about anuli
Multifaceted.
Transdisciplinary.
Beyond Category.
Cultural Anthropologist. Cultural Worker.
“As a cultural worker who belongs to an oppressed people my job is to make revolution irresistible. One of the ways I attempt to do that is by celebrating those victories within the black community. And I think the mere fact that we’re still breathing is a cause for celebration. Also my job is to critique the reactionary behavior within the community and to keep certain kinds of calls out there: the children, our responsibility of children, our responsibility to maintain some kind of continuity from the past. But I think for any artist your job is determined by the community you’re identifying with.”
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Anuli Akanegbu (pronounced: Ah-noo-lee A-ka-nay-boo, pronouns: she/her/hers) is a researcher, writer, and educator based in Atlanta. Her work integrates cultural anthropology with innovative storytelling to examine the relational connections and conflicts between work, creativity, and identity.
Anuli is a truth-seeker, storyteller, and problem-solver with a unique blend of academic training and marketing industry expertise. She earned her PhD in cultural anthropology from NYU in May 2024 following a successful career as a senior strategist and brand planner at Edelman, a prominent global public relations and marketing firm.
Anuli is dedicated to advancing public scholarship and ensuring that anthropological knowledge is accessible and relevant to diverse audiences. She has shaped discussions on social media, the arts, and cultural heritage preservation through her multimedia education platform, BLK IRL®. This platform prominently features her podcast, "The BLK IRL Podcast." To learn more about Anuli Akanegbu, be sure to visit www.anuliwashere.com.
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Anuli Akanegbu, PhD (pronounced: Ah-noo-lee A-ka-nay-boo, pronouns: she/her/hers), is a researcher, writer, and educator based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Her work integrates cultural anthropology with innovative storytelling to examine the relational connections and conflicts between work, creativity, and identity.
Anuli earned her PhD in cultural anthropology from NYU in May 2024 following a successful career as a senior strategist and brand planner at Edelman, a leading global public relations and marketing firm. She graduated summa cum laude from Howard University’s School of Communications and has completed graduate-level coursework in NYU’s Experimental Humanities & Social Engagement (XE) master’s program.
As a researcher and writer, Anuli is drawn to projects that merge creativity and scholarship, providing diverse insights into the relationship between identity and imagination. Her research interests lie at the intersection of cultural anthropology, identity studies, history, and creative methodologies, focusing on labor and creative production. Her dissertation research project, “The South Got Something to Share: A Behind-the-Screens Look at the Work/Lives of Black Creative Contract Workers in Atlanta” forms the basis of her forthcoming book on the genealogy of creative contract work, its interaction with identity, and the role of imagination in Atlanta's city branding efforts.
Before earning her doctorate, Anuli excelled as a senior strategist and brand planner at Edelman, where she led cross-functional teams in developing activation strategies and consumer research projects for multinational brands in various sectors. Her unique blend of academic training and marketing experience allows her to approach projects as a subject matter expert and strategic thinker, helping to bridge the gap between scholarly insights and practical applications.
Anuli is dedicated to advancing public scholarship and ensuring that anthropological knowledge is accessible and relevant to diverse audiences. Her work exemplifies the power of fostering deep connections and understanding across cultural and geographical boundaries. Anuli has been a guest speaker and expert source for organizations like the American Anthropological Association (AAA), the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), the National Council of Negro Women, Inc (NCNW), and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). She has also shaped discussions on social media, the arts, and cultural heritage preservation through her multimedia educational platform BLK IRL®, including her podcast "The BLK IRL Podcast” (www.blkirl.com). For more information about Anuli Akanegbu, visit www.anuliwashere.com.
a lil more personal
I am going to speak in the first person now because you obviously came here to learn more about me. It is hard to craft an about page that captures the fullness of a person’s humanity beyond job titles and professional experience. Who am I? What do I care about? These are the questions that we spend our lifetime trying to answer. One exercise I did in service of getting to learn more about who I am and how I am received by others was to ask a selection of people in my life to describe me as if they were introducing me to a stranger. Their answers really affirmed things that I appreciate most about myself. They did a good job of speaking to multiple aspects of my personality. The responses are below. Enjoy learning even more about me.
