During his prime with the Los Angeles Lakers, basketball superstar Magic Johnson led his team to five championship winning seasons. In his rookie year, Johnson was MVP in the NBA finals and was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. Magic Johnson is a legend to basketball fans, but a hero to many more.

 

In 1991, after 13 successful years with the Lakers, Johnson retired, publicly revealing he was HIV positive. He helped raise AIDs awareness by establishing the Magic Johnson Foundation, and in 1992, wrote “What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS.” Since then, Johnson has distinguished himself as a businessman and philanthropist.

 

Local businesswoman, Wilma Daniels, picked Johnson to be Keynote Speaker at the Wilma Daniels Distinguished Lecture Promoting Diversity and Tolerance,. She was drawn to Johnson’s drive and charitable nature.

 

Daniels was excited to announce that Magic Johnson would be part of the lecture series, which will take place on October 11 in Trask Coliseum.  She contemplated various methods of giving back to UNCW since Rosemary DePaolo was chancellor, and eventually settled on a generous donation that would fund the upcoming lecture on diversity, as well as the appearance of Johnson.

 

“I always wanted to do something that would make a difference at the university,” said Daniels. Once Johnson came on board, she knew right then that her plan to promote diversity and tolerance on campus was a done deal. 

 

Daniels can relate to the former NBA basketball star’s difficult upbringing and determined rise to success. She claims Johnson’s humble spirit and involvement in his community inspired her to select him as the Keynote Speaker. 

 

“Magic really has a story to tell and a lot to offer all of us,” said Daniels. “Everyone will come out [of the lecture] with higher expectations for themselves.”

 

Although she was born in Chicago, Illinois, Daniels considers Wilmington her true home and has lived here for 45 years. A graduate of Shaw University, Daniels has been on the UNCW Board of Trustees for the past four years and was recently reelected for a second term.

 

Aside from her involvement with the university, Daniels is the founder and CEO of Daniels Development, LLC, founder and property manager of William Hooper Apartments, president of the Wilmington Black Chamber of Commerce and on the board of the Caper Fear Community College Foundation, to name a few.

 

“Regardless of your upbringing, you can do anything you want to do, as long as you make up your mind to do it,” said Daniels. 

In order to further motivate students, Daniels firmly believes in giving back to the community. Along with her contributions to UNCW, Daniels started the Katherine Smith Finley Endowment, a scholarship at Cape Fear Community College for Certified Nursing Assistants. Her goal is to help students in need receive higher education.

 

“The more you give, the more you receive,” said Daniels. “Whether it’s your time, your talent, your finances, whatever it is, giving back to your community is very, very important.”

 

Students can obtain tickets to the Wilma Daniels Distinguished Lecture Promoting Diversity and Tolerance starting September 24 from the UNCW Athletics ticket office in Trask Coliseum. Admission is free, but space is limited. Daniels hopes because the event is free, more students will be able to attend. She wants as many people as possible to hear what Magic has to say.

 

“I can’t help everybody, but if I can make a difference in a few peoples’ lives, then it’s all worth it,” said Daniels.