Since coming into the spotlight as a young teen, Malia has taken to using her platform for advocacy. In 2020, Malia was voted as one of Seventeen magazine’s “Voices of the Year” and Refinery29 Canada’s “Powerhouses of the Year” for using her platform to discuss gender-based violence, climate change and Black Lives Matter.
In 2021 Malia was named a Champion for the UN organization, GirlUp, where she has hosted their GirlHero awards, been a speaker at their leadership summit in Washington, D.C. and continues to partner with them for campaigns related to girls’ rights, mental health and leadership.
In 2023, Malia became the first youth Global Ambassador for She’s the First. In her role as a She’s the First Global Ambassador, Malia has hosted conversations with girls about the need for inclusive and comprehensive sex education, balancing activism while caring for your emotional well-being, and the intersection of art and reproductive rights advocacy. Also in 2023, Malia authored her first publication in the book, Dear Rebels, where she discussed mental health and girlhood.
In 2024 Malia became recognized by the Union of British Columbia Performers (UBCP) as the youngest recipient of the International Women’s Day award for her ongoing advocacy work in the field of girls’ and women’s rights.
This fall, Malia will start a new adventure as a first-year student at the University of California, Berkeley, where she has been accepted to study Gender Studies and Philosophy.
