Malia Baker, an actress who reinvented an iconic character in The Babysitters Club, talks about her struggles with anxiety and CRPS, overcoming challenges to pursue her passion for acting, and using her platform as an activist to raise awareness about important causes.
Malia Baker uses her platform as an actress to promote self-acceptance and confidence for black girls with curly hair.
Malia Baker combines her passion for acting with activism, using her voice to raise awareness for various social issues.
Deep dives
Malia's Journey into Acting and Finding Belonging
Malia Baker, an ambitious teenager, auditions for a role in the Babysitters Club TV show and finds her place among a diverse cast. She overcomes anxiety and a rare pain syndrome called CRPS, using dance and therapy to regain her strength. Malia discovers her passion for acting and embraces the opportunity to represent black girls and their experiences. Through her character Marianne, she promotes self-acceptance and confidence, particularly for girls with curly hair. Malia finds a sense of belonging among her co-stars and works towards breaking racial barriers in film and television.
Malia's Journey as an Activist
Malia gets inspired to join the Black Lives Matter movement and speaks out against racism by sharing her own experiences at a rally. Realizing the limitations of hashtags, she starts a campaign called #Zant to provide concrete actions for social change. Malia believes in using her platform and voice to raise awareness for various social issues, including women's rights, LGBTQIA+ causes, animal rights, and indigenous issues. She aims to reach as many people as possible through her activism while pursuing her dreams of winning an Oscar, writing a movie and a book.
Malia's Resilience and Journey of Self-Discovery
Throughout her journey, Malia faces anxiety and physical challenges but learns to cope and find strength. She develops coping strategies and pushes through setbacks to pursue her passions. Malia's resilience and determination propel her forward, allowing her to grow as an actress and an activist. Despite facing obstacles, she remains grateful, happy, and excited for what lies ahead.
From reinventing an iconic Babysitters Club character for a new generation to overcoming anxiety to stand up for her beliefs, Malia Baker proves there’s power in contradictions. Classic yet updated, shy yet outspoken—Malia can be it all!
This podcast is a production of Rebel Girls. It’s based on the book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This story was produced by Haley Dapkus with sound design and mixing by Mumble Media. It was written by Nicole Haroutunian with Momona Tamada and edited by Abby Sher. Fact-checking by Joe Rhatigan. Narration by Momona Tamada. Original theme music was composed and performed by Elettra Bargiacchi. Our executive producers are Joy Smith and Jes Wolfe. Thank you to the whole Rebel Girls team who make this podcast possible. Stay rebel!
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