18/06/2026
How do you build a legacy that lasts five generations?
In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Cheryl McKissack Daniel, Former CEO of McKissack & McKissack, the oldest minority and woman-owned design and construction firm in the U.S. A family-owned business for more than 120 years, McKissack has been a leader in planning, design, and construction of more than 6,000 projects, including the JFK Airport and Columbia University.
As a fifth-generation builder, Cheryl didn’t always plan to run the family firm. She once dreamed of being an airline stewardess! But she realized that rather than climbing a corporate ladder where few looked like her, she could chart her own destiny.
Cheryl recently wrote shares her “5 Ps” for building a lasting legacy:
Persistence: Show up in rooms where you aren’t expected. Your presence is resistance.
Preparedness: Excellence erases doubt. Always be the most prepared person in the room.
Perseverance: Stay the course when progress feels slow. Legacies aren’t built on a single win.
Productivity: Let your results speak for themselves. Quality is undeniable.
Prayer: Center yourself. Clarity and peace are your competitive advantages.
Cheryl’s story models what it means to stand on the shoulders of ancestors and open doors for the next generation.