BAMFI Enterprises Named Finalist in the 6th Annual Anthem Awards for The Vanishing of Relisha Rudd: A Cold Case Reexamined
HYATTSVILLE, Md. — BAMFI Enterprises announced today that its documentary, The Vanishing of Relisha Rudd: A Cold Case Reexamined, has been named a Finalist in the Documentary or Film category for Education, Art & Culture in the 6th Annual Anthem Awards.
Produced in partnership with the Black and Missing Foundation, Inc. (BAMFI), the documentary revisits the disappearance of Relisha Rudd, an 8-year-old Washington, D.C., girl who vanished in 2014. Through interviews with family members, investigators, journalists and advocates, the film humanizes Relisha beyond her missing person’s flyer and examines the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. It encourages renewed public attention and community engagement in the ongoing search for answers.
“Relisha was a little girl with a life, a family and a future. We created this documentary to remind the world of who she is and why the search for her must continue,” said Natalie Wilson and Derrica Wilson, founders of the Black and Missing Foundation and BAMFI Enterprises. “This recognition gives us another opportunity to bring her story to people who may never have heard her name. Visibility can inspire someone to share information, ask questions or take action. That is the power of storytelling and the purpose behind our work.”
Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Judges for the 6th Annual Anthem Awards include an esteemed panel of leaders from organizations and companies dedicated to social impact, including Nancy Brown, CEO, American Heart Association; Heather Malenshek, CMO, Land O’Lakes, Inc.; Jesse Tyler Ferguson, award-winning actor and LGBTQ+ advocate; Patrice Duckworth, Chief Inclusion Officer, Johnson & Johnson; Fatima Graves, President & CEO, National Women’s Law Center; Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President & Global Chief Impact Officer, IBM; and many others.
“We’re thrilled to see the impact sector bounce back, share their stories, and expand their impact after a challenging year last year,” said Anthem Awards General Manager Patricia McLoughlin.
“This year’s Finalists are truly setting the standard for how to advocate for a cause, inspire action, create impact, and overall make this world a better place.” Alongside the Finalist announcement comes the launch of Anthem Community Voice in partnership with NationBuilder, an annual voting campaign and celebration to uplift the work of Anthem Finalists. Supporters can celebrate BAMFI Enterprises’ documentary from October 13 through October 29 at celebrate.anthemawards.com.
The voting campaign closes on Relisha Rudd’s 21st birthday, October 29, a meaningful reminder that behind this honored work is a young girl whose family and community are still searching for answers. BAMFI Enterprises and the Black and Missing Foundation encourage supporters to honor Relisha by voting, sharing her story and helping keep the search for her visible.
All Finalists are also in the running to win a Gold, Silver or Bronze Anthem Award selected by Anthem judges. All Winners for the 6th Annual Anthem Awards will be announced on November 5, 2026.
Photo credit: BAMFI Enterprises
