Karen Abdul-Malik  is a highly interactive International Storyteller, Folklorist and Teaching Artist from Willingboro, NJ. She is the Immediate President of the National Association of Black Storytellers, Inc.  As a premiere teaching artist in the State of New Jersey for over 25 years, she integrates curriculum, character education, culture and storytelling to elevate student learning objectives and teacher professional development goals.

As an artistic performing artist in educational environments, Queen Nur follows the griotic tradition.   Her stories capture historical victories, celebrate folkloric traditions, and profoundly speak to the quintessence of humanity. Audiences may experience tears upon the soul; and, within the same breath of story, have a toe-tapping, hand-clapping good time.

She is a Creative Consultant Teaching Artist with Young Audiences of New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania, Director of the Folklife Center at Perkins for the Arts, and Roster artist with Theaterworks USA.Queen founded In FACT: Innovative Solutions Through Folk Art, Culture and Tradition, a cultural sustainability organization that produces workshops and events designed to create opportunities for civic engagement through folklife traditions. Queen is a winner of the MidAtlantic Artist-As-Catalyst Award; the NSN Brimstone Grant; and several leadership awards. She has most recently been selected serve on the Steering Committee for Folk and Traditional Arts at the convening of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies Folk in November.

Queen Nur has an MA in Cultural Sustainability at Goucher College and is featured in Legendary Locals of Willingboro by Josh Bernstein, 2013. Published articles include: Storytellers as Community Cultural Ambassadorsin “Engaging Community Through Storytelling”, Norfolk and Stenson, editors.