Makida Arshi

Makida Arshi is both an author and a full-time nurse from Virginia. She is of Ethiopian descent and lives with her husband, Dr. Ismael Yussuf, and her three wonderful daughters Hira, Nina, and Ayah. She loves to write, as it gives her thoughts and ideas an outlet, as well as helping her to help others with her reassuring energy. Her main audience is young girls, whom she is passionate about convincing that they should grow up to be whoever they want to be. Her main values of selflessness and kindness are ones she holds close to her heart. She has felt very strongly about helping people and making others happy ever since she was a child, which is why she knew that nursing was the profession for her. She has now been a nurse for over two decades, and it still brings her immense joy. Makida takes great pride in being a mother and takes the responsibility very seriously, using her life experiences in her storytelling to help children grow to be well-rounded, self-aware, confident adults. She takes a great deal of her inspiration from women from all different walks of life. She has always struggled with the societal expectations of women. At certain points, she has had to make the choice between working, staying at home to look after her children . . . or both! In making those choices, she has often found that whichever one she made, there would always be some part of society that would have a problem with it. Makida hopes to be instrumental in dismantling such expectations of women across the world. This is why she saw the need to write a book to encourage young readers, girls in particular, that it is OK to be what they choose to be as long as they are happy doing it, to embrace who they are and live their truth.