Meet Kelli McNeill-Wilhelm | Social Activist & Co-Host of the At the Helm” Podcast”

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelli McNeill-Wilhelm and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelli, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Balancing my work life and my personal life has always been a priority. We have four children, who are now young adults, but making sure I was available for field trips, circle time, school-related activities, athletics, doctor appointments, etc., was always important to me. Also, taking time away from work for family vacations and other family events was also important. Now that my children are grown, that balance has shifted a bit but is still a priority. I am now able to devote more time to other things that bring me joy, like social activism and advocacy, working in the church, and maintaining my marriage to my wonderful husband, Wayne. We are fully entrenched in the grandparent/empty nest stage of our lives. It’s critical to nurture the personal relationship between the two of us. Now that there are no “distractions,” after 30 years, we are discovering that we actually do like each other, lol. I still firmly believe in taking time away from work to reset, rejuvenate, and refresh. For me, that could be a vacation on a tropical Caribbean beach or a “staycation” at home, reading a good book on my back deck as the sun kisses my skin. Balancing a career and my personal life helps me to not only be a better version of myself but also a better employee when I am at work.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My grandparents instilled in me the value and importance of community and “loving your neighbor,” so I’ve always known that I wanted to be in a career that helped and served others. In my current career in Child Welfare, I bring personal experience of being raised by kinship caregivers and also that of being a kinship caregiver. I understand the importance of providing a safe and nurturing environment for our most vulnerable citizens. I am proud of the work that my colleagues and I do for the County. Not only are we highly skilled, but we are also equipped with the kindness and compassion it takes to support and uplift others during a difficult and often traumatic time in their life. I wouldn’t describe my career journey as easy or difficult. With all journeys, it’s the small steps we continue to take every day that ultimately get us to where we want to be. I actively applied for jobs in my current field for almost 10 years. In that time, I continued to do the work that would prepare me for the career. I furthered my education, developed the skills, and enhanced the abilities that would help me to be effective and an asset to any organization. My perseverance and hard work have served me well.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

North Carolina is such a unique place. In a matter of 3 or 4 hours, we can be at the beach or in the mountains. Wake County also has the perfect mix of big city vibes and small-town charm. I would take full advantage of all of that. Any of my friends would already know we are probably going to be learning something while we play. We may take a day trip to Wilmington to enjoy the beaches but also take in the history of the city, namely the massacre of 1898. A visit to Greensboro for a tour of the International Civil Rights Museum is a must. We would also visit the historic NC A & T University. Before leaving Greensboro, we will enjoy the comfort that is southern cooking like their fried chicken and collard greens or their rendition of the classic shrimp and grits at Dames Chicken and Waffles. If we’re lucky, Mr. Nelson and Mrs. Joyce Johnson will join us to give us first-hand accounts of Mr. Johnson personally surviving the Greensboro Massacre and Mrs. Johnson’s experience with being one of the first Black students at Duke University. For an active and fun day, we might try our hand (pun intended) at axe throwing, followed by a brisk indoor stroll at one of the many indoor tracks in the Triangle YMCA family. After that, we can relax by the pool with a good book and grab an authentic Mexican dinner at Carajillos.

We would definitely spend a day visiting the HBCUs local to Raleigh – Shaw University, St. Augustine’s University, North Carolina Central University. No visit would be complete without a visit to my alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While there, I would hope to have the pleasure to grab lunch at Mama Dips with the likes of Walter Jackson, Edith Hubbard, Karen Jackson, a few of the Black Pioneers of UNC, some of the first Black students to attend UNC. Of course, we would have to check out Raleigh’s downtown area. We would pop in on the artistically gifted Christopher Evans at Good Trip Art Gallery. His amazing art and positive vibes are sure to put us in a great mood. A couple of evenings may be closed by taking in the nightlife of downtown Raleigh and grabbing dinner at one of the many restaurants, like ORO. If there is time and energy to spend, the many parks and greenways and the Marbles Museum are great places to pass the time. Although I’m not a big ice cream fan, a trip to The Howling Cow for that homemade goodness they serve up would make the cut. We would put an exclamation point on the week’s visit with Sunday morning worship at our church, The Shepherd’s Flock Baptist Church, in Durham, where our souls will be fed and our spirits lifted.

My friend would be looking for reasons to come back to NC!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I first have to give honor and a huge shoutout to Jesus Christ, who is the head of my life. I have been blessed in my life to have grandparents, both maternal and paternal, who were my first teachers and who poured into me. They modeled what it looked like to be dedicated to your family. My paternal grandparents nurtured my love for reading and learning. I also want to shout out my Mom for making sacrifices for me and showing me what strength in times of adversity looks like. I want to shout out my children who taught me what true unconditional love is. And last but certainly not least, I have to shout out my husband, Wayne, who has been a pillar of support and love for more than 30 years. He literally loved me back to health when I was going through my breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Shout out to J. Dwayne Garnett at Love is A Parable for shouting me out to Shout Out NC! And to anyone and everyone who has ever supported me and/or given me a word of encouragement to continue to press my way through – Shout Out to YOU. There are far too many to name, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Website: www.athehelmnc.com

Instagram: @suthernkell

Linkedin: Kelli Wilhelm

Twitter: @suthernkell

Facebook: At The Helm NC with Kelli & Wayne

Youtube: At The Helm

Other: TikTok @suthernkell

Image Credits
TF Craddock Sharon Pearson Jordan Wilhelm