National Big Sister and Little Sister of the Year: Briana and Makia
Big Sister Briana and Little Sister Makia had no idea they were gaining a friend for life when they first signed up as School Buddies. With an extraordinary tale of perseverance, Little Sister Makia will be the first to tell you that being an “overcomer” is a lot easier when you have someone like Briana by your side.
Big Sister Briana’s journey with BBBS began with her participation in The Big Ride, a Kosciusko County motorcycle ride fundraiser. As an avid motorcyclist, Briana took part in this event for several years before she decided to give the program a shot. She knew she wanted to make a difference in her world somehow, but because she had always been such a busy and involved person, she was worried she wouldn’t have the time. After seeing that School Buddies was a once-a-week commitment, she signed up.
When she first met the Little Sister who would soon change her world, they were off to quite a rocky start. Little Sister Makia was happy to be a part of the program, excited at the prospect of having someone to talk to. Despite this, she barely spoke the entirety of their first meeting, with a shyness and quiet nature that was hard to move past. But over time, Briana proved again and again that she was a consistent and caring presence. Makia’s newborn sibling had been in and out of Riley’s Children’s Hospital before passing away, and Briana was there for her School Buddy through the trying time that followed. As the two grew closer, Makia knew she could trust this new adult in her life.
Although they loved their Uno tournaments and board game competitions during their School Buddy lunches, the pair eventually had the opportunity to switch to Community-Based mentoring, where they began to learn about each other more deeply. As the years went on, they learned that their match could not be more perfect. Briana introduced Makia to her Christian Motorcycle Association, and the two bonded over motorcycles and activities around town. Their interests and personalities were perfectly aligned. It seemed like it was meant to be—even the fact that they both grew up in the same house, years apart, and had even had the same bedroom.
“If I didn’t believe in God then, I do now, because I don’t see how people could match people up so perfectly,” said Briana.
But Makia’s life as an eighth grader would soon be in upheaval, beginning with the murder of her father. His girlfriend took his life and then attacked Makia’s grandparents. Although her grandpa survived, her grandma passed away two weeks later. Another two weeks after that, Makia’s newborn baby brother also passed. Within 6 weeks of her life, this 13-year-old lost three family members.
“She’s seen me go through all my loss with a lot of my family, just being there for me 100 percent,” shared Makia. “She let me grieve. She let me take my time. She was one of the first people to come see me and my family.”
Briana expected to see her Little’s grades drop after such hardship, and she mentally prepared for the worst. However, she would soon learn something about her Little: she never gives up. Refusing to be defined by her past, Makia worked even harder through high school to overcome her circumstances and achieve her dreams of becoming a homicide detective.
Makia just graduated with all three high school diplomas: Core 40, Honors, and Technical Honors. Before that, she received her associate’s degree in criminal justice three weeks before graduating high school, becoming the first female—and second person ever—to do so in her area. She also partakes in the National Honor Society and has been named President of the JAG Career Association for Indiana. In addition to her stellar educational career, Makia remains highly involved in her community. As a Defense Attorney for Teen Court, she works with youth and families to clear criminal charges against them. She also gave her time as an intern at the LITE Recovery Café, helping adults on their path towards recovery. Now Makia is heading to Ball State University with plans to pursue a master’s degree.
Seeing her Little’s overwhelming success and relentless persistence showed Briana that mentorship is a two-way street; she was learning from her Little, too.
“She taught me that nothing is too tough to overcome. When you have plans, don’t let anything stop you from achieving the goals that you have set in front of you. I learned this through seeing her thrive despite everything,” said Briana.
Although incredibly self-motivated and determined to prevail, Makia doesn’t know where she’d be without her Big Sister in her life, and she credits Briana as being one of her biggest champions. Whether a steadfast friend to turn to during her losses or an unwavering cheerleader through her accomplishments, Briana has been there through it all. Describing both herself and her Big as “busy and impactful women,” Briana’s involvement in her community influences her Little to do more and has helped her realize she can achieve whatever she wants. Witnessing a woman who works higher up in factory work and participates in motorcycle rides, Makia feels inspired by her Big Sister’s success in male-dominated spaces.
“She’s seen me go through the hardest parts of my life, but she’s also seen me accomplish some of the best things I’ve done in my life,” said Makia. “I absolutely love her. She’s definitely a part of my family and will be for the rest of my life.”
Watch their story here:
To learn more about volunteer opportunities, click here. To learn more about how to share our mission, click here. Or call 260-456-1600 because we’d love to talk more!
Congratulations to Big Sister Briana and Little Sister Makia!
