Wait, who’s Anela?
Anela Malik did everything right.
Worked hard. Learned a foreign language. Got a master’s degree from Georgetown University. Became a U.S. diplomat.
Then, she walked away. She chose storytelling.
Every day, we tell stories about who we are, where we belong, and what our lives mean. And when Anela looked at media, she saw the same narrow perspective dominating the narrative. The same voices. The same blind spots she had witnessed up close during her time as a diplomat.
She chose to build something different.
Her work is rooted in the belief that the best stories don’t need to perform or impress. They need to be intimate, personal, and deeply human. They need to tell the truth. And when they do, they move people.
What she does now
Anela Malik is a DC-based author, speaker, and host whose work centers Black women, curiosity, and the belief that a bigger, more meaningful life is not only possible, but worth claiming.
She is the founder of Unfiltered & Fed, a newsletter and global community spanning personal writing, culture-forward travel, and live events across the United States.
Anela is the author of American Soul: The Black History of Food in the United States, published by National Geographic in 2025, and a 2x NAACP Image Awards nominee. She is also the host of an independent food and travel series exploring Black food and community, which she successfully crowdfunded $65,000 to create.
Her work and voice have been featured in outlets including The New York Times, Forbes, Eater, and The Cut.