Macy Brandon

Macy Brandon is a Game-Changer

By Zoe Boggs

Whether designing book covers, managing her school’s morning news, or running multiple websites, Macy Brandon is her own boss – and that’s the way she wants it.

“I really want to be an entrepreneur because I love the idea of building your own life and not being tied down to one job,” said Macy, a senior at E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, VA. “I just have so many business ideas.”

Macy’s passion for self-management began when she worked as a director for her middle school’s morning news program. “I would come in, and the teachers would step back,” she said. “It gave me that first taste of independence.” Since then, she approaches her many interests with the same sense of autonomy.

Since her freshman year of high school, Macy has run multiple blogs, teaching herself to use templates and coding. These websites preserve her class notes, record debates with a friend, and showcase people in her community.

Her free time is spent making graphic design artwork, with which she became fascinated after admiring the graphics on internet forums. She uses stock images and Photoshop to create vibrant worlds sprung from her imagination, inspired by book covers and music videos.

On top of a busy schedule, playing tennis and swimming provide a healthy outlet for Macy, who said the sports have taught her patience and balance. “At least they get me off the couch!” she laughed.

Along with a desire for independence, Macy’s entrepreneurial ambitions are influenced by her wish to increase the visibility of successful African-Americans. “I would love to be the person that people call the ‘Oprah’ of this, the ‘Serena Williams’ of that,” said Macy. She is frustrated by the overwhelming lack of minority representation in the sports she plays and the business world.

Her solution? Become successful in those majority-white fields. Break the stereotypes. Normalize achievement by people of color.

“I hope that people will look at me and not think of the stereotypical black ‘hood’ person,” said Macy. “I want to make that impact like, ‘Oh, I see a black person doing swimming, that’s normal.’”