Malia Ellis fought through the burdens of embarrassment and isolation that a physical disability can crudely place upon a pre-teen. So the 19-year-old Washtenaw Community College student is on a mission to erase those burdens for future generations.
鈥淵ou say the word 鈥榙isability鈥� and that makes you think about what people can鈥檛 do, but it doesn鈥檛 mean we鈥檙e less of a person,鈥� says Ellis. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 need to hide. Our voices should be heard. We can do just as much as anyone else and our disability doesn鈥檛 define us.鈥�
Ellis has a rare condition called epidermal nevus syndrome, which caused severe scoliosis at the onset of puberty. She went from a child who loved to dance and play sports to having eight surgeries in as many years, resulting in a completely fused spine.
Physical therapy sessions helped her graduate from a wheelchair to a forearm crutch, but they also exposed her to other kids that looked like her 鈥� which is when, Ellis says, she realized that 鈥渂ecause you may feel different doesn鈥檛 mean there aren鈥檛 people who feel just like you.鈥�
That ultimately led to the creation of , a website and social media accounts intended to bring Ellis鈥� own life to the public eye in order to change perceptions about people with disabilities and inspire young girls who have them.
In about one year, Ellis has attracted more than 146,000 followers on Tik-Tok (), where she posts some raw and honest videos about living with a disability; but primarily hits on popular topics on the app like make-up, beauty and fashion.
She says it鈥檚 all about wanting to be a role model to others who are going through similar life experiences and reminding other disabled teens and young adults that they鈥檙e not alone.
鈥淏eing a pre-teen when all this happened to me, I was hit really hard. I was embarrassed because I didn鈥檛 see a lot of people who looked like me or were going through the challenges I was going through,鈥� Ellis said. 鈥淔or a long time I was pretty depressed and didn鈥檛 have any inspiration to get better. With Malia鈥檚 Movement, I want to inspire others who think they鈥檙e alone in this world.鈥�
Ellis will earn a from 黑料网 in May and has completed the Michigan Transfer Agreement to meet the general education requirements at participating Michigan four-year colleges and universities.
Before transferring to pursue a bachelor鈥檚 degree, however, she plans to take a short break to put all her efforts into Malia鈥檚 Movement for a while. If there鈥檚 a possibility to turn educating and inspiring others into a career, it鈥檚 one she鈥檚 interested in pursuing.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been quite a journey, but I really do love myself and am able to accept my changes,鈥� Ellis said. 鈥淚鈥檓 still not 100% in love with the way I look, but I can at least accept who I am. Hopefully Malia鈥檚 Movement can help others reach that point, too.鈥� l
Along with Tik Tok, you can follow Malia鈥檚 Movement on Instagram () and at .
Tags: Disabilities, January 2022, On The Record, Student Profile