Molly Burke’s rise from a social media content creator to one of the most influential voices in the disability advocacy space is nothing short of inspiring.
With nearly five million followers across platforms and a profile that spans from influencer to speaker, model, and author, Burke is reshaping the narrative around disability speaking with What’s Trending’s Creator Spotlight powered by Prophet. She is not only known for her wit and knowledge but also for her dedication to raising awareness about the blind and low-vision community.
Named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list in 2024, Burke continues to make waves in both the digital and corporate worlds, partnering with major brands such as Coca-Cola, Starbucks, and Amazon.
A Journey of Self-Discovery and Social Media Stardom
Molly Burke’s journey to becoming a household name in the social media sphere began when she was just 20 years old. Now, at 30, she reflects on a decade of growth, challenges, and unexpected breakthroughs. It’s been more than just a career for Burke—it’s been a personal mission to educate and empower others while breaking down misconceptions about blindness.
“I feel like I can claim ‘OG’ status now,” Burke shared with a laugh, reflecting on her early days of creating content. “It’s been ten years—my entire twenties—and, for better or worse, that was all documented online.” When she first started posting on YouTube, Burke wasn’t an instant success. She spent two years steadily uploading videos, building a following of around 5,000 subscribers. While it was a modest beginning, it was enough to get her noticed.
In 2014, Burke received an invitation to be a featured creator at VidCon, an invitation that felt surreal considering her relatively small following. Yet, the opportunity would prove to be a pivotal moment in her career. VidCon, an event for YouTube creators, sought to address accessibility online and increase disability representation in digital media. Burke’s presence there was groundbreaking—she was the first blind creator at the event.
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“Being at VidCon with only 5,000 subscribers was huge,” Burke recalled. “I was like, ‘Is this spam?’ But it wasn’t—it was the start of a conversation about accessibility and representation, and I was a part of it.”
Her time at VidCon proved to be transformative. Soon after the event, her subscriber count had skyrocketed to 15,000. By the following year, it had jumped to 67,000. But the real turning point came when Burke met renowned YouTube personality Casey Neistat. Burke pitched Neistat an idea, and after a brief conversation, he agreed to collaborate with her on a video. What followed was a game-changing moment for Burke.
Neistat, who had millions of subscribers at the time, featured Burke on his channel. The collaboration catapulted her subscriber count from 67,000 to 120,000 overnight. Burke’s exposure soared, and she soon became a recognized figure in the digital world, particularly in the realms of fashion, beauty, and disability advocacy.
Building the “Molly Burke” Brand
One of Burke’s primary goals has always been to build a brand that reflects both her personal style and her mission to change perceptions of disability. She took a strategic approach to brand partnerships, choosing to work only with top-tier companies that aligned with her values.
“I wanted to build a brand that felt premium, that worked with household names. I wasn’t interested in just any sponsorship. I wanted to work with brands that valued the same things I did—representation, inclusivity, and accessibility,” she explained. “And those are the brands with the bigger budgets.”
Her partnership with Samsung, which began after her collaboration with Neistat, helped Burke establish herself in the influencer world. But it wasn’t just about financial stability. It was about aligning with companies that reflected her core values. This mindset allowed her to continue pursuing her passions, such as speaking engagements and creating meaningful content, while selectively working with brands that shared her mission.
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“I didn’t want to clutter my feed with random sponsorships,” she said. “I wanted to keep my content authentic. And that’s why I’ve worked with brands that share my vision of accessibility and inclusivity.”
@mollyburkeofficial #StateFarmPartner Thanks for being a good neighbor and a good ally, @jakefromstatefarm! #GuideDog #Ally #GoodNeighbor
For Burke, creating content isn’t just about raising awareness of disability—it’s also about empowering others to see beyond labels. She brings a unique perspective to beauty, fashion, and lifestyle content, creating videos that showcase her style while also educating her audience about blindness and accessibility. Burke often balances her more educational videos with lighter content, such as shopping hauls and makeup tutorials, allowing her audience to see her as a multifaceted individual rather than just a person defined by her blindness.
“It was important to me to create content that shows you can be both educational and stylish,” Burke said. “If people can see me as a person beyond my disability—if they can watch a makeup tutorial and forget I’m blind—that’s how we start shifting perceptions.”
The Social Model of Disability: Empowering Through Awareness
Burke’s advocacy work goes beyond social media. As a child, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that leads to progressive vision loss. Growing up, she was often thrust into the “poster child” role for charitable organizations focused on curing blindness, a narrative that placed her in a box that didn’t fit her identity.
Through her journey, Burke embraced the social model of disability—a framework that focuses on societal barriers rather than individual impairments. The social model argues that disability is not inherent in the person but in the way society is structured. For Burke, understanding this model was a turning point in her life.
“The real frustration with my blindness has always been the lack of accessibility or the way people treat me,” she explained. “When I’m in an environment that’s accessible to me, I don’t feel disabled. It’s not about finding a cure—it’s about creating a world that allows everyone to thrive.”
The social model calls for more inclusive design in every aspect of life, from architecture to technology. Burke advocates for universal accessibility, such as ramps, braille signage, and audio descriptions, to ensure that people with disabilities can participate fully in society. She believes that these changes not only benefit the disabled community but also create a more equitable world for everyone.
“Accessibility isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a must-have. And it’s not more expensive to build an accessible world; it’s faster, and it’s better for everyone,” Burke said.
By advocating for these changes, Burke is not only challenging the status quo but also empowering others with disabilities to feel seen and valued in every space.
@mollyburkeofficial Medical Model is Disability versus the Social Model if Disability! #learnontiktok #tiktokpartner #disabiltyawareness #disability #blind #disabled
A Legacy of Change
As she reflects on her journey, Burke is proud of how far she has come—but she is also keenly aware of how much more there is to do. While her personal brand has grown exponentially, her commitment to advocating for the blind and low-vision community remains her driving force. Her success has paved the way for other disabled creators to rise in the digital space, and she continues to champion diversity and inclusion in both the virtual and physical worlds.
“Representation matters. The more we see blind people in the public eye, the more we can normalize disability and break down the barriers that have held us back for so long,” Burke said. “We’ve come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.”
Molly Burke’s story is a testament to the power of persistence, purpose, and the belief that everyone—regardless of ability—deserves to be seen and heard. Through her work, she is not only changing perceptions but also building a world where disability is no longer a barrier to success, self-expression, or opportunity.
I don’t sit there doing my makeup without a mirror in front of me and think I’m so blind I can’t do my makeup in the mirror. No, I just do my makeup the same way you would. Mm hmm. I feel fully functional, but when I leave my house and I go somewhere that isn’t inclusive or accessible, that makes me feel disabled.
