recruiter, and that was the step that led to this opportunity to go abroad. I minored in Spanish in college and realized the number of Black people who had actually taken advantage of foreign exchange programs were few and far between; so, I wanted to get into International Development to increase the representation of people of color and more specifically, Black people, in these spaces. I got that opportunity in the Peace Corps and committed to sharing my experiences with as many people as possible to increase awareness about these opportunities. I wish someone would have told me about this opportunity when I was in high school. 

What are some challenges and opportunities you’ve found as a Black man in the field of International Affairs/in your work?

As one of the very few [Black men] in this field, some of the challenges include addressing or confronting stereotypes. Dark skinned and bald previously, people often thought I didn’t have the skills to be in the field. As a Black man, I’ve had to do a good job of showing I know what I’m talking about and had to show why it’s important that more of us should be in this field – especially in diplomacy.

Some opportunities include being able to learn languages and the access that comes with learning languages. With my language background in Spanish, I had greater access to communities that I was not born into but became a part of. Learning Lesotho while in Lesotho and Ukrainian while in Ukraine opened up a greater understanding of cross-cultural interactions and even helped me better understand American culture and foreign policy. It allows me to connect dots for how we exist in the larger world. 

What tools/skills/knowledge did you gain from SIS that have proven especially important in your career?

The importance of research methods really stayed with me. Dr. Nancy Krupar made learning about how to use literature reviews, data sets, and various research tools fun. It has helped me a lot in my current job as a program manager. I feel like her way of presenting the need to have strong monitoring and evaluation skills has been key to me succeeding in my professional life during and after my time with SIS.

What advice would you give our current Black students or students of color, more broadly, about what they have to offer as a vital voice in the professional world?

Many of us, like myself, navigate multiple identities—for me, being Black and being American. This goes a long way in the international world; seeing these identities helps us to see different perspectives off the bat. 

Whether it’s trade, human rights, or diplomacy, we have something to contribute that someone else has not considered simply because we tend to live in two worlds. Use this unique perspective to shape conversations and know that having this ability is a plus, never a negative. It helps us enter rooms and break down whatever may be on the table in a way that can help shape policy, practice, and theory. Seeing things in a different way can help everyone involved.

Who are your professional mentors (formal or informal) and how did they come to be your mentors?

Nicholas Bassey of Millennium Challenge Corporation, Yvonne Hubbard & Tina Cruz-Hubbard of US Peace Corps, and McGrath Jean Thomas, now retired from a storied career in international development. I’m connected to all of them because of my volunteer services abroad and domestic employment at US Peace Corps dating back to 2003. I heed their wise guidance and have affirmed my commitment by joining professional associations and organizations focusing on people of color gaining a richer experience through international experiences. Their attention to and influence on organizational policy and practice as it pertains to building our pipeline from middle school through senior level employment is what immediately drew me to them. That, and their senses of humor in dealing with me on a regular basis!