Today we’d like to introduce you to Maliek Yuseef Powell.
Hi Maliek Yuseef, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m Maliek Yuseef Powell, a Birmingham-raised and Atlanta-shaped creative producer whose work sits at the intersection of storytelling, community, and culture. As the oldest sibling, leadership found me early, and those responsibilities became the foundation of everything I’ve built.
Upward Bound also shaped me. Every spring break, we traveled to a new place — New York my first year, Baltimore the next, then Las Vegas. Each city broadened my understanding of the world and deepened my curiosity. By the time senior year came around, that expansion was already happening inside me.
For our final trip, we visited Dallas. At the time, I didn’t expect Dallas to shift anything for me — especially after seeing places like New York and Vegas at such a young age — but that trip ended up planting a seed I didn’t fully understand until much later. We visited the Dallas Galleria, attended a Mavericks game, toured the newly built Cowboys stadium, and visited Paul Quinn College, an HBCU in the area.
Looking back, that experience quietly reshaped my perspective. It was my last trip with Upward Bound, and I didn’t realize then how much Dallas would eventually become woven into my story as an adult — both personally and through the creative relationships I’ve built across Dallas and Houston while producing my show. The impact came full circle in a way I never saw coming.seed.
Today, I’m the creator and executive producer of Made In: Birmingham, a docu-reality series that highlights real Southern entrepreneurs, influencers, and creatives. I’ve also spent years working in Atlanta with Gemini Filmz, Chasing Reality LLC., Real Life Reality and other digital platforms producing shows, visual podcasts, and brand campaigns. Alongside this, I serve as brand manager for my sisters’, “The Anderson Twins”, companies, TwoFold Charm Boutique and Iman’s Hair Extensions.
Texas ended up becoming part of the show’s story as well. One of our cast members, Muffy, moved to Houston mid-season. That move created an unexpected bridge between Alabama and Texas. Our audience started growing in Houston and Dallas, and it made me realize how Southern creatives often connect, migrate, and build across state lines. With that support, exploring a future Made In: Houston concept doesn’t feel far-fetched at all.
I’m also an openly pansexual Black man living undetectable with HIV.
My identity is my truth, and it guides my mission — using media as a space for transparency, healing, empowerment, and representation.
Whether I’m producing in Birmingham, collaborating in Atlanta, or building relationships across Texas, my purpose remains the same: elevate real Southern stories.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The journey hasn’t been easy. Building a media career in Birmingham meant creating a lane that didn’t exist. Unlike Atlanta, Houston, or Dallas, we don’t have a built-in entertainment infrastructure. I had to teach myself, travel, invest, and build everything from scratch.
Being openly pansexual while navigating life undetectable added another layer. There were moments when I felt pressure to shrink parts of myself just to be accepted professionally. Embracing my full identity made my work stronger and sharpened my mission.
Producing independent reality TV is also a challenge of its own. Some days you’re a writer, producer, scheduler, crisis manager, and brand strategist at the same time. But those challenges pushed me to lean into creativity, resourcefulness, and leadership. Watching Southern creative communities grow in places like Dallas and Houston showed me what was possible and motivated me to keep expanding.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I’m a storyteller at heart. I create docu-reality series, brand identities, visual campaigns, and digital content that highlight real people and authentic moments.
MIB Production House is my creative home and the place where I bring real Southern stories to life. I built this company because I didn’t see productions in my city that looked like us, sounded like us, or told our stories with intention. I wanted a space where authenticity mattered more than perfection, where real people and real culture were treated with respect.
My flagship series, Made In: Birmingham, follows entrepreneurs, influencers, and creatives as they navigate life, business, and relationships. I guide everything: story development, casting, production direction, branding, and marketing. I take pride in the show because it gives visibility to people who usually don’t get the spotlight, especially in a city like Birmingham where entertainment infrastructure is still growing.
MIB Production House is also where I help other creatives, small businesses, and influencers build their brands. I offer creative direction, EPKs, treatments, content strategy, and visual planning. I love helping people figure out their story and bring it to life in a way that feels true to them.
What makes this company special is that it’s built on lived experience, mine and everyone who walks through the door. I’ve worked in Birmingham and Atlanta, and I’ve watched firsthand how Southern creatives connect across states. When one of our cast members moved to Houston during filming, it showed me how naturally our reach was expanding into Texas. With growing support from Dallas and Houston, I feel like MIB Production House is becoming part of a bigger Southern creative network, and I’m excited about what that means for the future.
At its core, MIB Production House is about people — their journeys, their voices, their impact. That’s what I want readers to know.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can work with me in a lot of different ways. I collaborate with individuals, brands, entrepreneurs, influencers, and production companies who want intentional storytelling, elevated visuals, and authentic representation. My work is rooted in clarity, culture, and care.
My services include:
• Reality TV development & full-scale production
• Creative direction
• Brand identity development, EPKs & pitch deck creation
• Visual concept development
• Content planning, production strategy & campaign execution
• HIV and LGBTQ+ storytelling partnerships
• Business and entrepreneurial brand consulting
Whether someone needs a show developed, a brand built from scratch, or a vision made clearer, I help bring structure and intention to the process. My goal is always the same, to make sure people feel seen and represented in their truest form.
Pricing:
- Creative direction: $500–$2,500
- Brand strategy / EPKs: $250–$850
- Reality show treatments: $300–$1,500
- Production consulting: $75–$150/hr
- Content strategy: $350–$1,000 per project Producer services: custom quotes upon request
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/findingyuseef
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yuseef_themedia
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/19vBfnDUD5/
- Twitter: https://x.com/yuseefthemedia
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/MadeInBirmingham
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/madein.bhm
Image Credits
Darrien King
IG: @therealdzp
DP(Director of Photography), Made In: Birmingham, Season 1
https://www.instagram.com/therealdzp?igsh=MXRvMXR0MmVseTRvOQ==
