Ever since the moment she stepped on UNC’s campus, Malia Brown knew that she wanted to make a difference. Originally from Los Angeles, California, Malia is highly driven to accomplish her own goals, while helping other people achieve theirs as well. Malia is double majoring in Political Science and Journalism, and minoring in Spanish. In addition to managing a heavy course load, she is also busy being the C.E.O. of her own magazine, Natura. Through her experiences at UNC, Malia plans to unite women on campus and inspire other students who want to be creatively involved as well.
HC: Tell me about yourself!
Malia: My name is Malia Brown, I’m 18 years old, and I am originally from Los Angeles, California. I am double majoring in Political Science and Journalism, and minoring in Spanish. My interests are politics, hanging out with my friends, being involved with the community and writing, for sure!
HC: How are you involved on campus?
Malia: Currently I am involved with CABJ (Carolina Association of Black Journalists), Natural Girls Discuss Natural Curls…I was the Vice President last year, but now I am just a member because I am focusing more on my magazine this year. I am also involved in the National Society of Leadership and Success.
HC: What really inspired you to get involved?
Malia: I really wanted to just own this experience. I wanted to meet as many people as I could. I know because this is a large school, a lot of people find themselves sort of like… being under a rock because they don’t really know where to find their place or where they can stand out at. So, I just wanted to join different clubs that match my interests, try to meet as many people as possible and try to make changes or make a difference in any area that I could.
HC: So you mentioned you had a magazine, can you tell us more about it?
Malia: I created a magazine in the latter part of 2011. It’s a natural hair, entertainment, fashion, beauty, fitness, and mind, body & soul. I guess you would classify it was a lifestyle magazine. I created it because I know that growing up, I had issues with my self-esteem, with my hair. Being a black girl, in California, where there a lot of different mixed races, I just didn’t feel pretty as a little girl. I came across a lot of women, older and younger than my age, who were going through the same thing, so i wanted to create a publication. I know that magazines, television shows, they make a lot of impressions on women. I wanted to create a publication that was a voice for these women that had low self-esteem and inspire them to love themselves, inside and out.
HC: What motivates you to be an active Carolina student?
Malia: I think it’s the people mainly! If I am not on my grind, and if I am not trying to go to the next level, I feel like I am behind. It’s not like a competition, but it’s like the people who I surround myself with, or even the people I don’t, they just inspire me to do bigger and better things, just by being here so that sort of motivates me to keep pushing.
HC: What goals do you want to have accomplished by the end of your sophomore year?
Malia: Well right now, I just started a group here, on UNC Campus, to help me with my magazine. For a long time, I was writing and doing a lot of the work by myself, along with my parents, so I would love to have a solid group here on campus who can help me catapult the magazine to other campuses. By the end of my sophomore year, two more publications will be put out, so I would also love to increase my numbers with the viewership of those. I just want my work to be seen and heard by other people, as well helping as many people as I can.
HC: What advice would you give to students who want to start their own creative project?
Malia: I would definitely say to first pick out your passion, go at it full force and give 100% to it. Alot of times people say “you can’t do it” or you feel like you are not good enough to make this dream happen. I feel that you have to believe in what you are doing, put your ideas down on paper and just make them happen, more than anything. Just make it happen, is my best advice. Don’t hold yourself back from your success.
HC: What lasting legacy would you like to leave on UNC campus?
Malia: My goal would be to unite women of color here on campus. And it may seem like a crazy thing to do it through the magazine, from an outer beauty standpoint but it’s so important. And an overall goal would have to be to redefine the ideals of beauty here. It’s hard being an African American woman here on campus,or even a woman of color. I really just want self – acceptance at UNC and unity of women. That is the legacy I want to spread here.
HC: Random fact about yourself?
Malia: I love the cooking channel, for some reason. Like I love Top Chef Masters, I could literally watch it all day!