I am passionate about using my skills and talents to build stronger, healthier, happier communities where we can all collectively thrive, especially those places I call home (DMV, Baltimore, and Pakistan). This manifests itself in my professional / educational background in international politics, sustainable community development, education, and social justice, especially in my current role as a high school English & Language Arts and Social Studies teacher with D.C Public Schools. Previously, I have worked in varying capacities for the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, USAID, State Department Public Diplomacy/ cultural exchange programs with the U.S Embassy in Bangladesh, the U.S Congress and major international humanitarian non-profits such as CARE.
My passion is further demonstrated by my personal commitments to mutual aid and community organizing in the DMV since 2017 onwards, including leading teach-ins on behalf of the Free DC Project and D.C Mutual Aid Network at Howard University’s Summer for Democracy Teach-In, hosting protest jams to support the Free DC movement and organizing with groups such as ICNA Council for Social Justice, Georgetown University’s Center for Social Justice and the Democratic Socialists of America in support of tenant advocacy, Muslim-American civil rights and more.
Event-Planning and Creative Collaborations
I provide event-planning services (community outreach, marketing, and partner solicitations) centered around music and community-building, connecting creative concepts with spaces and resources.
Most recently, during my time at SOST as the Cafe Community Coordinator, our vinyl fair and swap pop-up hosted in collaboration with Home Rule Records and Rhythm Lingo Records was reccomended by The Washington Post. If you are interested in hosting an event or opportunities to collaborate, please feel free to reach out to me at itsmemalikah@gmail.com : )
Speaking Engagements
As a public speaker and educator, I have designed and led teach-ins including spearheading the Muslim Youth Panel for the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, serving as a Guest Speaker for Women of Color Advancing Peace & Security’s Pipline Fellowship Finale and speaking twice as a panel guest & performer at Howard University’s Summer for Democracy Teach-In on behalf of the Free DC Project and D.C Mutual Aid Network.
As an English & Language Arts and Social Studies teacher, my expertise lies in the intersection of culture & politics, international relations, geo-politics in South Asia/ the Middle East and grassroots political advocacy in the U.S. I speak free of charge from the belief that knowledge is meant to be shared and all speaking engagement inquiries can be directed to itsmemalikah@gmail.com.