Kris Powell is in his sixth season as the University of Chicago assistant coach with the men’s and women’s tennis programs. A native of Chicago, he was ranked in the top-100 in the Midwest on the junior circuit and now also works as a coach at XS Tennis, where he trained as a junior player. Powell competed as a student-athlete at Prairie View A&M University, a historically Black college and university.

The UAA “Conversations About Race and Racism” series seeks to lift the voices of people of color and recognize the challenges faced in both athletics and academics at the collegiate level. By sharing personal stories, we hope to elevate the conversation about race to raise awareness and bring about change.

Growing up in Chicago

Powell was born in the historic southside community of Bronzeville, which is often referred to as the “Black Metropolis” and includes the Bronzeville Walk of Fame, honoring significant contributors to the African-American community in Chicago.

“I remember the school across the street from where I lived was closed. My parents did what they had to do to get me into a more affluent area, but I always wondered what happened to those other kids,” Powell pronounced. “Schools have closed in the south side since I was young. Police, not schools, get so much funding in those communities. Who is really benefitting from that?” The Chicago Police Department’s 2020 budget is $1.8 billion with another $153 million set aside for settlement cases.

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