Meet Aliya Brooks | Mobility & Wellness Expert

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aliya Brooks and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aliya, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process behind starting my business was deeply rooted in honoring and carrying forward the legacy of my grandmother Millie, who taught me the importance of mobility, wellness, and daily stretching. Growing up, I spent a year living with her and countless weekends there since I was 2 years old. Movement was a central part of our lives. My grandmother, along with my mother, was a dancer, and she made it a point to instill the values of discipline and consistency in me from a very young age. Every morning, we would start our day in her beautiful, sunlit living room, where she would guide me through stretching, variations of yoga, and dance routines. Those sessions were more than exercise—they were our way of bonding, and she would correct my form, apply extra weight during certain stretches, and even lightly tap my leg if it wasn’t straight. Through these practices, she taught me the power of daily movement for both physical and mental resilience.

Millie was an extraordinary woman who defied age with grace and strength. Even in her 90s, she continued teaching ballet to young girls and offering stretch classes to her peers, many of whom were in their 70s and 80s. Watching her inspire others was something I cherished, and over time, I began sharing her journey on social media to celebrate her and show others her ‘secret’ to longevity. Her philosophy was simple: commit to daily movement, always be confident, nurture your body, and prioritize wellness in every aspect of life.

When I started college at Spelman College in 2018, I continued sharing her story and even brought stretching classes to campus, hoping to inspire other young Black women to embrace these practices. Millie’s passing in late 2021 was a tremendous loss that broke me in ways I hadn’t expected, and it was incredibly hard to process her absence. However, it also awakened a spark in me to carry her legacy forward. She would always say, ‘Aliya, only you know my secret,’ and I felt an undeniable calling to share her teachings with a wider audience. What began as a simple passion project has now evolved into a mission-driven business, where I share content, offer classes, and inspire others to experience the benefits of consistent mobility, stretching, and wellness. My goal is to honor her life and legacy by showing people the transformative power of daily movement, mobility and wellness—just as she did for me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My career journey has been one of persistence, resilience, and a deep passion for women’s health. Today, I’m grateful to work with Hologic Inc., the leading company in women’s health medical devices, which aligns perfectly with the values instilled in me by my grandmother, Millie. Initially, I was on a pre-med track at Spelman College, inspired to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps, but a family friend introduced me to medical device sales, and I realized I could impact lives in a different way but still on such a personal level.

Breaking into the medical device industry was far from easy, and I quickly learned that I needed hands-on sales experience to even be considered for a role. Determined to reach my goal, I took on a sales job at Lululemon, where I learned the art of connecting with clients and delivering excellent service. At the same time, I balanced a second job as an Aesthetics coordinator for a surgeon, where I helped scale her brand in cosmetic services like Botox and Juvederm. These roles were invaluable, teaching me not only the skills of sales and customer engagement but also how to stay organized, interact with medical patients, professional, and driven in a high-stakes environment. I was still in college, balancing my studies, my jobs, and the desire to break into an industry that felt, at times, out of reach. According to the contacts I was in touch with, no one had ever been hired at Hologic straight out of college so it would take me some years to get this experience.

Despite gaining experience, the journey remained challenging. I went through countless interviews, often facing rejection from other medical sales companies, and it was particularly difficult as I was grieving the recent loss of my grandmother, Millie at the time. Watching my friends secure jobs while I struggled with rejection was a humbling experience, making me question if all my hard work had been in vain. But my grandmother’s lessons on resilience kept me grounded, and I knew I had to keep pushing forward. I leveraged every opportunity to network, reaching out to professionals on LinkedIn, building connections, and following up regularly. I kept two key contacts updated on my progress, sharing my growth and experiences. I wanted them to know how committed I was to breaking into medical device sales, hoping that when an opportunity finally opened, they’d remember my persistence and dedication.

Eventually my efforts paid off, and I became the YOUNGEST person at the company and still am to this day. Going into this interview, the manager called it “practice” for me to learn how I could improve my interview skills and learn what experience I was missing for this role. Practice turned into “you were the best interview of everyone”! I was then so grateful to land a position with Hologic. I’m incredibly proud of this role, not only because of the challenges I overcame to get here, but because it allows me to live out my passion for women’s health—a passion deeply rooted in my grandmother’s legacy and one I feel I am meant to carry out everyday. Working in a field that empowers women aligns with everything she stood for, what I stand for, and the lessons she imparted to me. My journey is a testament to the power of resilience, networking, and the belief that with persistence, we can carve out a path that honors our values, even if it’s not the one we originally envisioned.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend were in town I would take her to some of my favorite yoga and pilates studios first. Then we would go to restore hyper-wellness which I love to get their cryotherapy or go to their sauna’s! Over the weekend we would go to the Dekalb farmer’s market or Grant Park farmer’s market. I have also just started selling my own fresh homemade juices so find me at the market every few days to get fresh fruits and veggies!
We would also go out to eat at some of our favorite spots. One of our favorite sweet spots is The Salty, we love their donuts! Also we always head to Houston’s for some nice bar girl talk time and their amazing spinach dip. Some of our other favorite activities to do here is go on a walk at the beltline, and we enjoy nightlife places like Rock Steady to have some fun. We also love to shop so will head to Lennox or Little Five points every now and then for a shopping or thrifting run. Finally, we love going to community events and supporting friends so find me doing that all the time! In the summer time, I enjoy playing tennis and also am trying to get into golf as of recently.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Reflecting on my journey with Ageless MoBility and where I am today, there’s no question that my success is due in large part to the love, support, and inspiration of my family. My grandmother, Millie, is at the heart of this journey. She was the one who instilled in me the importance of movement, wellness, and daily habits that prioritize health.

But my journey wouldn’t be complete without my mother’s influence, which has been equally profound. My mom was instrumental in shaping my health and wellness habits from a young age, following in the footsteps of her mother, Millie. Simple habits, like making sure to eat a vegetable with every meal and practicing ‘everything in moderation,’ were part of our daily lives and have become foundational to my wellness philosophy. She instilled in me the importance of taking the stairs over the elevator whenever possible and never underestimating the power of walking. These habits may seem small, but they are pillars of wellness that Millie and my mom both believed kept them strong and healthy. My mother has been my blueprint for establishing a daily routine, embodying consistency in practices like meditation, yoga, and regular exercise. Her dedication to health and wellness has not only influenced me but has served as an example to my over 100,000 followers across Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok. She represents that middle generation between my grandmother and me, showing that wellness and mobility are possible—and essential—at any age.

My aunt, cousin, uncle, sister, dad, and mom all embraced these habits and encouraged me to stay active and eat healthily. We would go on family walks together, and during gatherings at Millie’s house, we’d often have stretching sessions where she’d guide us all through exercises. One of my favorite memories was celebrating Millie’s 90th birthday with a family gathering where my mom, dad, sister, uncle, aunt, and cousin were all present. Millie and I performed a dance, and my sister and cousin—both dancers—joined in, carrying on the family’s passion for movement. This legacy of dance, movement, and wellness has truly been woven into the fabric of our family.

I also have to give a special shoutout to my sister, who is now a professional dancer with Alvin Ailey II. She inspires me every day to continue dancing and embodies Millie’s legacy in her own unique way. Millie, who herself was a professional dancer at age 50, worked with my sister on stretching just as she did with me. My sister’s career in dance keeps the tradition alive, honoring Millie’s legacy from yet another angle.

My family has been my greatest source of strength, mentorship, and love, and their influence has shaped every aspect of my wellness journey. As I continue to grow Ageless MoBility, I carry with me the lessons and habits instilled by Millie and my mom, and I strive to inspire others with their example of health, resilience, and grace. This journey is as much theirs as it is mine, and I am endlessly grateful for the love and encouragement they have provided every step of the way.”

Website: https://www.ageless-mobility.com

Instagram: @agelessmobility

Linkedin: Aliya Brooks

Facebook: Aliya Brooks

Youtube: @agelessmobility

Image Credits
Credit “Chantel” for image of me by myself for the personal photo