Anas “Andy” Shallal is an Iraqi-born artist, activist, social entrepreneur, and founder/CEO of Busboys and Poets, a restaurant, bookstore, and performance venue in the Washington Metropolitan area. He opened the first location in 2005 as part restaurant, part agent for social change. With nine locations in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia, Busboys and Poets has become a home for progressives, artists, creatives, and intellectuals. Shallal is a 2018 Frederick Douglass 200 award winner for those who best embody Douglass’ spirit, a TEDx speaker, and the founder of several peace and justice organizations. His memoir, A Seat At the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets, has been called “A fast-moving memoir” by Ralph Nader, “magnificent” by Alice Walker, and “a singular story, told here with the focus on big ideas and love of community that have propelled him over the years,” by Publishers Weekly. He is on the board of trustees for the Institute for Policy Studies, Palestine House of Freedom, DAWN, the Anacostia Coordinating Council, and a founding member of Think Local First DC, a local business association serving in advisory and leadership roles to advance progressive business and labor practices. Shallal received his B.S. in biology from Catholic University of America and an MBA from The Robert Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland in College Park.
Instagram: @andyshallal
X: @andyshallal