"Just like a lotus, we too have the ability to rise from the mud, bloom out of the darkness, and radiate into the world."- Unknown Hello, and welcome to my profile! My name is Makayla. Aside from being a professional princess performer and bringing princess Tiana to life for events, I am a nursing student and consecutive dean's list recipient at Virginia Commonwealth University committed to service, research, and finding ways to improve quality of life for members of my community. Navigating life's challenges has taught me that success is not simply measured by your visible starting point, but the journey and how you push forward. Through my platform that I curated at 17, SickleSolutions, spreading awareness on Sickle Cell Anemia at a national level is one of the ways I am able to give back. My passion stems from knowing that every person deserves to be represented, validated, and uplifted. Following nursing school, I aspire to gain experience as an ICU nurse.

• ICU and ICU stepdown PCT prospect(shadowing)

  Hospital & Health Care · VCU Health

  Jan 2025 – Jan 2026

• Character Performer(Princess Tiana)

  Performing Arts · Enchantalot LLC

  Jan 2024 – Present

• Advocacy
• Volunteering
• Philanthropy
• Entrepreneurship

• Track & Field

  Varsity · 1 award

  2021 – 2024

  Awards:

  Personal Record Award(PR's)

• Student participant & researcher

  Allied Health Career Exploration · Health/Medical Preparatory Programs

  2026 – Present

• Program Student

  William & Mary Pre-College Program · Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions

  2023 – 2023

  Research topic:

  Medicine: Disease, Diagnostics, and Interventions

• Character Performer(Princess Tiana)

  Enchantalot LLC · Performance Art

  2024 – Present

• Child Care Ministry

  Volunteering · One City Church

  2018 – 2024

• Food Distributor

  Volunteering · Southeastern Foodbank of Virginia

  2023 – Present

  Mission:

  Volunteer with other distributors to organize and distribute nutritious food items to community members

• NICU, Out-patient Pharmacy, and Antepartum Volunteer

  Volunteering · Sentara

  2021 – 2025

• Founder

  Advocacy · SickleSolutions

  2023 – 2024

  Mission:

  As an eldest sister to two young girls who have Sickle Cell Disease, the mission of my platform is to bring awareness to people living with "invisible illness", specifically sickle cell. Through hosting fundraisers, recruiting volunteers to collaborate, and spreading awareness my goal is to someday create a non-profit that is able to generate funds that will go to people and families affected by Sickle Cell to assist with medical expenses, transportation, crisis care packages, etc.