Voices Rising: Malia Courts on Speaking Up and Being Heard at Black By God’s Podcast-A-Thon

By Malia Courts,

This story is part of Youth Voices Rising, a Black By God narrative-change project supported by The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation.

My name is Malia Courts, Miss Black West Virginia Talented Teen. My platform is “Antibullying: Speak Life, Words Have Power,” inspired by Proverbs 18:21.

On May 2, 2026, I was invited to be interviewed by Black By God during the Podcast-A-Thon. It was super fun! I was able to discuss my thoughts and opinions about the community. During this time, I expanded my knowledge about how young people’s voices impact today’s world and how to help them feel heard.

In our communities, some of the essential voices are those of our youth. We have opinions about today’s world and how it affects us. Sometimes children feel like they can’t speak up without being told, “You’re just a kid,” or “You don’t know everything.” This discourages young people like me from speaking up and offering our opinions to the older generation, even when our ideas could help meet the community’s needs. Our communities can encourage us to speak up now.

At the Podcast-A-Thon, I was encouraged to share what I thought about our community. Something I enjoyed was being asked questions about what I thought as a young person. I felt like I was directly being asked, “What do you think as a teenager?”

This has encouraged me to speak more and to ask myself, “What do you think you could do for the community?”

I was treated with respect, and I was listened to. When I was asked questions, I was given patience and attention. I could tell my opinion was wanted.

This is what many young people want. We want to feel like we aren’t just speaking to nobody, but to somebody. We want to be able to speak freely without being told, “They are too young to understand.”

More From Malia’s Interview

In her conversation with Black By God, Courts also discussed the experiences behind her advocacy, her pageant journey and her hopes for the future.

Her anti-bullying platform comes from personal experience. Courts described being bullied at school and wanting to help other children recognize bullying and feel comfortable reporting it. She also discussed writing children’s books that explore bullying, kindness and love.

Pageantry has given her another opportunity to share that message. Courts explained that she became involved after meeting a pageant director at an event. Her experience at Miss Black USA Talented Teen in Washington, D.C., included showcasing her singing talent.

A student at Capitol High School, Courts spoke about her interest in biology and her ambition to help discover cures for diseases. She credited her supportive family with encouraging her work ethic and commitment to school.

Courts also reflected on growing up in Kanawha County, describing its close-knit community as a positive part of her experience. Her message to adults echoed the central theme of her reflection: young people need opportunities to speak and adults who are willing to listen, including when the subjects are difficult.

She encouraged other young people to stay in school and remain focused, while urging people to make kindness a priority.

Watch Malia Courts’ full interview on BlackByGod’s YouTube channel.