Karen “Queen Nur” Abdul-Malik, 2023 New Jersey Heritage Fellow, is an award winning nationally renown storyteller, teaching artist and folklorist. Sharing her gift, she has performed in venues from the Opening of the Smithsonian NAAMCH to Equity Theater on Broadway, from the National Black Storytelling Festival to the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro. Traveling abroad Queen has presented for the U.S. Embassy in Cameroon and at PANAFEST in Ghana. She has appeared as the Emcee for the National Endowment of the Arts Heritage Fellowship Award Concert and as a coach at the National Coalition Conference on Complex Health Care. Queen has been the recipient of MidAtlantic Artist as Catalyst Grants for her work with Teens-at-Risk and Women’s Shelters and the National Storytelling Brimstone Grant for her innovative community-based programs. The mother of three and grandmother of eight, she received her Masters in Arts in Cultural Sustainability from Goucher College, and a Certificate in Dispute Resolution from Harvard Law School. Queen has recorded 2 CDs. Sweet Potato Pie and Such, is an IParenting Media Golden Award Winner.
In 2022 Queen Nur received the Library of Congress Widening the Path Grant for documenting the Soul Line Dance Community in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware. In 2020 she received the Zora Neale Hurston Award from the National Association of Black Storytellers. In 2018, Queen was named a New Jersey Governor Award Winner in Arts Education and Teaching Artist of the Year with Young Audience of New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. Karen is also featured in Legendary Locals of Willingboro.
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Born in Philadelphia, Dwight M. James first motives to play a musical instrument commenced at the age of fourteen. The impressionable fellow was influenced by his neighbors who were professional musicians. He continued his journey in high school band studying orchestration, percussion, and small ensemble drumming. During the mid sixties his first jobs were with such vocal groups as The Flamingos. His career expanded into international travel with such artists as Horace Silver and Jamaladeen Tacuma. His CD, Inner Heat has received world-wide air play.
Dwight’s passion for drumming has become a mission that includes researching world drumming and sharing his knowledge with children. He has created percussion instrument workshops in school districts, libraries, museums and music societies. He has performed with Queen Nur for 17 years and as well leads the Dwight James Jazz Trio.
