Meet the Brent-Waltons

Sofia was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and is the oldest of three girls. She has a string of hobbies, from drawing to sewing and reading—and occasionally filling her online cart just to see how much everything would cost (though, Malcolm doesn't really care for the last one). She fell in love with neuroscience early. She went on to study Biology at Spelman College, earning multiple research presentations and publications. Graduate school brought her to Washington, DC, where she earned her Master’s in Integrative Neuroscience from Georgetown University—and also fell in love with the city. It was easy to imagine roots in DC, and when the time was right, love appeared unexpected and welcome. At one point on their first date, Sofia passionately talked about her current lab research for ten minutes straight-- miraculously, Malcolm’s eyes remained unglazed and he did not ask for the check!

Meet Sofia

Malcolm was born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, the oldest of three siblings. From a young age basketball ran his life. It took him from gyms all across the DMV to New Hampshire’s prep ranks and finally back to Maryland— Catonsville, Maryland to be exact. Home to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, the D1 school that offered him a full scholarship. Basketball brought him there, but Economics kept him going and he became only the 2nd athlete in the history of the athletic department to graduate in three years. From there Malcolm spent two years dabbling in Mississippi, graduate school, New York City, painting, hospital stays, single speed bikes, and bussing tables. Thankfully, a higher power intervened and led Malcolm to a higher calling. He committed to a year of service, joining the Americorps program City Year. There, he found his love for helping youths make sense of the world they are growing into. With the newfound routines and rhythms of teaching, Malcolm thrived, and over the years developed into the man that Sofia would fall in love with. Someone who is committed to his students, his studies, and above all, his growing family.

Meet Malcolm

Our Story

Sofia and Malcolm matched on Hinge between 10 and 11 a.m. on Friday, June 10, 2022. Eight hours later, they met for their first date at Bar Chinois—Malcolm in a t-shirt, shorts, and worn-in Chucks; Sofia in a black jumpsuit and heels. Despite a clear miscommunication on dress code, the spark was immediate. What followed was six dates in eight days, a spontaneous four-hour road trip from rural Virginia, and by the end of the month, Sofia had met Malcolm’s entire maternal family.

Their whirlwind romance settled into a steady rhythm during the academic year—Malcolm began his journey as a lead teacher, and Sofia continued her neuroscience research. Weekends became their time for adventure, filled with museum visits, tasting menus, and quiet moments exploring D.C. A year and two weeks after their first date, they moved in together and built their first home.

Today, Malcolm teaches second grade while pursuing his doctorate in education, while Sofia works in philanthropy and grants administration at a national nonprofit focused on autism research, advocacy, and awareness. The pair enjoy walks around the Capitol, collecting art, all the Anthony Bourdain shows, and the movie Anaconda (1997). They share their home with three beloved fur babies: Saint (“Mr. Saint”), their beagle-mix pup, and two cats, Robin and Zephyr—the perfect trio for their purr-fect little family.

Malcolm & Sofia