How do friendship, ease, and rest shape expressions of masculinity? Join Northwestern Athletics staff Demetrius Fields (Director of Player Engagement, Football) and Maria Sanchez (Senior Associate Athletic Director, Strategic Impact, Leadership, and Student Engagement) for a conversation inspired by Kachelle Knowles’s Old People Drink At The Bar, Young People Drink in The Streets. Together, we’ll look closely at the artwork and consider connections to masculinity within and beyond athletics.
This fall, The Living Room at The Block features artworks selected by Northwestern student-athletes, coaches, and staff through The Block’s ongoing partnership with Northwestern Athletics and Recreation. Each selection is accompanied by prompts connecting art with experiences of teamwork, leadership, and identity.
Old People Drink At The Bar, Young People Drink in The Streets will be on view from Wednesday, October 28, through Sunday, November 15. The Living Room is a drop-in space at The Block where students and other visitors can gather, reflect, and connect with a rotating artwork from the museum’s collection. Stop by for a warm drink and conversation on Wednesdays from 3–5 PM. The coffee and tea are on us.
The Block Museum of Art acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.
Programs are open to all, on a first-come first-served basis. RSVPs are appreciated, but not required.
About the Speakers:
Demetrius Fields is the Director of Player Engagement for Northwestern Football, where he leads initiatives that support the personal, academic, and professional development of student-athletes. A former Northwestern football student-athlete, Fields draws on his own experiences to create programming that prepares athletes for success during college and beyond.
A native of Dallas, Texas, and graduate of South Oak Cliff High School, Fields oversees programs focused on leadership development, career readiness, financial literacy, alumni engagement, community outreach, and first-year student-athlete transition. He has established strategic partnerships with corporate, nonprofit, and community organizations to expand educational and professional opportunities for student-athletes while strengthening relationships between the football program, alumni, and the broader community.
Fields has also played a leadership role in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across Northwestern Athletics, collaborating with campus leaders and serving on departmental hiring committees. Known for his relationship-centered leadership style, he is passionate about empowering student-athletes through mentorship, meaningful partnerships, and intentional programming. His work focuses on developing well-rounded leaders equipped to excel in their careers, serve their communities, and make a lasting impact long after their playing days have ended.
Maria Sanchez has been a dedicated member of Northwestern Athletics since 2011 and currently serves as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Impact, Leadership and Student Engagement, a role she holds as part of the department's executive staff. In this position, she spearheads strategic initiatives shaping the culture and community within Northwestern's Department of Athletics and Recreation, fostering a high-performance environment for student-athletes, coaches, and staff. She also oversees INVEST NU, Northwestern's Student-Athlete Development Team, which leads efforts in leadership development, personal enhancement, community engagement, and career readiness. Sanchez serves as a key liaison to university leadership and works closely with the Vice President of Athletics and Recreation to lead the Stronger Together Platform, upholding its core values of connectivity, respect, accountability, and excellence across all teams, staff, and coaches.
Sanchez is the sport administrator for Northwestern's field hockey team and program administrator for the Spirit Squad.
Image credit: Kachelle Knowles (Bahamian, born 1990), Old People Drink at the Bar, Young People Drink in the Streets, 2024. Drawing. Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University, purchase funds provided by Allen-Niesen Family: Kim, Keith, Kelsey, and Kyle. 2024.5.
Cost: Free and open to the public.
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