14 May 2025
Mission, Mentorship & Community with Makda Fessahaye
Makda Fessahaye, a Marquette Law grad who now works as the Associate Vice Chancellor and head of HR at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, talks about growing up in Milwaukee as a Black woman with Eritrean roots and how her parents’ focus on faith, education, and community helped shape who she is today.
She talks about the ups and downs of being a woman of color in school and at work, and how mentors and strong community ties have helped her along the way. She also shares how important it is to support others as you move forward in life.
Through honest and personal stories, Makda shows how her background and experiences have guided her—and how she hopes to help others on their own paths. If you're looking for a thoughtful, down-to-earth conversation about resilience, sisterhood, and making a difference, this episode is for you.
Episode Highlights:
3:21 - I went to many different schools—parochial, inner city, and then in Whitefish Bay. As a child of African immigrants, it was hard to navigate being in African-American and then predominantly white spaces. As a kid, I didn’t fully understand what I was experiencing. Looking back, I see how resilient children are. Later in life, being a young Black woman in leadership brought challenges—imposter syndrome, figuring out how to stay authentic while navigating workplace politics. It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve learned a lot along the way.
09:06 - I just love that mural. It is beautiful. I think it is so reflective of the diversity of Milwaukee. It reminds me of the value of community, of being in community, to be of community, to be of sisterhood, I think is very important. And I think that that mural is so beautiful and so reflective of that.
13:59 - I hope to have the same impact others had on me—to be there when needed, to inspire, and to help others navigate challenges through my own experiences. I want to be someone who lifts others up and connects them to the resources they need.
Interview:
What is the story you’d like to share with us today and how do you identify?
[01:31] We could go anywhere with this story. I identify as a Black woman of Eritrean descent, and my journey has been shaped by my immigrant family’s devotion to faith and education, as well as my upbringing in Milwaukee’s Lincoln Park neighborhood."
How did you get onto the path that you're on?
[01:54] So my family, as I mentioned, is from Eritrea in East Africa. My parents immigrated here prior to me being born. They are a family that is rooted in faith, specifically the Catholic faith, and also have a major value and appreciation for education. So I grew up in a household where my summers were spent in the library and doing brain exercises and doing different workbooks and making sure that I just kept on track. I really look to my upbringing and what my parents valued as part of why I'm here today.
What kind of challenges, if any, did you face as you've sort of gone on your journey?
[03:21] I went to many different schools—parochial, inner city, and then in Whitefish Bay. As a child of African immigrants, it was hard to navigate being in African-American and then predominantly white spaces. As a kid, I didn’t fully understand what I was experiencing. Looking back, I see how resilient children are. Later in life, being a young Black woman in leadership brought challenges—imposter syndrome, figuring out how to stay authentic while navigating workplace politics. It hasn’t been easy, but I’ve learned a lot along the way.
What’s been the role of women of color in your journey, especially in navigating some of those challenges?
[05:55] They’ve been incredible. One of my earliest mentors was Dee Dee...
