There’s a certain kind of artist who doesn’t just participate in culture — they shape it. Akilah Hughes (pronounced UH-KEE-LUH) is one of those artists.

With an honest voice and comedic perspective, Akilah has built a body of work that defies category. She’s a writer, performer, filmmaker, and podcast host — but more than any single title, she’s a creator with vision. Her work lives at the intersection of comedy, commentary, and cultural critique — always smart, often satirical, and deeply, unmistakably human.

As a founding co-host of Crooked Media’s chart-topping, award-winning What a Day, Akilah made daily news feel like something you actually wanted to hear — equal parts clarity and charisma. Her writing has earned her a WGA Award nomination and a collaboration with Steven Soderbergh (casual) on a climate-conscious series that proved activism and artistry can go hand-in-hand. Her memoir, Obviously: Stories from My Timeline (Penguin Random House), reads like a millennial’s coming-of-age mixtape — honest, hilarious, and sharply observed.

She’s a Sundance Episodic Story Lab Fellow and a USC x MacArthur Foundation Civic Media Fellow, accolades that speak to both her storytelling prowess and her commitment to public good. Since 2013, she’s created and collaborated on hundreds of videos — for HBO, ABC, Comedy Central, and her own YouTube channel — racking up over 100 million views with work that feels both timeless and of-the-moment.

Her 2024 podcast Rebel Spirit (Webby Award-winning, naturally) is quintessential Akilah: a return to her Kentucky roots, a challenge to outdated systems, and a case for choosing joy — or biscuits — over bigotry. It’s activism with style, nostalgia with bite.

There’s a polish to her work, as the small and personal becomes big and universal. A Southern-born, self-described coastal elite, her work offers a broader perspective about how to envision a better future.

To watch Akilah Hughes work is to watch someone build a world — one where jokes are smart, justice is joyful, and the story is always worth hearing.