A portable electronics device (110, 210) having a self illuminating display (112, 200, 400, 402, 404, 406, 500, 600, 700) that reduces both the thickness of known displays and processing steps in the fabrication thereof is provided. The portable electronic device (110, 210) includes an electrowetting display (112, 200, 400, 402, 404, 406, 500, 600, 700) having a plurality of layers (416, 420; 222, 210; 322, 312; 722, 712) defining a cavity (419) containing a mixture of a first fluid (418, 536, 736) and a second fluid (410, 560, 660, 730) positioned in the cavity (419). First circuitry (424) is configured to be coupled to a first voltage source (422) for selectively repositioning the second fluid (410, 560, 660, 730) in relation to the first fluid (418, 536, 736). A first plurality of electroluminescent particles (408, 560, 660, 760) are positioned within the second fluid (410, 560, 660, 730), and second circuitry (428) is configured to be coupled to a second voltage source (426) for selectively causing the electroluminescent particles (408, 560, 660, 760) to emit photons (430). Additional similar stacks of layers (504, 506, 604, 606) may be added to provide a color display.