About Me

My name is Malaika (Muh-Like-Uh) Tinashe (Ti-Nah-Shay). I am a Zimbabwean-South African-American actor, writer, director, model and dancer who was raised in St. Louis!

 

I am a Black and queer artist whose passions are rooted in the intersections of creativity and humanity. I’ve always had a personal mission of honoring the stories and complexities of Black girls/femmes everywhere. As a creative, Black women and femmes are the heart of my work, and I value every opportunity to showcase the full range of emotions and experiences that comes from living life as a Black woman/femme.

 

Along with my acting experience, I have written and directed many plays such as “Don’t Look So Damn Surprised: A Greek Myth Hidden in the Homes of St. Louis” which has had two sold out readings in New York City at Theaterlab and The Flea Theater as well as my short play “Going Over It Again” that has been performed at the New York Theater Festival, The Flea Theater, and PushPush Arts short play reading showcase in Atlanta, GA. I have also written many short stories and poems including my first published poetry book titled “My Words, My Rules” in 2019. I have practiced the skill of interweaving these ideas by studying writing and directing through artistic internships and fellowships such as the Andrew W. Mellon Storytelling Fellowship for Equity and Inclusion in 2022. I was also heavily involved in Pace University’s Black Student Union all four years of college, and served as the Creative Director for my final two years. I was in charge of our social media accounts, our Social Justice Committee Board, creative consultation on all events, and moderated our annual academic MLK lecture in 2022 and 2023.

 

During the day, I am a teaching artist to students of all ages teaching poetry, playwriting, and theater. I find it extremely fulfilling to be able to encourage young people to express themselves through the arts. The arts helped me immensely as a young person, and it is an honor to help other young people find their voices. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my friends, attending live concerts and events, listening to music, and going to at least two heels dance classes a week!