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"La Sirena" means "The Mermaid." "

"Imakhu" means "One Worthy of Honor."

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Imakhu, has enjoyed a well-rounded, forty-plus year career as an artist, activist, motivational speaker, lecturer, documentarian, and yoga instructor.

 

     The blessing of Imakhu's career has been to reach and empower diverse populations as a touring performer and workshop presenter.  As an arts educator, Imakhu has also seen the self-esteem of Black and Brown students improve through cultural heritage instruction. Imakhu has taught African/Latino drumming, dance, theater, music, visual and literary arts throughout her forty-plus year career. She has also specialized in teaching physically challenged, at-risk, and detention home Black and Latinx youth throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York. She continues to teach drumming, dance, meditation and yoga to youth, elders, domestic violence survivors, business people,  and health professionals. Queen Mother actively performs in concert as a solo artist. Her concerts are motivational, educational, and truly unforgettable experiences.

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     Proud mother to two adult daughters, Elaine Artís Lloyd was born in Elizabeth, NJ, raised in 1960’s Kenilworth, NJ, and can remember seeing crosses burned in the small town. 

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     Former columnist/reporter for FIRST WORLD NEWS. Former host/producer for October Gallery Radio and PAINT Radio in Philadelphia, PA. Former host/producer of JUXTURES ON WDVR Public Radio, NJ. Former host/producer of REACHING FOR THE SKY on WLVR Radio, Bethlehem, PA. Director and playwright. Touring actress, storyteller, vocalist, poet, dancer, and musician/percussionist throughout the U.S. and Canada. Member of NJ Storytelling Network, Inter/Multifaith Storytelling Networking , and Artists Standing Strong Together. Founder of AKERU MultiMedia. First African American woman to found and run her own 24/7 online Black Consciousness radio station. Host/Producer of video/podcast series, ASHE: The Truth is Black & Brown. Founder/Producer/Host of motivational series, "Transformation Tag Team."  Imakhu is the original creator, executive director/producer and co-founder of Newark Latino Film Festival, LLC. Founder/director/producer of Newark Latino Fashion Show. Co-founder/producer of Cultures Across the City Music Festival.  Founder of Greater Essex LatinX Art & Film Fest. Queen Mother Imakhu's poetry is included in the new anthology, "When Women Speak." A long time activist, Queen Mother Imakhu is a member of People's Organization for Progress, NAACP, Interfaith Action Movement, and Newark Interfaith Clergy Alliance.

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Spiritually, Queen Mother Imakhu has also enjoyed a well-rounded realm of experiences. Born into and raised in the Baptist Christian tradition. Member of Union Baptist Church, 1968-78. Member of Youth on the Move for Christ Ministries, Springfield, NJ, 1975-84. Director and choreographer of The Joyful Praisers dance ministry, First Baptist Church, Anderson, NJ. Practitioner of African spiritual cultures since the 90's. Ordained as an Interfaith Healing Minister by Metaphysical Universal Ministries Seminary of Allentown, PA, and an Ordained Interfaith Minister by Spiritual Healers & Universal Ministries in 1999. Initiated as a High Priestess into Children of the White Rose Mystical Order in 2003, and then initiated into the Handmaidens of Nubia lineage in 2003. A Khametic faith practitioner and teacher, she was enstooled as a Queen Mother in the Khametic tradition by Grandmaster Kham of Shrine of Khpra, Brooklyn, NY in 2005, and as a Uas carrying Elder in 2013. Queen Mother Imakhu is known for her expertise in Ancient Khametic (Egyptian) culture, yoga, and language. Her groundbreaking research has advanced the reclamation, understanding, and practical incorporation of ancient Khametic spiritual culture into today's world. In 2006, Imakhu was initiated as a Bantu nganga (water healer) and peacemaker by Michael Ortiz Hill and Mandaza Kandemwa. She was initiated as a Manbo in the Haitian Vodun tradition by LisaDole Bo Manbo of the Mama Lola lineage. Queen Mother was most recently initiated into the A.F.and A. M. Order of the Eastern Star.

 

Queen Mother has established the first official Khametic Water Faith,

"Neh-ti Mer" (formerly known as SHENU). She has baptized and initiated many across the country, and gives classes to help people learn the sacred Khametic Water Mysteries. Her unique Khametic yoga classes teach Ancient Egyptian Yoga from a mystical priesthood perspective. A popular workshop presenter, performer, scholar, and podcaster, Queen Mother Imakhu continues to build bridges of peace while fighting for justice. Her latest book is, "Iwa Mer (The Khametic Way of Water)".

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 Over the years, Queen Mother has served the greater Newark community by offering free yoga and meditation, spiritual and business mentoring classes to the city's artists, and pandemic food distribution to Newark residents and neighbors-with-no-addresses.  Among her awards, Queen Mother Imakhu was recently honored by the Greater Newark Women's Assembly for her leadership, being a role model, and ongoing commitment to community service. 

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The dove is a dear symbol to Queen Mother Imakhu. Her previously known African name was Eyele Yetunde. In Yoruba, Eyele means dove. The dove is sacred to the orishas Obatala/Oxala and Yemoja. (Yetunde means Mother has returned.) In Umbanda/Macumba tradition the Pomba Gira is the sacred messenger dove. The dove in Christianity is Holy Spirit, Peace.  Imakhu is minister. Elaine is heavenly light. Lloyd is holy, sacred. The dove serves as a reminder of the calling over her life as a storyteller, musician, peacemaker, minister, and motivator.

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  On a personal note, Queen Mother's interest in history and culture are close to home. Her father, Tommie Lloyd, was the first African American accepted into the NJ Tool & Die Association. Her father was Gullah Geechee from South Carolina.  Imakhu’s mother, Jean Whitley Lloyd-Mayfield, was the first African American Girl Scout Leader in Kenilworth, NJ – at a time when crosses were still being burned. In the 1600’s, Virginia manumission laws were changed because her maternal ancestors were left land by their slaveholder in his will – something unheard of at that time. They chose, instead, not to take residence. This was the side of the family that ultimately became Artis (originally Ortiz).  Imakhu lectures on the rich history of her family, which is Bantu, Haitian, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Brazilian, Gullah, Melungeon, and Bajan. She has been studying the hidden history of enslaved Afro-Latinx/Hispanic/people of color in the United States.

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