Michael McGill encourages girls to break barriers

Throughout your life, you are planting seeds. Decide what you want to grow and work towards it.

That was the initial advice from Kansas City resident Michael McGill, keynote speaker at the High School/Collegiate Connection Day for young ladies of color. UMKC’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion sponsored McGill, an award-winning transformational speaker, youth and family development expert and motivational family counselor.

Though it was early morning, McGill, energizing and engaging, told the attentive crowd that people can transform their lives from the inside out.

“What do you want to gain from this workshop?” was the students’ introduction to the facilitator with the loud voice and preppy appearance. The students had quick responses.

“More confidence; ways to improve my self-esteem; boldness; more creativity; motivation; ways to overcome my fears; be more outgoing; less vulnerable,” yelled a number of the girls in McGill’s workshop titled “How to Find Your Voice: Be Bold.”

“Take out your clip boards and, at the very bottom, write down five things that are causing you concern right now,” instructed McGill. “At the top, draw pictures of what you want to achieve in your life – good education, family, success, fame, a business.” He explained that drawing would help them visualize what they want to achieve.

The dreams at the top of their vision boards outweighed the problems at the bottom. They left the workshop buzzing about what they will be able to do – in spite of any problems they face. A few students waited to thank McGill for sharing what is possible.

McGill’s keynote lecture, “Breaking the Glass Ceiling,” was presented to approximately 300 high school and college young ladies at the half-day event, along with high school counselors.

“Your challenges can do two things: they can either define you or redefine you. If they define you, you let the bad things, the challenges overcome you,” said McGill. “But – if the challenges redefine you – then they help build you up, and you become a better person as a result, using the challenges to improve your life.”

He said there are two types of glass ceilings. Companies can impose glass ceilings, and individuals often are unable to break through that imaginary barrier. The self-imposed ceilings are the ones we place upon ourselves and are just as hard to master.

McGill and the students talked back and forth for more than 45 minutes about barriers and how to break through. Each student was given a copy of his book, “Soul Vitamins: Minerals for the Mind, Body and Soul!” by the Division of Diversity; and, while waiting for their buses to arrive, a long line of girls got McGill’s autograph and a little extra encouragement.

He told them to prepare through education, volunteer opportunities, relationship-building and networking, and they would be ready when opportunities presented themselves.

“You are brilliant young ladies and you have the power to break every glass ceiling in your life, if you just prepare,” concluded McGill.

|Wandra Brooks Green, Division of Strategic Marketing and Communications