Big Sister Briana and Little Makia

Big Brothers Big Sisters Services of Northeast Indiana

Briana and Makia from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana, have been matched 10 years and shine light on what it means to help every young person reach their full potential. The Little, Makia, has been through more in her short life than many people experience in their entire lifetime. She grew up in a home where both her parents and grandparents struggled with substance abuse. In 2015, after a long battle, Makia lost her little sister. Makia was only in the 2nd grade. Six years later, in 8th grade, Makia would lose her father, and grandmother two weeks apart due to suicide, and two weeks later, her brother. At the age of 13, Makia had lost two siblings, her father, and her grandmother, but she refused to allow her circumstances to define who she would become. She was matched with her Big when she was in second grade, when her sister died. They started out as a school-based match, and later went on to become a community-based match, and her Big has been with her for every high and low she’s encountered. While life had given the Little every reason to give up or become a product of her environment, with the help of her Big, she chose to do the complete opposite. Makia is now 17, a senior in High School, who will graduate with her associate's degree when she graduates in May. She is involved her in counties teen court as a defense attorney, working with juveniles to clear their backgrounds before they turn 18, she is the Indiana State JAG president, where she helps other high school students find entry level jobs that lead to careers, and also works at a recovery center in her community that helps people with substance abuse, mental health, and homelessness resources. The Big is a grandmother of 12 who is involved in several community organizations and says her hope is to show anyone that "if you have love, and everyone does, you have time to be a Big." The Big is an example of "you don’t have to be perfect; you just have to be present. Both the Big and Little are very well spoken and passionate about the organization and have spent the past decade of their lives doing life with and showing up for each other. Fun fact: The Big and Little lived in the same house and had the same exact bedroom years apart!