Haneefah Muhammad is a Luton-based award-winning poet and the co-founder of Voices of Nubian Queens, an annual event reflecting the creativity of local black women in Luton and the surrounding areas.  The event also celebrates the strengths and contributions of black women throughout history.  Currently, Haneefah, her co-producer and a team of volunteers are preparing for the third Voices of Nubian Queens show on 14th March. The show features new and established performers and this year it includes singers, poets, and dancers; the event takes place during the celebration of International Women’s Day on 8th March each year.

As a Soul-based Life Coach and an author, Haneefah has self-published an anthology of poems in her book My Soul Purpose, where she explores issues like social justice, relationships, and spirituality.  She has also co-authored three other books and says, “Poetry is music to my soul.”

Haneefah is a mental health professional, and while working in London, together with a colleague, she introduced the first day service specifically aimed at meeting the unique needs of African Caribbean adults experiencing mental health challenges.  Twenty years later, The Oremi Centre (now renamed) has continued its work, and Haneefah is proud of her contribution to the birth of this service.  She wrote a book for professionals and non-professionals with tips for managing stress in healthy ways.  Haneefah combines her creative and mental health skills to develop and deliver therapeutic programmes to individuals attending NHS Recovery College courses in Bedfordshire.  She is currently running a Poetry for Wellbeing course for the College.

In 2024, with support from a colleague, Haneefah produced an event showcasing the creative writing and poetry performance skills of a group of black women aged 60+ in Luton and the surrounding area. Her passion for the project (funded by Revoluton Arts) came from the lack of opportunities and visibility of these women on spoken word, storytelling, or other creative arts platforms where she is sometimes invited. 

As a member of the Windrush generation, Haneefah experienced health challenges as a child.  Today, she is on a mission to provide platforms for ‘seasoned’ black women to rewrite the narrative of ‘invisibility’ based on their age, health, gender, or other perceived limitations.  She is determined that women in their later years (just like herself!) should be respected as active creatives with skills and potential to create inter-generational and community cohesion using their cultural knowledge, their intellectual capabilities, and their resilience.