Bilalian Night at the Museum

Thank you to everyone who braved the rain and joined me at the Queens Museum for Muhammad School of Language and Martial Arts: Bilalian Night at the Museum. We had a full house on Saturday and the event was a success, Alhamdullilah! Having as many people as I can participate in public events like this one isContinue reading “Bilalian Night at the Museum”

Traveling To Guyana With My Mother

It’s been a while since I wrote a post on this blog. I hope you missed reading it as much as I have missed posting on here. I’m always happy to stay connected with you and I pray we continue to add value to one other and our communities. Last week was so hectic and wentContinue reading “Traveling To Guyana With My Mother”

Eating Around Queens

As you know, I have been a practicing artist for many years now, 15+ years and counting insha’allah. I have had the pleasure to both live in and travel to many countries, and I’ve always felt comfortable around different people. A small favorite indulgence of mine has been, and still is, trying out new cuisines and samplingContinue reading “Eating Around Queens”

A STREET NAMED SWAM WAY.

Last weekend a street in Jamaica, Queens was named after SWAM House of Discipline, one of the oldest, and most popular martial arts dojos led by African American Muslims. It was so inspiring and uplifting to spend the weekend at SWAM to honor and celebrate them and their leader Sijo Mutakabbir who is such a visionary.Continue reading “A STREET NAMED SWAM WAY.”

GUYANA HERE I COME!

The USA has been experiencing record-breaking heat but, and his might sound strange, because I lived in Egypt for six years, as a result I developed a high tolerance for heat and if it’s not above 95 degrees I don’t really feel it. It wasn’t always this way for me, but it’s amazing how our bodies can adapt toContinue reading “GUYANA HERE I COME!”

HOT ARTIST SUMMER: Social Practice, Lunches, and Being Present

I’ve been enjoying spending more and more time outside as the warmer summer weather rolled in. Don’t get me wrong, I love producing works in my studio, and during my In Situ Fellowship and Artist Residency at Queens Museum, I have spent so much time in the archives of the museum. I used to goContinue reading “HOT ARTIST SUMMER: Social Practice, Lunches, and Being Present”

Happy Birthday Malcolm X: A Black Muslim Artist Reflects

On this 98th anniversary of Malcolm X’s birthday I’d like to share with you this speech by Dr. Angela Davis about Malcolm X as an international figure, as well as a my personal reflections on his life and legacy. Malcolm X has always spoken for me. I grew up attending the Brooklyn mosque Malcolm XContinue reading “Happy Birthday Malcolm X: A Black Muslim Artist Reflects”

Art Can Hold This

I grew up in a predominately Black American mosque community in Brooklyn, NY – which I later learned was really more specifically a predominately Black Caribbean American mosque community in Brooklyn (it’s been that way since the 1960’s) and I was raised by parents who encouraged me to do whatever I wanted so long asContinue reading “Art Can Hold This”

A Deeper Connection to Cairo

When I first moved to Cairo, I admittedly felt a little lost. I didn’t understand the language, I felt like I looked so different from most the people who I passed by from day to day, and I had a hard time wrapping my mind around how I might continue to grow as an artistContinue reading “A Deeper Connection to Cairo”

Sayyida Nafisa’s Khalwa: A Conversation on Muslim Women and Sacred Spaces

A conversation between Nsenga Knight and her sister Nuriddeen Knight about their visit to the khalwa (place of voluntary seclusion) of 9th century female Islamic scholar Sayida Nafisa in Cairo, Egypt.