Makisa Bronson

In a world where it is not uncommon to strive for goals that are self-serving, Makisa Bronson bucks that trend in the most graceful way by combining her insatiable curiosity, thoughtful wisdom, and passionate dedication to social justice in many different endeavors, both on-campus and off. She served as student leadership coordinating a race, faith, and justice trip to Washington DC and as an intern in Schenectady, NY with SEAD, doing profoundly systemic work at the intersection of educational access and interpersonal relationships. As part of Project Preservation, Makisa cared for a Jewish cemetery in Greece before traveling to intern at Stepping Stones in Shanghai teaching English to migrant youth. She followed this with another Dartmouth Center for Social Impact (DCSI) internship in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco exploring affordable housing and development options with under-served communities.

Makisa co-founded the Social Impact Nonprofit Consulting group whose reputation as a powerful agent has expanded and deepened with each year alongside projects such as conducting a regional assessment with key local stakeholders in the field of climate resiliency for Vital Communities, consulting on the structure of Employer-Assisted Housing for Habitat, and supporting the creation of an archival system to map the chronology of JAG Productions, the only Black theater company in the Upper Valley. Along the way, she has received the Newman Civic Fellowship, the Princeton Prize in Race Relations, a Stanford AMENDS Fellowship, and represented Dartmouth at Ivy League conferences across the country.

Over her tenure at Dartmouth, Makisa has opted-in whenever possible to address inequity from different angles and is often elected to leadership positions as a result of her natural magnetism, impressive organizational and rhetorical prowess, and her ability to meet people where they are, while inspiring them to join her movement. So, Makisa, as someone else who you have inspired and for all the ways you have leveraged your academic knowledge to advance the vital work addressing systemic poverty, racism, sexism, and intersectionality (not to mention what is to come!) it is my true honor to present you with this Legacy Award.