Cultural Appropriation and Misappropriation of the Five Percent

RZA and others during Hajj to Mecca

     Language is the heart of a culture. It is the vehicle that enables us to transmit and receive ideas, stories, principles, values, and traditions that shape our identify and define every aspect of our way of life. It is one of the most important parts that determine how we live. 

     As a Five Percenter, we possess a unique language that represents the heart of our culture. Our language is constructed from our Supreme Mathematics, Supreme Alphabet, 120 Lessons and a variety of colloquialisms, idioms, proverbs and lingo that were all born within our Five Percent community. There is no other group of people on the planet who can make this claim. Since our formal 1964 inception in Harlem, NY, many people have been exposed to our unique language and other elements of our culture, based upon their proximity to us. However, that proximity did not, and still does not, make them us. Just like living around Dominican neighbors, learning some Spanish phrases, listening to Dominican music and eating Dominican food does not make someone Dominican. If someone were to claim to be Dominican, based upon their proximity, it would be cultural appropriation. Cultural misappropriation is when this same claim is used to make products and/or provide services to package, commodify and monetize Dominican culture. The same analogy applies to any culture, including my culture of the Five Percent. 

    In the 1960s, the first Five Percenters were sometimes confused with being Muslims and practicing the religion of Islam. Part of the confusion is because the founder of the Five Percent Nation was once a Muslim by the name of Clarence 13X and a registered member of the Nation of Islam's Temple #7 in Harlem, NY. In 1964 he renounced his Muslim beliefs, left the Nation of Islam and ceased using the name Clarence 13X. He began to use the name "Allah." Allah, in collaboration with a few close companions who also renounced their Muslim beliefs, began to create our unique language that shaped our identity, defined and communicated Five Percent culture. To distinguish ourselves from Muslims and their belief system, Allah also encouraged us to change and/or create names from our Supreme Mathematics. For example, Bilal or Jihad came to be known as ABG7. Following this change, names for Five Percenters like Wise, Ralik, Supreme, Mecca, Mathematics, Sha-Asia, Queen, Equality, and etc. became common throughout NYC communities. Names that no other group of people on the planet were using to define themselves.

     As our movement began to grow throughout NYC boroughs among the youth, a cultural cross pollination began to occur where the proximity to Five Percenters within households, neighborhoods, schools, and other public and private spaces exposed people to our unique language and other cultural elements. Those who were Christian began to learn about and practice aspects of our special diet. While some of them stopped eating pork chops, most would not go as far as reading product labels to see if they contained pork byproducts. Some Muslims started hearing Five Percenter lingo and began to use some of it when they communicated. Yet the "Allah" that they worshipped was still a spirit, not the Black man's Arm, Leg, Leg, Arm and Head. For most people, exposure to our unique language and other cultural elements was not something that they completely embraced. For them, hearing us greet each other with "Peace God" was no different than someone saying "Hello." They didn't, and still don't, interpret that statement as a bold declaration that they are not tethered to a religion that worships an invisible entity outside of ourselves. 

      With the growth and expansion of the internet and social media, it has become harder for everyday people to distinguish who is a Five Percenter from those "who used to be" [never was], those who have been in proximity to us, and those who try to moonlight or cosplay as the Five Percent. It is difficult to address cultural appropriation. There is also no legal mechanism in place to address cultural misappropriation. While some everyday Five Percenters often dismiss this as insignificant or unimportant, as a Five Percent public figure I have a different experience and point of view. Everyday people are not contacted by the international/national press for a statement when something related to the Five Percenters is in the news. Everyday people are also not receiving inquiry emails, DMs, and messages every day from people around the world about Five Percent culture. That is my reality. I literally see the global implications of not addressing cultural misappropriation every single day.

                        Da God, 2008                                Experiments with High Explosives, 2012

     If I were to ask someone, "Did you receive more gold?", the average person has no idea what I'm asking them, its cultural context, and what their answer implies. If I made the casual comment about something being, "14 million square miles" or "a fine mist", most people would be completely lost. Even phrases like "wisdom knowledge", "born universal truth", "cee I power her, her power I cee", and "all the above" would go over someone's head. These are just some examples of our Five Percent language that is uniquely constructed from our Supreme Mathematics, Supreme Alphabet, 120 Lessons and a variety of colloquialisms, idioms, proverbs and lingo that were all born within our community. Imagine 'trying' to learn this language without community. Imagine believing that you can get all of this in a YouTube video, social media posts, or a book.  

This May 2026 will be 18 years since I co-authored/published my first book with my educator Raheem titled Da God. To my knowledge, Da God was THE FIRST BOOK ever written using the unfiltered language of Five Percent culture. Here was its summary:

"Da God represents a New Era within The Nation of Gods and Earths (NGE)/Five Percenters! Da God is the first of a series of 'Living Mathemanuals' that are designed to transcend the abstract, intellectualized concepts of the Gods and Earths (NGE)/Five Percenters). Da God takes you into the real life of 'Be God Allah'; giving an honest, unapologetic view of his world and his struggle with defining his 'God Centeredness' in a Society that doesn't support this worldview.

This MASTERSCRIPT has simultaneously set and raised the bar in regard to NGE Literature and represents the first literary model of practically applied NGE Nomenclature."

Da God, 2008

   Because this book was intentionally written in our language, we coined the phrase Mathemanual; a book immersed in language constructed from Supreme Mathematics, Supreme Alphabet, 120 Lessons and a variety of colloquialisms, idioms, proverbs and lingo that were all born within our Five Percent community. For many people, including newborn Five Percenters, Da God read like a foreign language, because it was. It was our attempt to communicate a cultural worldview that was fleeting due to the growth of the internet, social media and antisocial behavior. Four years later in 2012 I authored/published the next Mathemanual, a novel titled Experiments with High Explosives: The Chronicles of a Big-Headed Scientist. Experiments with High Explosives is a book told through the perspective of a man striving to make sense out of his relationships and the relationships that he observed. Through exploring these thoughts & feelings, I sought to empower the reader to consider their ideas about love. 

Drink Champs, June 14, 2025

     Recently RZA was featured in a YouTube interview discussing various aspects of his life and goes into depth about his journey with Five Percent culture and experiences with religion. In this interview, RZA taking a Shahada was discussed. A Shahada is a public declaration of faith in the Muslim religion and is one of its Five Pillars. This declaration that, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" is typically performed in a mosque/masjid before an Imam and serves as the foundation of the other four pillars of Islam: Salah [five daily prayers], Zakat [giving charity], Sawm [fasting during Ramadan, and Hajj [pilgrimage to Mecca]. To be clear, in Five Percenter culture we don't have a tradition of taking Shahada, practicing Five Pillars or other religious practices like getting Baptized, Christenings and etc. If someone chooses to practice any of those religious traditions, that is a personal choice and should never be interpreted as speaking for or acting on behalf of our nation of the Five Percent or Allah Youth Center in Mecca.

     While some things in that interview were clarified about where RZA stands regarding the distinction between culture and religion, there were other things still left unclear to outside onlookers. Much of that interview was a conversation taking place before a virtual audience of mixed company which veered off into domains spoken in and referencing our Five Percent language that everyday people do not understand. I think that it is important to understand that whichever way that RZA chooses to define himself is his prerogative. What is not a prerogative is what we say and do within the context of Five Percent culture. In other words, a woman cannot simultaneously be the Earth and work as a prostitute. We cannot claim that we are not a "poisonous animal eater" yet eat creatures from the bottom of the sea. We also cannot say that we are the true and living God and simultaneously pray to an entity/person outside of ourselves. There are certain differences between a culture and a religion that are simply irreconcilable. From my experience seeing and being around RZA, it's not uncommon for him to say and do things that are, or appear to be, a contradiction. I remember in the late 90s attending our Five Percent Nation's annual Educational Show & Prove and when RZA pulled up with Poppa Wu [Freedum Allah] and some Wu-Affiliates he was wearing a gold necklace with a huge cross pendant. Eventually a heated exchange took place where some Gods had RZA cornered outside of the event demanding an explanation for showing up wearing that religious symbol, especially around the children who might get confused. I think all of us may say and do things that are, or appear to be, contradictive. RZA is no different. When this occurs, the questions that I always ask are: 

• What are we doing to become better for ourselves, others, and our planet Earth? 
• How can we support others and/or what support do we need? 

    These questions don't dismiss actions that are, or appear to be, a contradiction. These questions are meant to critique something and refocus the conversation on what we are actually doing. It opens up a conversation for potential collaboration as opposed to criticism and contention. While I can relate to the frustration some of us experience when anyone sees confusing representations of their culture, I also understand the importance of how we choose to appropriate our time and resources to address it. I think that some of us spend too much time and resources talking about what we see as a problem and not enough time and resources creating actual solutions. 

    Culture is the sum total of all of our people activities that is centered/rooted in our language. And as I shared, our language is uniquely constructed from our Supreme Mathematics, Supreme Alphabet, 120 Lessons and a variety of colloquialisms, idioms, proverbs and lingo that were all born within our Five Percent community. As Five Percenters, we strive to be thoughtful about what we say and do, how it aligns with our culture, and the results of our words and actions. If we are honest, we would also acknowledge that some days we do better than other days. We are always a work in progress. Our way of life is not a religion nor are we religious. We are not missionaries spreading a gospel and we don't try to convert people to follow what we know. We don't have a house of worship; we create community outreach and youth advocacy spaces to serve as cultural anchor institutions in our cities. We are intentional about teaching those who are sincerely invested in learning our culture. Others will still learn, just being exposed to how we live. We are not followers and we don't have a hierarchal structure with a leader. We teach leadership and that people should only follow to the extent of learning to lead themselves. There is no other group of people on the planet who can make these claims. 

Peace,

Saladin #Atlantisbuild

"Nothing (No thing)" Happens in a Vacuum

     Let me start by saying that nothing happens in a vacuum. We live in a world where all things are connected. Nothing also happens in our little corner of social media where our images, posts, comments and "likes" are somehow disconnected from keyword internet searches or Google alerts. All internet activity is connected and is a part of a larger digital footprint. Fifty years from now, if the internet still exists..., people will be able to find these articles and thousands of other literary, audio, and visual content that is directly connected to me. Some people believe that this kind of global visibility only matters if you are a public figure, and that is not true. You can post something right now that will win you a personal visit from men in black, a pair of shiny steel bracelets, and a first-class trip to your local FBI office. Nothing happens in a vacuum, especially content that garners a lot of visibility and engagement, be it positive or negative.

     Speaking of internet activity that is a part of a larger digital footprint, recently there was a modified Five Percenter Universal Flag with a gun in the center being circulating online via a Queens Hip Hop artist who goes by the stage name "Criminal God." It was in August of 2024 that I first became aware of this artist because he performed on the premises of the Allah School in Mecca at a City of Gods Concert. That City of Gods Concert was widely promoted, hosted by former Source Magazine writer Edward Sunez Rodriguez, and publicly broadcast on the Allah School in Mecca YouTube Channel. While I respect artistic freedom, there are certain expressions of art that I do not support, platform, or share with others, especially our youth. This is one of those expressions. It must also be clearly understood that any individuals who engage in or promote irresponsible, unlawful, or inflammatory behavior are not representatives of the Five Percenters or the Allah Youth Center in Mecca, Inc. (AKA: The Allah School in Mecca). As the Five Percent, we stand on the principles of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, and we reject conduct that undermines community trust or public accountability. Any such actions are personal choices and should never be interpreted as speaking for or acting on behalf of our nation of the Five Percent or Allah Youth Center in Mecca's efforts to lessen neighborhood tensions, combat juvenile delinquency, and foster civic engagement.

Senator Cordell Cleare, sponsor of Senate Bill S8655
~NYSABPRHAL's 55th Legislative Conference~
Albany, NY, February 13-15, 2026.

When I used my social media to share how that modified Five Percenter Universal Flag associated with crime jeopardizes the potential acquisition of our Allah School, I received a variety of responses. While most people were quick to condemn that content, others also communicated their support of an IP [intellectual property] trademark initiative that I put forward in 2021 to legally stop this kind misuse, misappropriation, and monetization of our Universal Flag. Unfortunately, that IP trademark initiative was not widely supported among my Five Percenter community. And as I predicted, that failed support has allowed the continued misuse, misappropriation, and monetization of our Universal Flag in the film and television, toy manufacturing, jewelry, clothing, literary, and music industries. This recent incident was yet another open attack on our cultural identity that we had no legal authority to stop.

Some people have criticized me for using my global platform to raise awareness about issues like this and the solutions that I offer. To them, I am the problem for pointing out the problem and sharing solutions, not the people who are actually creating these problems. Some people believe that if we just ignore situations like this, they will simply go away, fade into folks' daily routines or disappear into some insignificant content abyss on the internet. Again, nothing happens in a vacuum and none of it just vanishes. We have to confront ignorance with intelligence, apathy with action, and positivity with negativity. Consistently. Also, gossiping about me does not address individuals who engage in or promote irresponsible, unlawful, or inflammatory behavior or the continued misuse, misappropriation, and monetization of our Universal Flag.

As a writer, when I share my lived experience, I do it to give people a glimpse into worlds that they often aren't familiar with. My journey, stories, and accomplishments are unique to me. What is also unique to me is that in every world that I step into, I literally come in the name of "Saladin Allah." This is socially equivalent to having a cultural face tattoo. My name is not an alias, attribute, street name, stage name, or nickname that my buddies call me. Whether I am in a classroom teaching students, speaking to State Lawmakers, filming an interview for a documentary, advising United Nation Delegates overseas, or etc., I am Saladin Allah. This is how I show up every. single. day, in every single way, personally and professionally. Many Five Percenters cannot relate to that. They live a somewhat covert life because their actual names are Donnie, Alicia, Christian, Meghan, etc. These folks don't know what it means to walk into every social, economic, educational, religious, and political environment where a central part of your cultural identity is openly visible and always a potential topic of discussion. They don't have a face tattoo. They have a hidden tattoo, and it only becomes a topic of discussion if they choose to show it to somebody. Many Five Percenters can hide in plain sight in a way that I cannot and chose not to. With my name and its cultural significance, I made a bold decision to be seen and heard everywhere and accept the public-facing responsibility that comes along with it. Because of this, I have experiences that others will not. I have conversations in places that others will not have. I also encounter certain societal expectations and public scrutiny that others will never experience or learn to navigate.

So, what does all of that mean? It means that as Five Percenter, I have a vantage point of view that many others do not, based upon my personal and professional experience. In some instances that vantage point of view is better because I am the best knower in a given situation. In other situations, I am not the best knower. Someone else is the best knower, regardless of their age or gender. I respect that, yet I cannot say the same for others who have a bad habit of trying to speak on subjects and professional spaces that they know very little about. It reminds me of a recent online discussion that I had with someone who shared some A.I. laced Islamophobic content about protecting American values from a Muslim invasion. I took some time to educate them by sharing numerous examples and references of Islam's foundational influence on shaping Western Society, including a link to one of my books that is a part of a Curatorial Activism Archive in the British Library. This person, in all of their arrogant American ignorance, still tried to debate me, even though I am clearly an educator, author, and subject matter expert. The audacity. Around the same time, I had another experience dealing with a different kind of audacity. I shared an online application for high school students to apply for an all-expense paid 9-day trip with me to East Africa. Part of that application required students to submit a 300-word or less essay, a 3-minute video, or a 3-minute audio explaining why this trip is important to them. Of the 75 submissions that I received, 73 of them used some form of A.I. to write their essay, produce their video, or dictate their audio responses instead of just sharing their own thoughts and voice. Both of these exchanges represent a small example of a larger more pervasive anti-intellectual groupthink mentality that we are seeing on a national, regional, and local level. It is also happening within my own Five Percent community, and other communities, who have historically valued knowledge, lived experience, and critical thinking. If you really want to take a deeper dive into how A.I. is negatively impacting our cognitive development and creativity, check out this Science Direct article.

We are riding a wave of anti-intellectualism where folks religiously reject expertise, promote mistrust, and are outright hostile towards education and intelligence. This is undermining our ability to grow and develop, individually and as a community. Right before our eyes we are watching the deterioration of American society because of this dysfunctional mentality from the Federal level on down to our local communities. A mentality where irresponsible, unlawful, or inflammatory behavior is celebrated, and so-called leaders, public figures, podcasters, and everyday people sit around and BLOVIATE about people, places, and things without offering any solutions. Sadly, and frustratingly, many of my folks are willing participants in this madness. Yet, in all of this, I still see the potential for positive change. I see it in my own work, my children, other youth, elders, and peers who are still forging paths of possibility through these dense forests of ignorance and apathy. This is also not happening in a vacuum. So I remain encouraged in my work and being connected to others who are also doing the work. Despite the madness, I will that you stay encouraged too.

Peace,

Saladin #AtlantisBuild

Senate Bill S8655 and Allah School in Mecca

     In my recent article New Executive Order will require Allah School in Mecca to be inventoried and reviewed by July 1, 2026 I shared about Executive Order 04 and Executive Order 5 that NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed into law on January 1st, 2026. I also explained how these laws would affect the Allah School in Mecca [2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd] -an undeveloped city-owned parcel that has served as our national headquarters.

     Executive Order 04 [LEVERAGING CITY-OWNED LAND TO ACCELERATE HOUSING] was created due to the housing shortage in New York City. Executive Order 04 created a fast-track process to identify and utilize city-owned land for housing development (AKA: economic development). For that purpose, Mayor Mamdani established an interagency Land Inventory Fast Track Task Force (the “LIFT Task Force”). According to Executive Order 04, "The LIFT Task Force shall consist of representatives from Mayoral agencies offices, and affiliated non-profit corporations, including the Department of Citywide Administrative Services [NYC DCAS], the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Department of City Planning, the Department of Buildings, the Office of Management and Budget, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and representatives from other agencies, offices or entities affiliated with the City designated by the Chair." This LIFT Task Force will also seek participation and cooperation of additional public and other entities as the Task Force Chair deems appropriate. Some of those additional entities that were identified are the New York Public Library, the Queens Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, the New York City Department of Education, the New York City Housing Authority, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Empire State Development Corporation. I spoke with the NYC DCAS and they confirmed that city-owned parcels, including 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd, will be reviewed and inventoried no later than July 1, 2026 as specified in Executive Order 04. Executive Order 5 created the SPEED Task Force. The SPEED Task Force is tasked with identifying and developing city department policies, procedures, and processes for Streamlining Procedures to Expedite Equitable Development [SPEED] in NYC. According to Executive Order 5, these recommendations will be shared with Mayor Mamdani no later than April 11, 2026. 

     Following the publishing of my article it was shared on Facebook that on January 7th, 2026, NYS Senate Bill S8655 was introduced by Senator Cordell Cleare of the 30th Senate District. This Senate Bill 'Authorizes the conveyance of certain property by the city of New York to The Allah Youth Center in Mecca Inc.' After seeing this Facebook post I quickly learned that many of us did not understand the legislative process, assuming that this introduced senate bill addresses the active NYC Executive Orders 04 and 5 that I highlighted. Senate Bill S8655 does not, and this is why.

An introduced senate (or assembly) bill is only a proposal that has not been considered, let alone passed, in the state legislature and signed into law by a governor. An Executive Order that is signed into law by a Mayor or City Executive IS the law. You can only stop an Executive Order by 1.) signing into law a new Executive Order that overturns it, 2.) a Court Order that declares that the bill is unconstitutional, 3.) a City Council law that contradicts it, or 4.) the State (New York in this case) or the Federal government passes a law that contradicts the bill. None of these actions have occurred to override Mayor Mamdani’s Executive Orders 04 and 5.  

HOW DOES A BILL BECOME A LAW?

   When a senate bill is sponsored and introduced, an identical assembly bill must also be sponsored and introduced. As you can see below, Senate Bill S8655 has only been sponsored and introduced by Senator Cleare and is now in the Cities 1 Committee. You can also see that an identical assembly bill has not yet been sponsored or introduced by an Assemblymember.

     If an identical assembly bill is sponsored and introduced by an Assemblymember, it will then go to an Assembly Committee. If an Assemblymember does not sponsor and introduce an identical assembly bill, or refuses to take up Senate Bill S8655, this bill will die at the end of the two-year legislative term. 

     If an identical bill is sponsored and introduced by an Assemblymember, both the senate and assembly bill will move to the floor of both the Senate and the Assembly. Once on the floor, it is placed on the legislative calendar, allowing for debate, potential amendments, and a final vote by the full house. The full house consists of 63 State Senators and 150 State Assemblymembers (213 representatives) across the state of New York. For more information about how the legislative process works, you can check out this information: How A Bill Becomes Law in NYS.

It is important to understand that passing a senate AND assembly bill is a process that takes time. That process does not supersede or override active Executive Orders that were signed into law within a municipality. In other words, Senate Bill S8655 does not stop the July 1st, 2026 city-owned parcel review and inventory specified in Executive Order 04 or the SPEED Task Force recommendations that will be shared with Mayor Mamdani by April 11, 2026. It is equally important to understand that the sponsoring of a senate bill, and potentially an assembly bill, broadens the discussion about who we are as the Five Percent beyond the municipal limits of NYC and the Mamdani Administration. This legislative process will call upon 213 statewide representatives to debate, potentially amend, and ultimately vote on the transferring NYC property to The Allah Youth Center in Mecca Inc. While introducing Senate Bill S8655 can be a powerful opportunity to move in a direction to secure the future of Allah School, it does not address the immediate need to engage the Mamdani Administration concerning Executive Orders 04 and 5. Equally important, it does not address the ongoing negative press, lack of revenue, disorganization, and estranged community partnership obstacles that we consistently deal with. In my previous article I discussed how unfavorable we appear in a quick Google or YouTube search, if surrounding Harlem anchor institutions were contacted about us, or if some city officials wanted to pop-up at the Allah School on a random Tuesday just to check out what is going on. Senate Bill S8655 now opens up the same assessment of us from Senators with partisan politics across NYS -many whose only point of reference for the Five Percent are correctional facilities, crime, juvenile delinquency, and gang affiliation in their legislative jurisdictions. The only way to combat these founded and unfounded assessments are to consistently show a better example. 

     Now that a senate bill exists, what can we do about it? In addition to monitoring this bill on the Senate Bill Search website to see its progress, to show support for Senate Bill S8655, you can create an account on this website and select ✔ Aye where it asks, DO YOU SUPPORT THIS BILL? You will find this on the right side of the webpage as shown below:

     Direct support for Senate Bill S8655 can also be shown by contacting the Cities 1 Committee Chair Senator Luis R. Sepulveda and other Committee members to express your support of this bill. You can also contact state legislators by phone, [registered] postage mail or email to express support of Senate Bill S8655. These efforts are even more powerful as an organized Lobby Committee that has crafted clear, concise, uniform talking points and literature about supporting Senate Bill S8655. This advocacy work can then be leveraged in our engagement with the Mamdani Administration to garner municipal support. ALL OF THIS effort hinges upon our public image and the actual work that we are doing as Five Percenters. If these same public officials looked us up, what would they see on our social media? If they did a background check, what would they see regarding criminal history, employment, education, etc.? Will the name(s) that we use to engage these public officials be interpreted as "aliases" or our legal identification and why? When someone sees us, online or offline, do our words and activities reasonably represent the provisions of Senate Bill S8655 which state that we provide "educational, social, recreational and developmental community-based services to the Harlem community in Manhattan"? ALL OF THIS means something. These public images and our actual work will contribute to how we are collectively perceived, as a culture and a nation of people, seeking the transferred ownership of prime NYC real estate for $0. If we took our public image for granted before, as if our ways and actions have ZERO impact on what happens in the public domain, we will now see this in real time. While it is my hope that public officials, both city and statewide, will have the capacity and diligence to cut through the noise to see the good that we do as the Five Percent, it is reasonable to say that many will not. 

Peace,

Saladin #AtlantisBuild 

New Executive Order will require Allah School in Mecca to be inventoried and reviewed by July 1, 2026

       According to the Official Website of the Mayor of New York Zohran Mamdani, on January 1st, 2026, he signed into law Executive Order 04 [LEVERAGING CITY-OWNED LAND TO ACCELERATE HOUSING] due to the housing shortage in New York City. Executive Order 04 created a fast-track process to identify and utilize city-owned land for housing development (AKA: economic development). For that purpose, Mayor Mamdani established an interagency Land Inventory Fast Track Task Force (the “LIFT Task Force”). According to Executive Order 04, "The LIFT Task Force shall consist of representatives from Mayoral agencies offices, and affiliated non-profit corporations, including the Department of Citywide Administrative Services [NYC DCAS], the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Department of City Planning, the Department of Buildings, the Office of Management and Budget, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and representatives from other agencies, offices or entities affiliated with the City designated by the Chair." This LIFT Task Force will also seek participation and cooperation of additional public and other entities as the Task Force Chair deems appropriate. Some of those additional entities that were identified are the New York Public Library, the Queens Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, the New York City Department of Education, the New York City Housing Authority, the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Empire State Development Corporation. The Executive Order goes on to state the duties of the LIFT Task Force below:

      In addition to the city-owned property inventory that must be completed no later than July 1, 2026, the review of (adjacent) Capital Projects that impact city-owned properties, and consulting on land use changes, it is important to consider what this can mean to citizens and our communities. More specifically, what can this mean to the Allah School in Mecca [2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd] -an undeveloped city-owned parcel that has served as our national headquarters? I spoke with the NYC DCAS and they confirmed that this city-owned parcel will be reviewed and inventoried along with all other city-owned properties via Executive Order 04. Following Executive Order 04, Mayor Mamdani also signed into law Executive Order 5 that creates the SPEED Task Force. The SPEED Task Force is tasked with identifying and developing city department policies, procedures, and processes for Streamlining Procedures to Expedite Equitable Development [SPEED] in NYC. According to Executive Order 5, these recommendations will be shared with Mayor Mamdani no later than April 11, 2026. 

Universal Parliament, P.S. 154 Harriet Tubman elementary school 
[November 28th, 1982]

     In my 2024 article Anchor Institutions and the Fate of Allah School in Mecca I shared that it was always assumed among our (Five Percent Nation) members that our Allah School in Mecca [2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd] is a parcel that was gifted to us by the Lindsay Administration with a 99-year lease. However, it was discovered that no legal document exists to substantiate that claim of a 99-year lease. While some Five Percenters have argued that Allah School is Defacto ours because of our historical use, we are not the legal property owners. This parcel is classified as a miscellaneous religious facility owned by the NYC DCAS. In that 2024 article I went on to share some of the unique challenges that we face based upon this lack of ownership. Challenges that some of us dismissed at the time. Challenges that are now at the forefront due to the January 1, 2026, passage of Executive Orders 04 and 5. 

     To clarify some of these challenges that we face, in my article Are we winning the battle of Reputational Warfare? I wrote, "Striving to achieve more, individually and collectively, may require us to be more intentional with how we appropriate our time and where we invest our finances and resources. Investing our time, finances and resources to create a tangible project to better serve our community is more valuable than sitting around recording 4-hour reaction videos about people. Being more selective about the company that we keep is equally important. This may require us to disassociate from folks who are clearly making us look bad, tarnish the reputation of our community, and destroy the positive relationships that we are striving to build. That disassociation may also need to carry over into the digital space. Being consistent about celebrating our achievements and disassociating from negativity will enable us to slowly course correct the Ghost Brand trajectory that we are currently on. Like with any defunct brand that lost its growing success yet still maintains some old loyal customers, Allah's Five Percent has been similarly falling out of significance yet still maintaining some old loyal adherents to what we teach. This is due to our lack of positive public facing representation, successful youth outreach, and real community development." This analysis was based upon the fact that there are no professional revenue-generating workshops, classes, or projects being facilitated at Allah School every day. We have no grant-funded youth advocacy/community outreach programs being offered in the neighborhood. We have no collaborative initiatives with area organizations and institutions that are available on-site or virtually. Nothing is being offered by/for women and girls, even though women represent 75% of the professional non-profit workforce in the U.S. and the Allah School is a non-profit with allegedly no women board members. 

     In a more recent 2025 article Political Financial Illiteracy: How much does a Policy (Law) cost? prior to Mamdani's election, I further elaborated on the changing NYC Administration, what that could potentially mean to our nation (of the Five Percent) and Mayor Zohran Mamdani creating, amending, or repealing any NYC Policies (Laws) that he would like to implement -such as Executive Orders 04 and 5. I shared these words below;

"Building relationships with any Administration is the key to collaboration and maintaining cultural assets. Being prepared to show and prove our value as a community asset, cultural resource, and historic site will always be the difference between what we build or destroy. We have to ask ourselves, where do we stand regarding the Policies (Laws) that will be created, amended, or repealed during Mamdani's Administration? What will this cost our nation, and the community of Harlem, where we call our headquarters home? Are we at the table or positioning ourselves to be at the table to help create, amend, or repeal these Policies (Laws) to help better serve our nation and community? If we are not at the table, that is evidence that we are on the menu, either as an appetizer, entrée or a dessert. I am unaware if any Five Percenters were actively involved in Mamdani's campaign or if any Five Percenters saw the election result signs in advance and made contact with his campaign to begin building those relationships. Are any Five Percenters striving to be a part of his new Department of Community Safety?" 

     Since Covid-19, I have consistently written/spoken on the subjects of historic preservation, controlling our IP (Intellectual Property), and various procedures and programs that we can use to maintain our cultural continuity. Times are clearly changing and while some of those insights are still being dismissed, some folks are now starting to see the importance of changing how we do things, when to share our time, and where we should invest our finances and resources. I get the impression that some of us are waiting around to react to what happens instead of being proactive. As I am not in NYC or a resident in the Harlem community, there is only so much that I can do, based upon physical proximity, and how open some nation members actually are to receive what I have to share. 

     Some time ago I shared that it was not a great idea when I learned that a few Five Percenters met with city officials under the Eric Adams Administration to share a slide presentation about our ideas for developing their city-owned parcel: 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd [Allah School in Mecca]. I thought it was premature because we had no capital funding to do it and we still do not have the capital funding in the bank to do a multi-million-dollar economic development project. It was simply an idea that we shared with no funding or even Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with partnership businesses or organizations who support this project. If there is a record of those Five Percenters meeting with city officials' pre-Mayor Mamdani, it can be used by the current Administration to show a timeline and our incapability to develop their city-owned parcel. If there is no record of those Five Percenters meeting with city officials' pre-Mayor Mamdani, it still puts us in a vulnerable position with the LIFT Task Force review happening no later than July 1, 2026. We are especially vulnerable if none of us were actively involved in Mamdani's campaign, are actively communicating his Administration or actively involved with any of his departments such as the Department of Community Safety. Mamdani's Administration simply may not know who we are. With a quick Google or YouTube search, his Administration will get some answers. Answers that I am not sure that we would like concerning how collectively engaged, organized, and competent we are. If his Administration did further research by contacting surrounding anchor institutions such as P.S. 154 Harriet Tubman, P.S. 92 Mary McLeod Bethune or housing developments such as the St. Nicholas Houses to learn who we are, I am also not sure that we would like their answers. Even if some city officials wanted to pop-up at the Allah School on a random Tuesday just to check out what is going on, they won't see anything of socioeconomic value, especially with 50% of their parcel inoperative [CommonUnity CENTER]. None of these things are favorable for us. 

     So, what can we do about it? At this point I think it requires radical change. That radical change requires more effort than guys showing up every week to stream a pixelated video for a handful of viewers, dudes posting three-hour videos talking about what other people are doing, or unemployed people just hanging out at the school. It requires more than that to show and prove that we are serious about the socioeconomic growth and development of Allah School. Especially at this critical time when the city-owned parcel that we have occupied all of these years is clearly undeveloped and underused compared to all of the development happening around it. As a part of this radical change there are a number of things that I would do, from restructuring the board, exploring historic preservation, grant writing, community engagement initiatives, youth programs, strategic partnerships, and etc. If or when people [men and women] are seriously ready to add-on like this and remove all of the obstacles out of the way that will undermine those efforts, I would be willing to build. Other than that, I'll continue to do the work that I do and continue to share information for those who have the eyes to see, the ears to listen, and the mouths to speak. If something is not radically done to ensure the ownership and socioeconomic development of our Allah School, we risk losing our national headquarters. With that lost, the adjacent "Allah, Justice & The Five Percenters Square" street sign will become a political consolation prize. A sign that will now serve as the only remaining evidence and historical reminder of who we once were in this Harlem community. This is no different than any other street signs that are named after figures who are no longer there. I don't want that, and I am sure many others don't want that either. We need to do something about it then.

Peace,

Saladin, #AtlantisBuild

2026: Say Less, Do More!

Cradle of Humanity
East Africa, Tanzania

  

     First and foremost, I want to acknowledge those whom we lost last year. It is my will that we honor them by walking with the best part that they shared with us. Reflecting upon 2025, I just wanted to take a moment to share some of my thoughts with all of you regarding being successful in our undertakings. Whether we make New Year Resolutions or not, striving to be resolute in all that we say and do is important, regardless of when we choose to make that decision. In part, this is what “word is bond, bond is life and I will give my life before my word shall fail” means to those of us who are Five Percenters. This phrase is not simply something to recite. It is a declaration of being committed and it highlights the integrity, fortitude, and consistency to follow through with our word. In fact, when our word is truly a bond, we will not be broke, or broken.

 There were several things that I accomplished in 2025; from helping coordinate more amazing Niagara Falls National Heritage Area and Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center projects to again being the featured representative for the United Nations International Day for People of African Descent. I celebrated the three-year anniversary of opening our Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters in November! In this article here are 9 things that you can do to help you succeed in 2026:

1. When you are setting a goal, make sure that your idea is something that improves your quality of life with the intent/consideration of making you a greater resource to others and the world that we share. Life is interdependent and there is a constant process of giving and receiving. This intent/consideration ensures that your idea is in tune with the universal order and is something sustainable -because we are actively providing a service (and/or products) that others, and the world, actually need. If the only thing that we are thinking about is what we can get (keep), and not what we can consistently give, what we get (keep) will eventually run out. Why? We are just taking and not putting anything back. If you don't believe this, try it with your breath. Keep it to yourself and see how long it takes for your oxygen to run out... It is all about reciprocity and just that simple.

2. Make sure that your idea is real and obtainable. It is less likely that we are going to change EVERYTHING at once so it is important to work on what we can change, one goal at a time. Also, take things one day at a time. It took a while to create habits/routines, and it is going to take time to change them. The smaller goals we accomplish serve as steppingstones; helping us build confidence and gain the tools and experience that are necessary to reach our larger goals. And with any goal, one of the most important steps we need to take, and habits we need to create, is to “get our day underway with a positive, productive attitude.” Use positive affirmations, read positive writings, listen to positive podcasts, and post positive messages where you can visually see them. All of these things help orientate you with higher-order thinking and enable you to get your day underway with a positive, productive attitude. Whatever your cultural worldview or religion is, start your day considering the positive principles that your worldview and religion share. Our attitude sets the foundation of our altitude.

3. Make your goals specific. Instead of saying something unclear like, “I’m going to read more” say something more specific like, “I am going to read one book every month.” This is called Specificity. Specificity helps you better focus on your goals and encourages you to be more responsible and committed to those goals. If you were to say, “I want to be healthier in 2026” there is no sense of importance, ambition, or action plan to accomplish that goal. Now if you said, “I am going to only eat baked chicken once a week and go to the gym three times a week for 1 ½ hours after work” that has a sense of importance, ambition and provides part of an action plan to achieve your goal of being healthier in 2026. You clearly put more thought into that! If it is not clear, your path will not be cleared. When we learn about being ‘right and exact’, Specificity is what it means to ‘exact.’

4. Set a projected time/date for your goals. Setting a time/date creates a sense of urgency, responsibility, and accountability to meet your goals. If you don’t meet your time/date then set another one. Without setting a time/date, what we are saying is that our goals are not really a priority (important). Why? Because under these circumstances they can happen any time and any day. THAT is not resolute. If you don't have a time/date, you are creating the possibility that there will never be a time/date. Keep in mind that “one day”, “any day” and “someday” are not days on a calendar. Set a reasonable time/date when you want to reach a goal and don’t procrastinate. If you are having legitimate challenges accomplishing a goal at that time and on that date, set another reasonable time/date.

5. Write down your ideas. I have known people who had challenges with organizing their day, appropriating their time, and focusing on achieving their goals. One of the solutions I shared with them was writing down their goals on index cards or signs and posting them in visible places around their home. Not necessarily for everyone to see, it is for you to see; they're your goals! This helped reinforce and remind them of their goals so they would not allow themselves to get lost in the hustle & bustle of each day. Committing your ideas to paper is the understanding of knowledge and wisdom. How? Because it is outside evidence that allows you to physically see what you thought [knowledge] and spoke [wisdom] about. Understanding is often referred to as a child or the best part. This is one reason that Creatives often refer to their projects, such as their paintings, literature, or music as ‘their baby.’ And just like any baby, that must be nurtured and requires attention, our goals require the same in order to grow healthy and strong. Writing down your ideas is also a contractual obligation to yourself.

6. Only share your ideas with those who have shown themselves to be supportive of you fulfilling them. If they are not there to help you, they are only going to hinder you. If they are not an asset, they are a liability. If they are not in your life to build, they will destroy. This also includes the nice folks with pleasant attitudes. Just because they have a happy disposition, it does not mean that they can automatically help. Again, our idea is likened to a baby, and a baby must be nurtured, respected, loved, protected, and educated. That baby must build its immunity to repel the bacteria and viruses that could compromise its health, growth, and development. It is unwise to let any and everybody touch your baby. It is equally unwise to expose your idea to any and everybody. Now, some people may not intentionally strive to hinder you or be a liability. They simply don't have the means to support you. Whether that support is positive conversation or encouragement, experienced expertise, a listening ear, or sharing actual resources. This includes your own family. Just because someone is in proximity to you, or may even share a bed with you, it does not mean that they can automatically see your vision. It also possible that someone you talk to online who lives in a different hemisphere, or that you recently met, can see your vision and support you. Lastly, and most importantly, be this support that you seek! It is unfair to ask for something from others that we are unwilling and unable to give.  

7. Look into networking with people/organizations that will help you fulfill your physical and mental health goals. That is why our social equality is important and the reason some keep us apart from their own social equality. Our network is a prime indicator of our net worth. Take care of yourself and connect with those who are invested in doing the same. There are no ideas when we don't have your health. There is no health if you don't have the energy. Get an appropriate amount of rest. Eat healthy foods and don't eat often. Fast! Make sure that you have daily physical activity whether that is exercise, going to the gym, choosing to walk, etc. Figure out what works best for you and stick to it! 

8. Speaking of health; strive to maintain a positive outlook! Some days it will be easy to maintain a level of positivity and other days you need fellowship with others who share the same goals and are just as resolute about achieving their goals. This means investing the time to build with others and being present to learn as much as you can about the positive principles/values they are sharing with you. This is a key to sustainability and not burning yourself out.

9. Your idea is not the end all be all. Some people live to have a wedding while others strive to be married, have a family, etc.  While the wedding is a place, being married is a state. So, although your ideas may help you arrive at a place, the ultimate goal should be to achieve a state of existence. And this state of existence should set the stage to help you achieve even higher and greater goals! It is all about constant growth and elevation, not stagnation. Life is constantly changing and evolving and so should the living.

Ngorongoro Crater

PLUS DEGREES: 

*Just say “NO.” Sometimes we put too much on our plate because we don't know how to tell people “NO” and we feel guilty about it when we do. Here's the thing: if you don't have the time, or the finances, you don't have to agree to do it. Let time and finances be the reason that you cannot commit to something. It is unreasonable for someone to expect you to create more than twenty-four hours in a day or magically increase your bank account, for them. Just. Say. NO.

*"Be a shark, not a peacock." When a peacock walks into a room with its feathers fanned out everyone can see it. It is not necessary to be a show-off or strive to get attention. You also attract predators that way. Sharks move in silence and by the time you see their dorsal fin, it is too late. In many cases staying below the radar and not revealing what you're doing until it's actually done is a sure way to be successful in your undertaking. Be a fine mist that the naked eye can hardly detect. When we talk a lot, we are also subject to the expectations of others, which are usually unrealistic. If you tell people that you are writing a book and you know that you don't even have a manuscript yet, people may assume that you are going to be publishing a four-hundred-page book next week and expect it. Now when you obviously don't deliver, people will begin to look at you like the boy/girl who cried wolf. Always remember that light travels 186,000 miles per second and sound only travels 1,200 feet per second. People will see what you are doing before they can hear what you are saying so your reputation always precedes you. So, "Say Less" in 2026 and let your work speak for you.

   In closing, I will that every one of you and your families have a positive and productive 2026 and that it adds more beauty to our families, community, and environment. 

Peace,

Saladin 

#AtlantisBuild