Anthony Gabourel Gill is no ordinary 12-year-old California kid. He is a youth motivator whose speech delivery has been compared to that of the legendary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gill has been visiting Belize for the past three years to speak to primary and secondary school students and in recognition of his contributions to Belize the Mayor of Belize City, His Worship Darrel Bradley, presented him with the Keys to Belize City on Monday, September 15.
Mayor Bradley says presenting the Key to the City to Anthony Gill is “perhaps the best presentation I have been able to do as Mayor”. Bradley says, “He is a force for good in the world. He is a force for change.” Mayor Bradley says the Key to the City is reserved for visiting members of government, statesmen and people who have made significant contributions to Belize City. The Mayor says, “You Anthony stand tallest among them even though [in terms of height] you may be the shortest among them.”
After receiving the Key to the City, Gill answered some questions from the Mayor, a seasoned attorney. He was asked what motivated him to be a motivational speaker. Anthony says his motivation comes from his mother and grandmother but it was from listening to one of Dr. King’s speeches and seeing how people reacted that made him want to reach people likewise. He says like in the United States one of the most important necessities for the future of Belize is for us to bridge the generational gap between youths and our elders. He says their needs to be more communication between young and mature people so that we can understand each other more.
On this visit Gill has spoken to students in Dangriga, Corozal and Belize City among others. He will leave the country on September 27.
