Founding Kitchen Staff at the Obama Presidential Center (OPC).
Creation Date: 07/16/2026
Program Details
Sylestine, 39, South Chicago
Sylestine is honored to be a part of Chicago history, working at the newly opened Obama Presidential Center (OPC).
Previously a back-of-house employee at a cafeteria within the University of Chicago, she knew that she wanted to take advantage of the job boom when the opening of the presidential library was announced on Chicago’s South Side.
“When they first opened, I applied to the Obama Presidential Center, and they denied me,” Sylestine said. “But when One On One did open interviews, I got the job.”
Within one week of starting as a dishwasher at OPC, she was promoted to lead the dish room with a raise, reflecting her strong work ethic and dedication to the job. One On One held on-site interviews at OPC due to a previous partnership with Rome’s Joy Catering and Bon Appétit, the companies that manage the culinary processes within the newly opened campus.
“It’s going great,” Sylestine said, one week into her time at OPC. “It’s exciting. It’s everything I could imagine. It’s very rewarding to be here and to be able to grow.”
Sylestine first heard of One On One through social media when we announced our ServSafe Food Manager Training cohort in September of 2025. Sylestine competed with over 100 applicants for 10 spots made available through funding from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Job Training and Economic Development Program.
“My employment coach is positive and motivated,” she shared about her time with One On One. “One On One helps everyone. You are a person in a job and not just a number. It’s so loving, and it feels like family. It makes you want to work more and do more.”
A resident of Chicago’s South Side and a mother to seven children, Sylestine faced barriers throughout her life that prevented her from succeeding. Disabilities, a lack of community support, and generational poverty plagued her career growth. But this new opportunity fills her with hope and motivation.
“My children motivate me,” she shared. “People have been telling me I wouldn’t accomplish anything my whole life, but I’m going to keep going. I didn’t have the right folks to teach me, help me, and grow. But One On One has provided me with support for my future.”