RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE DESIREE MORRISSEAU
Desiree MorriSSeau
Firstly introduce yourself and tell us where your home place is. Describe your job/jobs in just under four sentences. Please also provide your title and profession.
My name is Desiree Morrisseau-Keesick, born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. I’ve been working as a freelance makeup artist, Makeupbydcmk, for the past six years. But I also work full-time as Lead for the Indigenous Student Recruitment team at the University of Manitoba.
What sparked your interest to work in this industry?
I graduated from the U of M back in 2012 with a Bachelor’s of Art in Native Studies and Sociology. I didn’t know what my next move was or what I wanted to do. I got hired as an admissions advisor for MC College and it is there that I took my makeup artistry certificate and was able to be mentored by an incredible instructor. I ended up being a natural and was able to grow my business from there.
What do you enjoy most about your profession?
I love the connection and relationships I am able to build with my clients. To me, makeup is more than just enhancing one’s outer beauty. I’ve met so many incredible people as a makeup artist and I’ve built so many friendships. I feel storytelling and learning about others, this is a great way to tie in everything I love about interacting with people.
What educational preparation would you recommend for someone who wants to advance in this field?
I would recommend researching local makeup schools or Esthetics programs and choosing the best fit for you. You definitely need to learn the basics, however, I also highly recommend networking within the industry and being mentored by another senior artist. You need to be open to continuous learning and honing in on your skills. Find your niche and stick to it; I am known for my soft glam, natural but polished makeup looks. You will find yours. Own it and love what you do!
What does success look like to you for Indigenous youth?
I don’t think success necessarily “looks” like anything, it’s about how you feel. Are you proud? Are you happy? Do you love what you do? Are you always striving to do better? This idea of success can be very different depending on who you speak to. I don’t want Indigenous youth to feel like there is this marker to success and what it looks like. I want Indigenous youth to follow their heart, their passion and be happy. It is my opinion that Creator only gives us one life, it’s important we remember that always and strive for happiness versus success.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
Failure has really taught me to love myself and to see it as an opportunity for growth. I used to be so hard on myself, I still am to an extent but I try to remember that no one is perfect at everything. In order to do better you need to make mistakes and learn from them.
What are one to three books that have greatly influenced your life?
Me Funny by Drew Hayden Taylor was a book gifted to me by my grandfather. It is definitely a favorite of mine. Humor has always been a huge part of Native culture, particularly mine growing up, but yet still I sometimes had a hard time laughing at myself or my mistakes. This book and my grandfather taught me at a young age not to take myself so seriously all the time and to enjoy life as it is in the moment.
Do you volunteer? If so, where and why is that important to you?
Absolutely! Volunteering has always been a huge part of my life since I was an early teen. I would volunteer with Big Brothers, Big Sisters through their Otema Program, I volunteered at an after school youth club for close to 8 years and for the past five years I have been regularly making food to hand out to folks at different shelters who don’t have access to the same basic necessities that other people might have. This past spring I am proud to share that I hosted my third annual fundraiser with all the funds donated to a local shelter. Once a year I do a full weekend where folks can book to get their makeup done at a discounted price and all the funds are donated to a local organization. It’s so important to give back to your community. Your community is your home and it’s important that we take care of one another.
In the last year, what new belief, behavior, or habit has most improved your life?
Gratitude journaling! I’ve gotten into the habit of taking 5-10 mins either at the beginning or end of my day and writing down all the things that were positive, made me happy, caused me to laugh, things I am looking forward to etc. This has been a source of therapy for me and has helped me to switch my perspective, particularly when I am having a bad day.
What are some challenges you think the next Indigenous generation will face in your industry/profession?
I can definitely see lack of internet connectivity becoming a challenge for Indigenous folks within this industry. I wish there was more access to online resources for remote and northern communities.
What advice would you give to a smart, driven student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore?
Life is not linear! There is no ‘right’ way to live your life. I’ve found that society places these timelines on young folks or anyone really, about where you should be or what you should be doing at a certain time in your life and I 100% disagree with that. This type of thinking is what causes the comparison game between yourself and other individuals. One piece of advice I would give, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Help with school, help in relationships/friendships/, help at work! Not only will it help with your communication with others but it will allow you to get to know your strengths and weaknesses.