Skip to main content

Maliek is a strong and unique individual that is an inspiration to all of the people who meet him. Maliek describes his life as a constant challenge, but he does not let that slow him down. He graduated from Martin Luther King High School in 2000 and managed to make good grades, but had to work very hard every day to accomplish this goal. He was adored by his teachers, and had their encouragement and support as he charged through his high school years. During a school trip to New York City, Maliek had the opportunity to visit the Statue of Liberty. This made a profound impact on his life as he related it to his own freedom and opportunity to go to school. Maliek is a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and calls it his second home. He volunteers many hours to help the congregants and even was an assistant camp counselor during the summer.

Maliek has had his job as Photo License Technician since 2005 and has been a reliable, dependable employee for the company. His supervisor and coworkers have nothing but good things to say about his work ethic, his attitude about work, and his interactions with the many customers he encounters every day. The job requires Maliek to serve people who are sometimes frustrated and in a hurry to get out of the center. He does not let this get him down and makes sure that people are served well and keeps his cool, drawing from his mother’s advice to “not let people get to him,” even in the more stressful situations. He goes out of his way to help coworkers when needed. In fact, Maliek was covering a shift for someone when we asked to talk to him about his story!

Maliek is into pop culture and enjoys staying up-to-date on music and entertainment. His favorite song is "Hero" by Mariah Carey. The song inspires him and if you read the words, you will find that they could also be describing him. Because there is a hero inside of Maliek’s heart and it gives him the strength to carry on.

Neurodiversity in the Workplace Partner Organizations