Profiles of Roothbert: Ilunga Kalala
Born and raised in the South Bronx, current board member Ilunga Kalala tiptoed between two worlds. A first-generation Congolese-American, Ilunga grappled with questions of identity and belonging at an early age. “I’m American, and I have the richness of Congolese history and culture embedded in my experience.” In the Congo, Ilunga’s speech and mannerisms marked him as a foreigner. In New York City, his fluency in French, knowledge of his ancestors, and affinity for Congolese cuisine distinguished him. “It’s a very unique experience. The richness of the Congo and the richness of my experiences growing up in the South Bronx are a part of my experience.”
Ilunga had the opportunity to visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through internships with Search for Common Ground, a peacebuilding organization with offices in the DRC. “It was important for me to not just go to the Congo, sit around, and eat food. I wanted to experience some of what life was like. I also obviously wanted to see my family while my grandmother and grandfather were still living there. I had a chance to meet them. It was incredible.”
A strong student, Ilunga received his undergraduate degree from Williams College, and later graduated from law school at Washington University. “I came to the Roothbert Fund looking for a scholarship,” recalled Ilunga, “and the exploration that this fellowship continues to provide today is near and dear to my heart. I’m living an intentional life where spirituality is at the core.”
Currently a lawyer, a husband, and father to three children, Ilunga has reached an especially introspective part of his life. “I’ve wanted to be a lawyer for as long as I can remember. I’ve also always wanted to be a voice-over actor, and still do.” Ilunga loves the process of “making words mean something to people by virtue of articulation, intonation, and emphasis.”
A career in privacy law provides access to cutting-edge topics, prestige, and financial security. However, the fruits of Ilunga’s labor do not exempt him from the same questions most of us encounter. “What is it that you really need to be centered? What do you need to be a member of society who contributes and has an impact?”
However, despite the demands of work and a growing family in the context of a pandemic, Ilunga recently discovered a strategy and mindset that keeps him rooted. “Back when the lottery was almost a billion dollars, my wife and I were out buying lottery tickets and seriously considering what we would do with that kind of money.” Aside from contributing to causes that are important to them, Ilunga and his wife discovered that most of everything they wanted to do did not require winning the lottery.
“A small garden. A couple of animals (chickens, a few dogs, and a goat). Tastier food. I may not be able to hire a personal chef, but I can make due and learn to be a better cook. There’s something I can do.” The pursuit of happiness is a spiritual process. “We are all born with a sense of spirituality, and it’s up to us to cultivate it,” shared Ilunga. “I think, especially in the United States, we have much greater freedom to explore our spirituality.”
Ilunga’s law career has given him a perspective and skillset to lead a fuller, more self-sustaining life. “I know how to analyze and determine what really matters. I understand risk. I’ve learned, through my work with international criminal tribunals, that people just want peace. People want to have the same kind of rights that exist in many places like the United States.”
Ilunga applies this lens to his own life. “What is it that I need to be really and truly happy? What can I do to achieve this happiness?” In asking these questions, Ilunga has come to realize that the elements for true happiness are already there. “I have an amazing wife, and our happiness is paramount to one another. I want to spend more time with my kids and have more adventures with my wife, and I can. I can do that. I can do that right now. Before the pandemic, my wife and I really loved to travel. Right here in Atlanta, we have so much. The beach. The Appalachian Trail. You’d be surprised at what you really need (and want!), trying to figure out how to spend imaginary billions.”