Culture
Culture
(Art, Music, Film, Journalism, and More)
Ayesha K. Mustafaa
Ayesha K. Mustafaa has been editor of the Muslim Journal weekly newspaper since January, 1989. She is a graduate of Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Penn., with a BA Degree and Double Major in Psychology and Political Science. She has a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Columbia College of Chicago, Ill. She is the third woman editor of the 43-plus-year-old newspaper and its longest tenured editor.
Ayesha is a Muslim convert and comes from a Mississippi family of Civil Rights activists of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. era. She joined the community of Muslims affiliated with Imam W. Deen Mohammed, the son of Elijah Muhammad and mentor to Malcolm X, in late 1974, through the Atlanta, Ga., Muslim Community. She moved to Chicago in mid 1975 and worked throughout the Muslim community offices prior to becoming Muslim Journal editor.
Most significant among those years was her work with the Prison Dawah or Islamic teachings to the incarcerated populations, prison services being part of her concentration as an undergraduate. She worked in the administrative offices of Muhammad Mosque No. 2 and Sis. Clara Muhammad School Chicago and the Muslim Women Development Class, as well as a brief period at the historic Muhammad Speaks plant on Federal Street. In 1978, she was named lead Instructress for the Muslim Sisters trained by Imam W. Deen Mohammed to teach Al-Islam and in formation of the women’s group Committee to Enhance the Role of Women in Society (CERWIS).
Her initial job in Chicago was as a transcriber of Imam Mohammed’s lectures that were used to create the Imams Kits that trained former Nation of Islam Ministers and Captains for the role of Imams, a time which she calls her “greatest learning experience.”
Ayesha also has traveled as part of delegations led by Imam W. Deen Mohammed, several times going to Saudi Arabia to Riyadh, Jeddah and Mecca, to Jerusalem and the West Bank. Most notable during one trip was the meeting between Imam Mohammed and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. She was a presenter at the 3-day International Media Conference, hosted by the Focolare Movement’s NetOne Media Group held in Rome, Italy, in 2004, with 800 participants from over 20 countries. She made Hajj to Mecca in 1977 with the first and then largest Muslim American group led on Hajj by Imam W. Deen Mohammed. She has made Umrah (lesser Hajj) several times.
Ayesha was host of one of the seven daily one-hour talk radio shows – every Friday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. – for Radio Islam (continuously live streamed at www.radioislam.com), produced by Sound Vision Foundation, on WCEV 1450 AM in the Chicago area until she move to Jackson, Mississippi, in 2011. She was an advisory member of the Lutheran College Christian – Muslim Peace Engagement in Chicago with Dr. Harold Vogelaar and a frequent speaker at interfaith settings and to school/college audiences.
Since moving to Jackson, she has worked as editor of The Mississippi Link weekly newspaper, now serving as one of its contributing writers. In 2015, she joined the Tougaloo College Mass Communications Department faculty as an assistant professor after two years as an adjunct professor.
Ayesha was named the Muslim Woman of the Year by the Community of Imam W. Deen Mohammed in 1994. A Street in New Medinah, Miss., has been named in her honor at New Medinah’s 25th Annual Retreat of 2011. She is the mother of 4, grandmother of 5 and an advocate for foster parenting.
Visit www.MuslimJournal.net; email ayesha4mj@comcast.net
Naïmah Muhammad
Naïmah is a SESAC-affiliated alternative singer-songwriter, a graduate from USC's Annenberg & Thornton schools, and is currently based in Los Angeles. Her most recent song release, “Born To Be A Fighter”, features a lyric video honoring trailblazing women whose accomplishments have led the way for change, and who have become an integral thread in our culture and society. This independent song release has garnered over 20,000 views on Youtube, over 27,000 streams on Spotify, a feature on Apple Music’s “Black History Month” playlist, and was performed live on Zoom for Stevie Wonder.
In 2015 she was invited to attend President Obama’s Iftar dinner at the White House due to her community outreach and leadership as a musician, and her performances have ranged from popular East Coast venues to historic events such as the 2018 “March For Our Lives” interfaith prayer vigil held at the National Cathedral following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, FL, and the 2019 MPAC Media Awards in Los Angeles, where she shared the stage with inspiring actors and filmmakers increasing the voice and representation of Muslims in the entertainment industry.
In addition to her work in music, she is the co-owner of Graphic Design & Branding Studio, Thorough, and is also on the Board of Advisors for the Environmental Film Festival based in Washington, DC, where she is the youngest on the council.
Learn more on her website www.naimahmusic.com and follow her journey on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
Nimat Young
NIMAT's sound is born from the soul of the Muslim African American experience. Having been raised as a Muslim woman in the suburbs of Maryland and the youngest of 12 children, NIMAT's artistic journey was quite different from that of her peers.
As an aspiring songwriter, she competed with the lyrical content and culture of the popular music industry. Although she found herself in love with the sounds and beats of R&B, Rap, and Hip Hop music; like most Muslims, she struggled with the negative language and influences found in many of the songs. She realized that the absence of support for modest cultural life in the media had left Muslim entertainers without direction causing them to conform their content or style for the sake of obtaining a career.
Though NIMAT has released previous albums, such as Love Over Liberty and Growing Pains, she struggled to find her niche as a singer/songwriter until she discovered the logic of the progressive humanitarian and theologian, Imam Warith Dean Muhammad. In awe of his exceptional Qur'anic based insight to decipher parables and signs, she began a new journey to learn how to read Qur'anic Arabic for herself, with hopes to improve her song content and writing skills. Alongside her father and brother, NIMAT joined the Muslim American Logic Institute (M.A.L.I.), learned how to read and analyze Qur'anic Arabic text and began working on the most momentous album of her career, Love Ayats. The lyrical content of every song has been extracted from the meaning found in the gracious Qur'an, including cleverly placed Qur'anic recitation, tastefully arranged within the instrumentation and lyrics. NIMAT's gift to see the Qur'an in the present day environment makes her music come to life with valuable relevance and applicability. NIMAT's single, "Rajuli Qawwami" will be the first song to be released from the Love Ayats album this March 2017.
The results of her journey, combined with musical influences of artists such as Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, James Brown and countless other American favorites, are the embodiment of the sound and songwriting of the musical phenomenon known as NIMAT.
Preacher Moss
His “End of Racism” Comedy and Lecture tour voted 2 times “Best Diversity Act” on college campuses, is critically acclaimed, and recognized as an industry standard for being tough, honest, and brilliantly funny voice on the conversation of race, diversity, and understanding in the world.
His unique lecture style has been described as “smooth, intelligent, and thought provoking”, as his “seriously funny” message simultaneously occupies two spaces of laughter and intellectual engagement at the same time. Making you laugh and think, Moss is master thinker, craftsman, and storyteller. His comedy is a reminder of the lost old school art of “comedy as protest, and enlightenment.” Engagement is undeniable.
Known as the founder of “Allah Made Me Funny”- The Official Muslim Comedy Tour, Preacher Moss is recognized as the “poor righteous teacher” from his days as a veteran performer coming up in the comedy industry, and college lecture circuit. As writer for Hollywood heavyweights like Damon Wayans, George Lopez, and Darrell Hammond on Saturday Night Live, Preacher Moss had proven his value across many levels of stand-up, activism, and community empowerment.
Few dispute Moss’ abilities on stage. Many have described his work as something akin to watching a veteran jazz musician fill in the scales with notes that ultimately make the world smile. His simplicity is the definition of what’s right, and what matters in life.
His experiences as a comedian, writer, lecturer, Muslim, African-American, and poor righteous teacher are the sum of all his parts. Ultimately he is the storyteller on the corner that shares the good news, and sometime the bad, but always with sincerity. He is a comedian of the times.
So…park yourself on the corner of laugh and think. Share a little time with the comedic stylings of your brother, The Mighty Preacher Moss.
Muwwakkil Sabree Abdul-Qawwee
Owner of ‘Qosmic Qadence™, LLC’, an empowerment company that creates safe spaces through event hosting, where ideas and concepts that prosper mankind, become common practice through conscious cultivation. Muwwakkil Sabree Abdul-Qawwee aka 'Qosmic Qadence'™ is also a Poet; Author; Youth Educator; Community Activist & Speaker, born and raised in Washington, D.C.
A graduate of Stratford University (Class of '99), with an Associates in Computer Infrastructure & Design Technologies, his professional career began as a Computer Network Administrator for the U.S. Department of Labor in 1998.
He'd move to Phoenix, AZ in late 2012, to manage operations for multi-million dollar entertainment company 'Premiere Events', likewise functioning in the capacity of Travel Manager; Corporate Presenter & Talent Scout. After one year on AZ soil though, he decided to switch gears – shifting perspective into fulfillment through more purpose inspired works.
Since 2014, 'Qosmic Qadence' has hosted, ‘Qosmicademy™’ - The Creative Writing & Youth Empowerment Workshop, in schools & for youth groups throughout the state of AZ. These group sessions of creativity and enrichment serve to stir awake creative prowess unknown for each participant.
During the 2015 local political session, 'Qosmic Qadence' and an impassioned 9 member community coalition – through strategic planning & actions – succeeded in having local 'Senate Bill 1445' vetoed by Arizona Governor, Doug Ducey. This legislation sought to suppress an officers identity, potentially covering up violent &/or deadly acts of insolence & terror, wrought against innocent Arizona citizens for 60-90 days.
A 2016 Black Wallstreet Arizona, Inc. "Business Person of The Year" nominee, he has likewise joined forces with a number of local venues & artists, to bring the experiences of Arts & Culture into safe; warm spaces, that lovers of LIVE Music; Visual & Performance art, can frequent for healthy doses of enrichment.“Poetic Soul™ - The Ultimate Collaborative Arts & Culture Experience” has become a staple of growth; development & loving support within the Arizona arts community. In conjunction with a few other Arizona businesses: ‘Modern Day Muse’ & ‘Real Women Revealed’, he is co-creator of the ‘Mars and Venus Conversation Social’ event series. This is another safe space event, which has been embraced by a mass of support from across The Valley, as both an outlet & source of insightful perspective to assist in togetherness and growth.
Author of 7 published books; ‘Qosmic Qadence’ also uses the platform of speaking engagements to openly share the gift of words and encouragement with those in need. Never before this period of creatively sharing, had he considered the impact that inspiring through words could have on others – all the while motivating them to live their lives with ‘Purpose’.
He presently serves on the Board of Directors for the following local companies/organizations, "Desert Soul Media, Inc." 501(c) (3) ; “Black American Dad Foundation” & "Black Wall Street Arizona, Inc" 501(c) (3). As evidenced through past & present strides, 'Qosmic Qadence™' is committed to serving the Arizona & world community in every way beneficial to overall growth; development & sustainability of present and future quality of life.