This Charlotte accountant prioritizes aiding immigrants. ‘We all want to be here

At 12 years old, Lester Selby was walking to the kitchen in his home in Georgetown, Guyana, in search of a late-night glass of water, when he stumbled upon his older cousin holding a wad of cash. “I was like, ‘Wow, how come you have so much money,’ ” Selby recalled. His cousin said he earned it from his job as an accountant. In that moment, Selby set his sights on becoming just that. About three years later, in 1997, Selby along with his family moved to the U.S., where he eventually fulfilled his goal of becoming an accountant. He’s also been active in helping the Charlotte immigrant community, and was recognized this year by Mayor Vi Lyles’ office for that work.