Today, we’d like to introduce you to Makissa Lewis.
Hi Makissa, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Makissa Lewis and I am a disabled combat veteran who served 11 years in the United States Army to include one combat tour to Iraq. I am also the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the nonprofit My Seester, Inc. (https://myseester.com/).
The mission of this organization is to: 1) create a safe meeting place for the South Florida female veterans who have transitioned out of the service and have subsequently fallen or/are at the risk of falling into the cracks; and 2) direct her towards the path of self-actualization through life coaching, mentoring, and educational resources.
I always had an interest in working with underserved populations. Real-life situations made me believe this was my calling. I will share one incident. In my junior year at Miami Southridge Senior High School, after a classmate’s suicide, I witnessed the need for more mental health professionals to help myself and my peers cope with the loss of our classmate. I decided to pursue a psychology degree for that reason.
Years later, the tragedies of 9/11 happened, and I was asked to serve in the Armed Forces again. One of the many things I learned from that time was after returning back home, not everyone, especially the female soldiers I served with, had a home to go to. I vowed to change that.
After serving in the military again in 2010, my body started to rebel against me. It led me to be medically retired from the Armed Forces. I never forgot my vow or the classmate who committed suicide. I picked opportunities that allow me to be of service to female veterans and raise awareness of suicide. This led me to have the opportunity to go to the state capital, Tallahassee, with Catalyst Miami and speak with members of Congress about the disparity between women and male veterans in terms of transitional housing.
The success in that was followed by being part of a group of veterans chosen to participate in the Veteran Entrepreneurship Program with the University of Florida. My Seester, Inc., first with legal Zoom and then an accountant, was officially established.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road is neither smooth nor rocky since I am not either smooth or rocky. I was fortunate to get the 501(c)(3) once I got an accountant but finding an executive board was difficult. I had a board member who that shared they loved my ideas and wanted to use them.
Another shared it was just “play, play”. These incidents caused me to question if it was worth the hassle. But then I am reminded with a thank you or some form of appreciation. My Seester, Inc. helped lighten “the heavy load of womanhood” and female veteranhood.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My Seester, Inc. is known to connect female veterans with other female veterans and services, resources, and whatever they need to be on the path to self-actualization.
My Seester, Inc., in collaboration with Broward County Mission United and other vendors, provides goods and services that serve to help lighten the burden while making us, as women, feel proud to be a woman. The event was on Saturday, March 9, 2024. Check Instagram @my_seester to see pictures from the event.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Accomplishing a task you never thought you could. This could be making a person who has been crying smile.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.myseester.com
- Instagram: @my_seester
- Facebook: @myseester
- Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/makissa-lewis-90b7a964
