Identical but Individual: The Newton Sisters’ Story of Success
“Together since Day One,” is probably the best way to describe the relationship of twin sisters Mikayla and Maiya Newton.
The identical twins grew up sharing everything and have become each other’s greatest companion.
Here is the story of how the Newton sisters, identical twins from Riverdale, Georgia, grew up to excel in their respective fields and found individual success.
Growing up Twins
Usually, children first make friends and start socializing in their kindergarten years, but it was different for the Newton sisters.
Been together since brought to life, the twins were basically born with a best friend, and being born with a best friend, the sisters never had to worry about being alone. They always had each other’s back.
“It was cool growing up with a built-in best friend… My favorite part of having a twin is always having someone to go somewhere with, and never really being alone,” said Mikayla.
The probability of identical twin pregnancies is rated 0.45% in the general population today, and because it’s so rare to see a set of identical twins, strangers on the street ask the sisters thousands of random questions.
“It’s like having your sister being your best friend but looking alike and a lot of people coming up to you, when you’re out in public, asking a lot of annoying questions!” said Maiya as she compared the pros and cons of being an identical twin.
Similar but Different
As identical twins, the Newton sisters share almost the same genetic code, but that does not mean they are two indistinguishable people.
In fact, while the Newton sisters share similar morals and values, they can be as different as night and day when it comes to their career interests.
The twins each grew up cheerleading and running track, but as time went by their interests have gradually varied from one another.
Mikayla, while being a cheerleader her entire life, always loved reading, and gained an interest in writing and photography. On the other hand, Maiya found her talent in track and field in middle school and was introduced to cross-country in high school; all the while she had a passion for business in the back of her mind.
In 2015, the Newton sisters entered Georgia State University to take their passions to another level.
Mikayla chose to major in Journalism, following her childhood dream of pursuing TV broadcast.
“I actually thought that I would take on a print newspaper job when I was younger, but then I realized that more money was in broadcast journalism, so I began to pursue that,” explained Mikayla.
She joined an on-campus TV station to build journalism experiences.
Maiya describes her sister as a “woman of her word”: “If she says she’s going to do something, it’ll most likely happen.”
Gradually, Mikayla’s efforts have come to fruition. She has successfully interned at CNN and Fox 5 Atlanta as an undergrad at GSU.
At the same time, Maiya has not only double majored in Computer Information Systems and Management Science, but also kept up with track and field and cross-country at a college-level.
She did not join the university’s track and field team until her junior year, but in order to continuously pursue her love for sports, in Fall 2016, she founded the Georgia State chapter of Pretty Girls Sweat, an organization of a sisterhood that strives for a healthy lifestyle and to delete the negative stigma of sweat.
The Newton sisters did not waste a second of college life to reach their goals in journalism and business respectively.
And finally, May 2019, the sisters graduated from GSU.
Year 2019
2019 has been a good year for the Newton sisters.
They have not only successfully graduated from university, but also opened a new chapter in their lives on a high note.
In June, Mikayla combined her journalism experience with her love for reading to publish her own book “Elevator Rides are Awkward,” a story about social media and the generational curse.
“I’ve been writing the book pretty much since sophomore year of college, and one of my friends published her book, and that motivated me to finish mine,” said Mikayla.
She hopes that her book inspires readers to take a beat and use social media, instead of being used by social media.
Using her own experience of publishing a book, Mikayla seeks to help other independent authors publish their book as she knows the struggles.
“Formatting as a self-published author was definitely a challenge because it was difficult… As I wrote my first book, I decided to help other aspiring authors do the same, and now it acts as a side hustle for me,” said the 22-year-old author.
As for Maiya, she started the year by participating in Nike’s “Until We All Win” campaign, which she describes as “ icing on the cake.”
She was contacted by Nike as a result of her positive influence in her community as well as her active involvement in tech and sports, such as chartering the Pretty Girls Sweat chapter at GSU.
“We shot the campaign in January 2019 and in February they launched the Future Varsity Program that highlighted young black leaders in the community for Black History Month,” explained Maiya.
In July, Maiya founded her company Duffle to help athletes that are in need of financial support.
“Our mission is to provide support and resources for athletes in low-income communities. Our web and mobile application is an exclusive-reward based crowdfunding platform… I want the users to really have a one-of-a-kind experience and a sense of community,” said the founder.
Looking Forward
As the 22-year-old Newton sisters are grinding in their fields, they are now away from each other.
Mikayla recently moved to New York to become a local news reporter/anchor as she has always dreamed as a child, while her other half Maiya moved to Tennessee to work in corporate America before reaching her long-term goal of becoming a “business mogul.”
“I’m going to be a business mogul, so I have a lot of businesses to put under my belt,” said Maiya.
Like the two different paths the twins chose, they have different advice for younger people.
“Live in the moment and don’t worry about what may be upsetting you now, because years down the line, it won’t matter. Just have fun!” said Mikayla.
“I would say to identify your gift and passion soon and hone your craft and don’t stray. Keep striving to be great!” added Maiya.
Although the sisters are states away from each other, they remain together in heart, supporting each other as a sister and a best friend since Day One.
