Malakai provided an incredibly eye-opening, detailed account of his life and his efforts advocating for his physical and mental health and how he is using his lived experiences to positively influence others. He shared about the unique and interacting factors of his identities and how they have influenced his life thus far. I am so grateful that he is sharing his story with the world and he is pursuing a career in which he is able to contribute to reducing barriers of care and improving the lives of others. He has a natural tendency to engage an audience and I truly valued the authenticity and transparency he brought to the presentation

Malakai’s presentation to my class highlighted the importance of intersectionality. So often, we can get lost in our own bubbles and become disconnected from the experiences of those who exist differently than us. By sharing his life story, Malakai has allowed us to see beyond our understanding and look deeper into the world