For thirty-five years, Atlanta’s annual Malcolm X Festival has stood as one of the city’s most important celebrations of Black consciousness, culture, and community empowerment. Held this weekend at West End Park, the festival once again brought together families, activists, artists, educators, and community organizations to honor the life and legacy of Malcolm X.
The festival, organized by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement has become a treasured tradition in Atlanta’s historic West End community. Since the early 1990s, the event has served as more than just a cultural gathering; it has become a living classroom dedicated to human rights, self-determination, political awareness, and unity within the African American community.
This year’s festival featured an exciting lineup of performances and cultural presentations that reflected the richness of African and African-American artistic traditions. Festival attendees enjoyed performances by artists and groups such as Mausiki Scales & Common Ground Collective, whose fusion of jazz, spoken word, and African diasporic rhythms inspired audiences with messages of liberation and healing.
The Da’Wah Ensemble delivered a spiritually uplifting and culturally rich performance at the 35th Annual Malcolm X Festival in Atlanta that resonated deeply with the audience. Their presentation blended traditional African rhythms, Islamic influences, spoken word, and soulful musical expression in a way that honored both the legacy of Malcolm X and the broader cultural heritage of the African Diaspora.
The DJELIBA Drum & Dance Ensemble energized the crowd with powerful African drumming and dance rooted in ancestral traditions. Conscious hip-hop artist AJ McQueen and underground lyricist Abyss brought socially aware messages through music that echoed Malcolm X’s lifelong commitment to truth and empowerment.
The performance by Mausiki Scales and the Common Ground Collective at the 35th Annual Malcolm X Festival in Atlanta was one of the cultural highlights of the weekend. Blending Afrobeat, jazz, funk, soul, spoken word, and the rhythms of the African Diaspora, the ensemble transformed West End Park into a vibrant celebration of Black history, resistance, and unity.
In addition to the music and performances, the festival included educational speakers, community activists, local vendors, food, art, and youth-centered programming. Organizations promoting economic development, education, agriculture, and cultural awareness were also present, continuing Malcolm X’s message of self-reliance and community building.
Imam Nadim Sulaiman Ali is originally from Chester, Pennsylvania and has resided in Atlanta, Georgia since 1979. He is the Imam Emeritus of the Community Masjid of Atlanta, the former Convener for the Metro Atlanta Majlis Ash-Shura, a founding member of MANA, and the current MANA Board Secretary. Imam Nadim works as a licensed professional & master addiction counselor and serves Muslims and the general community. Offering counseling services consisting of Pre-Marital, Marital, and Individual counseling. He is a therapist and consultant in Stress Management, Violence Prevention, and Tai Chi. He has authored numerous articles on counseling, and family matters, and he is also the co-founder of the Spoken word acapella Group Dawah Ensemble. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Shippensburg State University, a Master’s degree in counseling psychology from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology, and is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Master of Addiction Counselor.
