Meet the Speaker: Anna Malaika Tubbs

Anna Malaika Tubbs is a New York Times Bestselling author, advocate, and educator who grew up in Dubai, Mexico, Sweden, Estonia, Azerbaijan, as well as the United States. Influenced by her exposure to all kinds of cultures and beliefs, Anna is inspired to bring people together through the celebration of difference. Motivated by her mother’s work advocating for women’s and children’s rights around the world, Anna uses an intersectional lens to advocate for women of color and educate others.

During her time as an undergraduate student at Stanford University, Anna took from what she’d seen in her parents’ work and began honing her own identity as an activist. She served as the president of Stanford’s Black Student Union and she was also the Executive Director of Stanford’s Alternative Spring Break. In these roles, she organized rallies and events focused on the concerns of the Black community, she fundraised money for women’s clinics in the Bay Area, and she grew her passion for advocacy and social justice.

 Anna holds a Masters in Multidisciplinary Gender Studies and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Cambridge in addition to a Bachelors in Medical Anthropology from Stanford University. Her academic focus is on addressing gender and race issues in the US, especially the pervasive erasure of Black women.

 Anna was previously the First Partner of Stockton, CA, where she co-authored the first ever “Report on the Status of Women in Stockton” to help guide policy decisions with the experiences of diverse women in mind.

 Anna is also a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant who has worked with companies and individuals interested in progressing their DEI goals.

She has published articles on topics ranging from celebrating motherhood to addressing the forced sterilization of Black women as well as the importance of feminism, intersectionality, and inclusivity. Her writing has been featured in TIME Magazine, New York Magazine, CNN, Motherly, the Huffington Post, For Harriet, The Guardian, Darling Magazine, and Blavity. Her first book, titled The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr, Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation, was published by Flatiron Books in February of 2021. A New York Times’ Bestseller, a New York Times Editors Choice, and an Amazon Editor’s choice, the book has achieved critical acclaim and has been featured in Oprah Daily, People Magazine, USA Today, The Skimm, Fortune Magazine, MSNBC, CBS, C-Span, NPR, Forbes, The 19th News, GMA.com, Yahoo News, The Washington Post, Southern Living Magazine, and more.