Karen Malina White (born July 7, 1965) is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her roles as Kaneesha Carter, the high school student in the 1989 film, Lean on Me, as Charmaine Brown during the two final seasons on The Cosby Show and the final season of A Different World, Nicolette Vandross on Malcolm & Eddie and the voice of Dijonay Jones on the Disney Channel animated comedy, The Proud Family.