Life Story

Once upon a time, on a bright, sunny day in Camden, New Jersey, a little star named Esiyah Haleemah Dixon-Waheed was born on June 15, 1999. Her loving parents, Mahasin Waheed and Earl Lee Holloway-Dixon, were so happy to welcome her into the world!

Esiyah attended school in Glassboro until she was in the sixth grade. Then, she moved to Camden and went to a special school called Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy (CAMVA). She loved it so much that she proudly graduated from Creative Arts High School in 2017!

Even when she was very young, Esiyah's mom knew she was special. She put her in all sorts of fun activities, like dancing, modeling, and acting. Esiyah loved being on stage! When she was 3, she enrolled in her first dance school, Point Breeze Dance School, in Philadelphia. She practiced Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, and Ballet. She was a natural performer, shining brightly in every role. When she was just four years old, her mom heard her singing and playing the piano, imitating her favorite artists. It was clear then that Esiyah had a gift!

Esiyah had a magical stage presence and confidence that sparkled. She grew up performing in many recitals and plays, sometimes even playing the main character! She was so good at acting that you would believe her stories were real. She later joined Holiday Dance School as well as the Freedom Theatre of Philadelphia to expand her experience in the arts.  She was also a part of Integrity Dance Company, where the group traveled to compete against other dance groups around the country. In 2014, she entered a contest called "Miss Camden Teen Pageant." With her beautiful voice, she captured the hearts of the audience and judges and won the crown!

Esiyah was also part of many groups, like Camden Sophisticated Sisters, Camden High Marching Band, Cheerleading, Universal Pasha Karate School, and African Drum Ensemble. She even joined two singing and dancing groups at school called T.O.P. Girls (Talented Official Pretty Girls) and Fierce 5.

Even though Esiyah was always busy, she always had time for her loved ones! She was sweet, loving, and had a community of people who cheered her on in everything she did. Whenever someone needed her voice to help, she was always there, never asking for anything in return.

When it was time for college, Esiyah got accepted into five different schools! She chose Wiley University because she got a full scholarship for her amazing singing voice.

At Wiley, Esiyah studied Criminal Justice. She was also a Residential Assistant, helped with the Freedom Film at Wiley, joined the debate team, and started a club called Women of Color. She had grown to become a community activist. From feeding the homeless in the area to helping the less fortunate and those in need. She was a proud member of “A Cappella” the Wiley University Choir. And guess what? She won another crown as "Miss Old Gold and Black"! A scholarship pageant sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Upon completion, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. However, she took the test to become a teacher and passed, and was hired by Marshall, Texas, at the Junior High School. She stayed in Texas for a few years until her next venture.

In 2021, Esiyah came back to New Jersey to be around family. While she was here, she did more community outreach and was a part of a family non-profit called Black Cerebra Empowerment, in which she was the Ambassador, doing giveaways and raising awareness among young black youth in Camden and surrounding areas. She did tutoring, featured in plays, and did live performances, also started a coat and toy drive in New Jersey for children who went without, to have a happy holiday, constantly staying busy.

In 2023, Esiyah moved to Minnesota, where she became an accounting assistant. She held that position for about a year, and her last employment venture and moved on to the Department of Corrections in the Juvenile Division. She decided to resign because the position interfered with her Saturday, which was her sacred day where she observed her Sabbath. She decided to move on and start her own business.

Esiyah began planning a clothing line called "Don't Die Without Potential"! She wanted to inspire everyone to follow their dreams.

In July 2025, Esiyah moved back to New Jersey to be with her family. She wanted to start a non-profit to help people, especially those in her community. Helping others was her greatest passion. She even partnered with Ms. Tawanda Green to help those in need.

Her last big project was organizing and hosting the family reunion in 2026 themed “Family Still Matters”

Sadly, on July 24, 2025, Esiyah's life was tragically cut short, with so much more to offer. But even though she was only with us for a little while, she touched so many lives.

Esiyah is now with her Uncle Fatara and Aunts Jeri, Keisha, Shawahn, Jeromna, and Tameeka.

She will always be remembered by her parents, Mahasin, Earl, & Donnie; her grandparents, Daaiyah Waheed & Pamela Waters; her siblings, Melqwan and Abdul Haleem; her aunts, Aneesah, Kameelah, Nicole, Faatimah, Simone, Tasha, Bria, Nyisha, Shanika, Yvette, Dionne, and Lisa; her uncles, Jerome, Badr, Khalil, Joseph (Jay Jay), and Big Earl; 2 special God mothers Danielle Riley, & Takeea Carter, 4 God brothers, 1 God sister & one God son Jahdir Asad White, and many favorite cousins, and best friends, and other relatives and friends. Esiyah's light will continue to shine in the hearts of everyone who knew her.