Sileshi was born in the Ethiopian capital city, Addis Ababa—Amharic for ‘new flower.’ He moved to the U.S. in the early 70s to finish high school and attend college, with every intention of returning to Ethiopia. Everything changed in 1974 when a revolution erupted back home. The military regime deposed the emperor and ignited a civil war that would leave nearly 1.5 million dead.

‘I didn’t have brothers or sisters, just me here. Things were out of control and I didn’t know what to do, so I focused all my energy on just trying to survive and work here. I worked as a dishwasher, and mopped the floors at night. Strictly survival.’

By the 80s, Marriott Hotels recruited Sileshi, who quickly excelled in their food and beverage division. He moved from New York and spent the next decade traveling around the country, with positions in Marina Del Rey, Santa Clara, Tucson, Scottsdale and Hartford, Connecticut. When his wife gave birth in DC, he transferred to the Marriott on 22nd Street to be with his family.