Marie Nyenabo is a performer of traditional Liberian songs and dances that are central to family and community occasions. She’s also a popular recording star. She became an anti-war activist during Liberia’s civil wars in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, using her artistry to reach those on all sides of the conflict. Later, she worked closely with artists from ethnic groups that had been pitted against one another to model possibilities for reconciliation.
Marie immigrated to the United States in 2013, and maintains an active performance schedule in Liberian communities throughout North America. She’s been honored with awards from various Liberian immigrant associations for her singing and dancing, and received a Leeway Foundation Art and Change Grant in 2015 to support her art and social justice work. In Philadelphia, Marie performs as part of the Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change, inspiring dialogue about domestic violence and other community concerns, and about ways in which local Liberians can have a positive impact on their own future.
