MacKenzie was raised in Brooklyn by her working class African American parents. From an early age her parents taught her that in order to be as successful as her white counterparts she would have to work twice as hard as they would. Striving to do just that, MacKenzie studied hard and spent a lot of time at the nearest branch of the New York Public Library.
MacKenzie's school years were not easy. Though she was not an introvert by nature, her attendance to her studies meant that there was little time for interacting with her classmates or making friends. Because of this, she was often seen as someone who thought she was "all that" and was often the victim of teasing and bullying.
Making matters worse, from the time she was twelve to the time she was fourteen a series of slayings plagued her neighborhood. During this time a number of people she knew died, including a next door neighbor who had been a mentor to her. The community's residents began to suspect that the murders were revenge killings carried out by hit men of the notorious suspected mobster, Frankie Civella, but the NYPD barely noticed the slaying of numerous African American men.
Years as a college student and an unskilled laborer
Despite these hardships MacKenzie graduated among the top five percent in her class. Having received a scholarship, she was able to attend a community college. Though she did not receive the same cruel treatment she had come to expect during junior high and high school, she still had few friends. It was during this time she had her only romantic partner, whom MacKenzie never saw again after graduating. MacKenzie left college with nothing more than a degree in economics.
In the Bush economy MacKenzie found it difficult to put her degree to good use. She did find one job where her education was appreciated, but it wasn't long before she lost it, thanks to downsizing and the company's first in last out policy. Before she was twenty-five she worked many jobs that required only unskilled labor.
Short road to success
When MacKenzie was 25, she found work as a telemarketer for a tanning salon chain — work she expected to lose as soon as the salon found white workers to take her place. However, it was at this time that she discovered she had an uncanny ability to imitate people. She felt she had a responsibility to incorporate her ability into her repertoire of talents to succeed for the sake of herself and the people she loved. Using the ability, she was able to target the demographic of each person she called with the voice they'd probably find most trustworthy, and she immediately began to break sales records. She was promoted many times during the next four years and ended up becoming Vice President of Marketing. As such, she creates interest and demand for her company's services through public relations, strategic relationships, advertising, and highly visible contributions to charity. She also leads a team that conducts and analyzes market research, using techniques she developed while she was still a telemarketer.
Explosion and aftermath
The explosion that occurred on November 8, 2006 instantly killed everyone in MacKenzie's Uncle Joe's immediate family except Joe's ten-year-old daughter, Tomika. Though this was a heart-wrenching experience for MacKenzie, she remained strong so that she could continue to provide for her family.
The company MacKenzie works for, though not nearly as close to MacKenzie's heart, was also affected by the blast. MacKenzie took a temporary cut in her salary and inspired other higher-ups to do the same so that the company could afford to contribute to relief efforts in neighborhoods of people of color. This in turn generated new interest among philanthropically minded members of the upper class, whose patronage helped keep the company afloat while competitors went out of business. MacKenzie's research indicates that the company has reached a point of stability.
However, as of August 2008 MacKenzie has yet to rebound in the way that her company has. Her heart still aches for Tomika. What's more, when Nathan Petrelli announced the existence of the Evolved, MacKenzie began to reflect upon the nature of her ability and started to re-envision her future. Due to her working class background and individualistic tendencies, she has resolved to die before registering with the government. Her feelings about her power in relation to herself have not changed, but she does fear being caught. She follows news about PARIAH intently.
