Nuriyah, or Kim (as she's known outside the belly dance community) chose her stage name because of its meaning. "Nuriyah" in Arabic translates as "light". The dance is a light in the darkness for Kim who is an open advocate for mental healthcare. In May of 2016, she organized an event called Dancing Away the Darkness which helped to raise mental health awareness and money for Mental Health America. Kim also chose this name because she has been told that her smile can "light up a room".