Poverty Baby: SU Student building Generational Wealth

“If you don’t come from a wealthy family, then a wealthy family must come from you.” One Southern student, Malik Ellis lives by this quote believing it is his duty to build wealth for the future.
Ellis is a senior majoring in biology at Southern University. He grew up in the city of Lake Charles, Louisiana whereas a kid, life was not always easy for him. It was instilled in him at a young age that he would conquer those struggles and prevail to one day provide for his family and change their narrative.
After graduating from LaGrange Highschool, Ellis wanted to achieve more in his life, so he decided to embark on the journey of attending college. He chose Southern due to the strong reputation of their biology program which interested him. He also felt a strong sense of community when he came to the university on a visit.
His brand, Poverty Baby Co. was established in 2019 when Ellis and a counterpart were brainstorming ideas for imposing brand names that would best represent the beauty in struggle and the journey it takes to overcome it. Subsequently, the brand has gained a strong following on social media and supporters can see the many different clothing pieces he has worked on since the brand’s creation.
Highlighting the good and bad people face in everyday life is a main motivation factor for the advancement of the clothing brand. In a sit down with Ellis, he stated,” A lot of people seem to associate poverty with being poor or homeless when it’s more to it, you can be poor in your mind, body, and soul and when you lack in these areas it’s no opportunity for growth.”
Throughout his tenure at the university, Ellis has appeared in many pop-up shops and other on-campus events that have helped him promote and grow his identity as a clothing brand owner. It has taught him many tangible tools for entrepreneurship and business marketing in the professional world. Ellis said,” As a teen entrepreneur, one of my favorite things to do is inspire others to achieve their goals, build their business, and truly create something that makes the lives of others better.”
Nonetheless, Poverty Baby Co. is an upcoming clothing brand that will continue to take campus by storm. You can support the brand by following them on Instagram @povertybabyco.