Anela Malik’w work sits at the intersection of curiosity, courage, and reinvention.

On her Substack Unfiltered and Fed, Anela blends personal essays, travel writing, and cultural reflection in a way that feels deeply lived-in — the kind of writing that comes from someone who has taken risks, tried things that didn’t work, and kept going anyway. What stands out to me most about Anela is how clearly writing functions as connective tissue across everything she does, from her newsletter to her travel business to the way she shows up online.

In this conversation, Anela talks candidly about her journey as a writer, the power of short, earnest pieces, and how writing underpins everything she does — from personal essays and travel guides to her book, American Soul: The Black History of Food in the United States.

She reflects on using writing both as a creative practice and a business tool, offering a thoughtful look at what it means to build a writing life that’s flexible, multidimensional, and grounded in self-trust — even when the path looks different than you imagined.

👇 Read the full interview below: