Nyilah Sulaimana was born in Davenport, Iowa, and earned her Liberal Arts degree from Kirkwood Community College. She is currently furthering her education, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to personal and intellectual growth.

Growing up in a vibrant household with three older siblings, Nyilah describes her childhood as full of energy and creativity. “There was never a dull moment,” she recalls fondly.

Her upbringing was steeped in creativity and inspiration. Her father, BK Davis, a distinguished jazz musician and Iowa’s first African American Steinway International Artist, played a significant role in shaping this creative environment. Not only did he contribute through his music, but he also crafted stories spontaneously, much like he improvised with his music.

Nyilah fondly remembers how her father and mother nurtured her imagination by reading stories to her and her siblings. “My parents were always reading to us,” she says. “The stories were a cherished part of our daily lives.”

Her mother, Valerie Bibbs, a jazz concert promoter and health information technician, filled their home with jazz music, creating a rich auditory backdrop that complemented BK Davis’s musical influence.

This environment sparked Nyilah’s own creative passions. “It was inevitable that I would develop a deep love for creation,” she reflects. Her elementary school teachers quickly noticed her imaginative talents and encouraged her exploration of the arts.

Nyilah has vivid memories of sitting by the window during reading time, crafting her own stories as she gazed at the world outside. She loved picture books with no text, enjoying the freedom to invent her own narratives, and she expressed these stories through her voice.

“My favorite playground as a child was my imagination,” Nyilah shares. “It’s a boundless realm that remains a part of me. Creating stories and visualizing scenarios kept me endlessly entertained.”

In 2013, Nyilah welcomed her son, Mason. The inspiration for her children’s book, *Mason and Milo: A Journey Through the Stars*, came in 2018 when Mason shared his troubles with nightmares. Nyilah composed a lullaby called “Sweet Dreams” to comfort him, and encouraged by his positive response, she decided to expand on this idea into a full-fledged book.

Today, Nyilah delights in nurturing Mason’s creativity while sharing her gift for storytelling with other children. Through her books, she continues to inspire and engage young minds, celebrating the joy of imagination and creative expression.