Is Knowledge and Understanding one and the same?

Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada commemorative plaque
for Chloe Cooley that I helped create.
-National Historic Site, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario-

 

     People who learn about the culture of the Five Percent come into this knowledge in different ways. Whether that is through a family member, friend, associate, or social media nowadays. Some people are initially given history about our founder Father Allah and the First 9 Born. Others are given that history including history of the Gods in Medina (Brooklyn). Some are simply handed Supreme Mathematics. Others are given all 120 lessons at once. I've also known people who were told to memorize "What We Teach." That was not my experience. While I was loosely familiar with the Five Percenters through the Golden Era Rap Music that I was listening during the mid-1980s to mid-1990s, I wasn't formally introduced to the Five Percent culture until I went away to college.  

    I met my Five Percent Enlightener/Educator Raheem in the Spring of 1994 on the campus of Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. It was my second year at CSU as a 19-year-old football recruit. We met one evening by our Student Center where I was waiting for a bus to go into town. After a brief interaction he told me to meet him by our school cafeteria the next morning and that is where our journey of Knowledge of Self began. When I arrived there early the next morning, he was already there. Then we walked to the library, where I worked my work-study job a few days a week. Upstairs he pulled out a book on Nihilism by Friedrich Nietzsche and one about Quantum Physics by Physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hakwing and found a table to sit at. We were there building about cosmology, self-creation, the indigeneity of Black people, epistemology and etc. until the library closed that night. We didn't even take a lunch break. My expectation was to learn Five Percent culture which required me getting "the lessons", Supreme Mathematics, and etc. This is not what happened. At all. Confused, frustrated, and discouraged, he walked me back to my dorm room after spending the entire day discussing what I thought was a waste of time. Once we got to my floor, he went over to the pay phone, made a call, spoke briefly, and then handed me the phone. It was his Enlightener/Educator, Life. Life introduced himself and then went full speed into building about what I had just began to learn at the library. As he spoke, I could feel myself shrinking, feeling more and more unsure about if this was what I wanted to learn. It sounded like he was speaking a foreign language, and I could not follow along. I stayed silent, listening, unsure about what to even ask for clarification. The pace of the conversation made it difficult to process. It seemed like another hour had gone by and when he finally got off the phone with me, I couldn't tell you anything that was just said. I was lost! Seeing this and my sincerity to learn, Raheem reassured me about the journey ahead and not to be discouraged. It took time, patience, and walking with Raheem to develop the competency, confidence and conscientiousness to teach this culture.  

    Raheem was from North Philly and enrolled at Central State over a year before I arrived there. When we met, he wasn't enrolled that Spring Semester in 1994, yet he still voluntarily attended classes such as sociology, physics and etc. Imagine that! He wore a black eyepatch from a childhood incident where he lost an eye. He had an I.B.M tat on his hand between his thumb and pointer finger, was able to speak Arabic, and he carried around a cloth chess board with plastic game pieces in a Ziploc bag. In addition to attending classes, he was training to become a chess master and studied masters like Bobby Fisher and Gary Kasparov. He was literally a genius hiding in plain sight. 

    My journey of Knowledge of Self began academically and in an academic environment. As I studied various sciences of life, I was slowly given one lesson at a time. A lesson was recited to me, and I would eventually write it down from memory. When I would return home during our trimester school breaks, I was never given any additional lessons. I was told to study the lessons that I already had, and that we would continue my studies when I returned back to school. I was never given Supreme Mathematics or the Supreme Alphabet on sheets of paper; I learned them and part of their applications through lived experience. Once I gained a basic understanding of what these principles and qualities meant, I begin to formally write them down. Nineteen months later on September 30th, 1995, I finished knowledging (learning to recite) all 120 lessons. That was thirty years ago. At this point in my journey, I've had Knowledge of Self longer than I haven't had it. During this time, I've realized that there is a difference between people who have learned our Five Percent cultural curriculum through Semantic Memory and those who have learned it through Episodic Memory. Let me explain.

Semantic Memory and Episodic Memory

    Semantic Memory is like a storage cabinet of general facts. Semantic Memory is non-sensory and represents things like the names of people, objects, words, and places. It enables us to mentally catalog information and recognize patterns. Episodic Memory is like a time machine that enables us to relive moments and share specific events that are personal to us. Episodic Memory is sensory, such as recalling what the love of our life looked like when we first met, how it smelled visiting certain place in the Spring, or describing the taste of a favorite dish at a restaurant. Both forms of memory are necessary. Semantic Memory is about quantity and Episodic Memory is about quality. Semantic Memory is like knowledge and Episodic Memory is like understanding. The bridge between the two, or wisdom, is known as Autobiographical Memory. Autobiographical Memory enables us to share the age and time that we were in love, the person's name we were in love with and other details about this experience. It is "the way" that objective facts/information draws a clear mental picture, and our ability to communicate that.

    Over the years of having Knowledge of Self and learning the cultural curriculum of the Five Percent, I've found that some people only have a Semantic Memory of what they learned. While some people did use their Episodic Memory of Supreme Mathematics to explain how these principles apply to their life, many did not have the same ability with 120 lessons. They could recite our Student Enrollment by heart, but they had a hard time putting into context and communicating how these lessons directly applied to their life. When asked about different populations and their useful land, they had a hard time seeing how these demographics and land usage in North America (United States, Canada, Mexico, some Caribbean Nations) and all over the planet Earth directly impacted the resources, socioeconomics and political landscape where they lived. They could tell you the exact square miles of the planet Earth, yet they couldn't connect a personal experience to those miles or when, where, what, how and why that was even important. In most instances I've simply seen people add up 196,940,000 square miles to the number 2 and then give some impersonal non-autobiographical explanation about being wise, simply because the number 2 is wisdom in our Supreme Mathematics. This lack of understanding showed me that people were just obtaining information, not gaining awareness/knowledge, and that information was not transferable through wisdom. 

   When I got knowledge in the mid-1990s, there was a negative anti-intellectual stigma sometimes associated with those of us who gained Knowledge of Self in an academic environment. Sometimes we were called those "Digable Planet" Gods and Earths as a so-called insult, because of our cool beatnik-like intellectual demeanor. Some Five Percenters felt like some of us weren't street enough and this attitude still exists in some ciphers today. If some fashioned themselves as warriors, some of us were seen as statesmen/stateswomen and scientists. In time I began to understand that this wasn't always personal. In the early days of the Five Percent Nation, the pursuit of higher education was often rejected by some Five Percenters who considered it believing in the teachings of the 10%, "the white man's education" and "being under the government." For many Five Percenters, the path of academic achievement was closed, equated with evil, and those who pursued it were often ridiculed. It took one of our ridiculed pioneers, UM-Allah, to attend and graduate from college with a master's degree in the 1970s to show and prove the real value of higher education to others. In time, others eventually began to follow suit. Yet the sneering among others never ceased. 

   I didn't learn this culture in a vacuum or an environment with limited experiences. As a newborn, I learned how our lessons, Supreme Mathematics, and Supreme Alphabet applied in a library, in a college classroom, around campus, off campus, in Southwestern Ohio, and back home in Western New York. This variability gave me an opportunity to literally see the culture in different ways, in different settings, around different people, and using different modalities. Each experience created a different Episodic Memory for me and enabled me to see the culture beyond a Semantic Memory and single context. The culture became a part of my Autobiographical Memory that I was able to communicate. This is different than a person learning this culture in a neighborhood that they rarely left or a controlled environment that they were not legally allowed to leave. It looks, sounds and feels different. It's the difference between sharing a personal story about awareness and gaining knowledge compared to someone just religiously repeating that knowledge is the foundation and the ability to look, listen, observe and respect. I've met people who knowledged 120 lessons in less than a month, moving swiftly from one degree to the next. Yet in that short time there were also fewer opportunities to experience those lessons across a variety of contexts. That learning process lacked variability. Fewer experiences also meant a widened gap between what they knew and what they actually understood within those lessons. This led to an obvious challenge with how to apply the principles, values, insights and procedures that could be learned within these lessons. For example, the first 10 lessons in the 1-14 teach us principles, values, insights and procedures how to deal with evil or immorality. This is something that one could not learn if they only had Supreme Mathematics because they do not explicitly or implicitly explain evil or immorality. 

What does this mean?

     We, as Five Percenters, traditionally claim to be universal and that our home is the planet Earth. As Gods, we also say that Allah is Lord of ALL Worlds. In theory, this is true. Yet far too often, many of us have not and are not seeking to experience the variability that expands our knowledge, wisdom and understanding of our culture. The United States is a little more than 1% of the planet Earth's square mileage yet many Five Percenters don't even explore this country. This restricts our opportunities to see the culture in different ways, in different settings, around different people, and using different modalities. This also limits our ability to conceptualize the lived experiences of those who have experienced this culture beyond a Semantic Memory and single context. How universal can we really be with these restrictions and limits? Are we truly able to teach knowledge and wisdom to all the human families of the planet Earth when our world is only a city block, the neighborhood or social media? Do some of us actually fear representing our culture in spaces beyond our comfort zone? These are some of the questions that I ponder as I continually access global opportunities to represent Five Percent culture in different ways, in different settings, around different people, and using different modalities. I am always inspired when I see Five Percenters doing positive impactful work. I will that my work also continues to inspire others to do positive impactful work, through expanding their knowledge, wisdom and understanding of Five Percent culture, especially our youth. This requires us to not just think outside of the box but not to box ourselves in from opportunities to experience our way of life in different ways, in different settings, around different people, and using different modalities. 

Peace, 

Saladin #AtlantisBuild

America's 250th: Are You Patriotic Enough?

"Soiling Old Glory" April 5th, 1976

 

     Even though the first recorded ships carrying enslaved African people to the North American Caribbean occurred in the early 1500s, August 20th, 1619, is marked as the date that the Transatlantic Trade of Enslaved People began when the White Lion, commanded by Captain Jope, brought the first enslaved African people to the English colony of Jamestown, Virginia. This means that from August 20th, 1619 to July 4th, 1776 there were almost 8 generations of slavery on this land before America was born. When these Colonialists finally declared their independence from their European homeland on July 4th, 1776, slavery was not abolished. Slavery continued for another 4 generations until 250,000 enslaved Africans in Galveston, Texas finally got the news about the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation two years later on June 19th, 1865. Following Juneteenth came the Reconstruction Era and Jim Crow [American Apartheid] which continue to legally deny Black people's humanity, citizenship and our ability to participate in America society. This lasted another 5 generations, from June 19th, 1865 to the Fair Housing Act on April 11th, 1968. And since 1968, Black people have continued to face consistent forms of systemic injustice in the employment, medical, educational, economic, housing, criminal justice, and political fields. It is also important to mention that during this time there were 3 million card carrying members of the KKK in the early 1900s, lynchings, sundown towns, and other white vigilante groups created to terrorize and murder Black people who sought to exercise citizenship rights. 

What does this mean? 

   Without counting the 157 years or almost 8 generations of slavery on this land before America was born, Black people have been legally defined as inhuman property, 3/5th's of a human being, non-citizens, and an underclass for 192 years of America's 250-year existence; from July 4th, 1776 to April 11th, 1968. 192 years means that 76% of the time that America has existed, Black people have had the transgenerational experience of non-citizenship. The First and Second Great Migrations in the early and mid 1900s was an exodus out of these Southern conditions, only for Black people to be met with the same discriminatory politics and policies in the North. American politics and policies that Adolf Hitler studied and wrote about in Mein Kampf as inspiring the Nazi ideology. Considering all of this, how can we commemorate 250 years of American history while minimizing, ignoring, or trying to erase the fact that millions of Black people have been legally denied freedom in America for 192 of those years? 

     Some people would accuse me of being unpatriotic for laying out this American timeline. For me, I am not sure what people claim is great about America along this timeline, when considering the experience of Black people. I also don't know what needs to be done to make America great "again." When I've asked folks these questions, I never get an answer or even an era that they're talking about which includes the experiences of Black people. Is it the era of the Antebellum South? What about the time of the Great Depression? Maybe the turbulent 1960s or the crack-era 1980s? Now don't get me wrong, when you don't have to think about enslaver breeding plantations, white people using black babies as alligator bait, Black men being murdered for voting, entire Black towns getting burned to the ground, Black caricatures in film, television, literature and radio, a pregnant Black woman getting lynched and other traumatic experiences, we as Black folks have created joy. Everything that we have culturally created in America is superimposed over the backdrop of legally sanctioned white domestic terrorism. Whether that is the creation of Invisible Institutions, the Underground Railroad, Hip Hop, bean pies, AAVE, Black Dandyism, and etc., all of it is rooted in some form or collective freedom. 

     Many people believe that America is a white Christian nation that we all need to be proud of and thankful for being here. I never felt patriotic about this country my entire life. My parents never bought me red, white and blue outfits nor did I wear these colors as an adult. When I grew up my family never flew the American flag on our house or car, and I never looked up at this flag with tears welling up in my eyes with my hand over my heart while someone sang the national anthem. I never felt included, even as a kindergartener. I never had an experience that made me feel beyond a shadow of a doubt that when I hear the word "American" that this includes me and my people. I am sure some of you, perhaps many of you, felt and feel the same as I. When I see political rallies, holiday celebrations and people put on Lee Greenwood's God Bless America, nothing about that song or the video (see above) moves me. Many of my family members felt and feel the same way, including those who served in the military. Yes, there are Black folks who are just as patriotic as any red-blooded white American. For many of us, we have traditionally participated in American autoerotic celebrations from afar; repurposing the 4th of July into family barbecues with seasoning, Donny Hathaway's This Christmas, Easter into a Spring church fashion show, and New Year's Eve into Watch Night. I always instinctively understood that the generations of my people who were born in and lived in America, never experienced the full rights of American citizenry. If they were proud of anything it was their pride in overcoming almost insurmountable odds stacked against them. Nowadays more people are starting to understand this feeling. They are waking up to the reality that the patriotism many Americans embrace originates in the violence of "Patriots” against those who were/are not deemed citizens or even human. They are realizing that the American Flag is less about personal pride and more akin to waving a Jolly Roger Flag as a symbol of warfare and intimidation. They are also learning that July 4th is a colorful celebration of violent military conquest and how "fire worked" [fireworks] in the form of cannons [“bombs bursting in air”] to kill "their enemies." None of this, included the present-day U.S. Department of War, is rooted in peace.

     In closing, the 250th to me is not all about only discussing the historical oppression of my people and how this country still has a long way to go. That is part of it because some people seem to forget that millions of people were killed to take this land that millions of others were brought here to work for free. You cannot possibly know where you a going if you don't know where you've been. For me, this is also a time to reflect upon the joy, contributions, achievements, and resilience of my people in-spite of the systemic generational challenges that we have faced in America. I will never relent in sharing these stories of my people, whether it is good, bad, ugly or beautiful. I will continue to tell the truth, whether people feel cozy or uncomfortable. Part of that mission is to help ensure that today's children are nurtured, respected, loved, protected and educated to become positive,  productive, compassionate adults. They are the link to our future, and it is important that they are equipped with the knowledge and wisdom to understand their role and responsibility in creating it. 

Peace,

Saladin, #AtlantisBuild

Historic! NYS Governor Signs Harriet Tubman Byway Into Law

Pictured (l-r): Third row -Josh Poole, Sage Hazarika | Second row: Nikita Jankowski, Jasiah Jackson, Char Rivera, Ally Spongr DeGon, Senator April Baskins, Sara Capen, Saladin Allah | First row: Xochi Jankowski, Noble Jankowski, Anusha Quanaah, Nevaeh Everett, Governor Kathy Hochul, Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, Stokes' granddaughter

New York becomes home to its first state-designated Underground Railroad byway, a 176.76-mile route from Auburn to Niagara Falls honoring Harriet Tubman and Freedom Seekers — the first phase of a planned 550-mile border-to-border heritage corridor connecting Maryland to Canada.

   On Saturday June 13th, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation officially designating Phase 1 of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway (HTURB) as part of New York's Scenic Byway System, enacting Senate Bill S9057A and Assembly Bill A10194A. The signing took place in Buffalo to kick off the 2026 Buffalo Juneteenth Parade and marks the first official designation of the 176.76-mile heritage corridor connecting 22 sites significant to Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and Freedom Seekers across eight counties from the City of Auburn to Niagara Falls. The Governor was joined for the signing by Senator April Baskin, Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, New York State Attorney General Letitia James, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, and was surrounded by members of the HTURB team — including Ally Spongr DeGon, Sage Hamilton-Hazarika, and Saladin Allah — whose work helped bring the designation to fruition. Following the signing, the HTURB team walked alongside the Governor, Attorney General, and Comptroller in the Buffalo Juneteenth Parade to its conclusion. 

“On the 50th anniversary of Buffalo’s Juneteenth celebration, there could not be a more fitting time to sign the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway into law. I thank Governor Hochul for her support of this legislation, Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes for sponsoring this bill in the Assembly, and Saladin Allah and Lillie Wiley-Upshaw, two Western New York leaders in African American history preservation whose years of advocacy helped make this designation possible. I would also like to uplift the hard work of the New York State Department of Transportation, which spent years working diligently to shape this worthy piece of legislation. This byway honors Harriet Tubman, the Freedom Seekers who traveled through New York, and the communities that risked everything to help them. It formally recognizes that the road to freedom ran through our state and will create new opportunities for heritage tourism, local businesses, and economic development. When people travel these roads, they will see visible reminders that freedom, courage and resistance traveled them first.” -Senator April Baskin

“Harriet Tubman’s life is a study in leadership, determination and the universal concepts of liberty and freedom. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, it is important to remember and to celebrate people who exemplify the ideals this nation was founded on. Harriet Tubman, without a doubt, is one of those people. Now Ms. Tubman’s legacy is further ingrained here in New York State with the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway. I thank my colleagues in the Assembly, Senate and Governor Hochul for getting this legislation passed and signed.” -Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes

“There is no state in the nation with a larger Underground Railroad footprint than the Empire State, and this legislation will highlight a network of important sites along a newly created byway honoring the legacy of the Underground Railroad and one of the fiercest freedom fighters in American history – Harriet Tubman – who ultimately called New York her home. Generations ago, the Underground Railroad carved a path through a divided continent and enabled thousands of enslaved people to gain their freedom. Through the creation of this new scenic byway, we honor the legacy of the men and women who made this dangerous journey, paving the way for a new birth of freedom for millions of African Americans.” -Governor Kathy Hochul

   With the bill now law, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) — in partnership with the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway Organization — will soon begin installing signage marking the route and connecting Underground Railroad landmarks across Central and Western New York. The route begins in Auburn, Cayuga County, passes through Seneca, Ontario, Wayne, Monroe, and Orleans Counties, then continues through Erie and Niagara Counties, and ends at Niagara Falls. The byway honors Harriet Tubman — who made her home in Auburn for 54 years (and where she’s buried), after escaping slavery and leading 70+ Freedom Seekers to liberty — and the broader Underground Railroad network that ran through New York State. Once fully implemented, the byway will bring visitors to well-known New York State landmarks such as the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park, two National Historic Landmarks, and 14 National Park Service Network to Freedom sites. The scenic byway will also connect visitors to existing Black neighborhoods, businesses, and other sites, encouraging travelers to tour and support communities along the route. As needed and appropriate, additional interpretation — in the form of kiosks, exhibits, events, or experience centers — will enhance the visitor experience by connecting the traveler with the byway’s historical significance. Recreational activities along the byway, such as the Empire State Trail and Erie Canal, will further expand the diversity of experiences available to visitors.

 

ECONOMIC IMPACT

The eight Phase 1 counties already generate $5.67 billion in annual visitor spending, supporting more than 64,000 jobs. With the new byway, there is potential to increase that number. Maryland’s comparable Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Scenic Byway contributes $23 million in annual sales and supports 363 jobs. The Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway generates $1.06 billion in total business sales and more than 6,500 jobs across four states. Cultural heritage travelers — the byway’s core audience — spend an average of $1,182 per trip.

 

THE ROAD AHEAD

With Phase 1 signed into law, HTURB — housed within the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area will begin implementing the Corridor Management Plan (CMP) in partnership with NYSDOT and the Underground Railroad Consortium of New York State (URCNYS). More than 100 volunteers and numerous organizations participated in creating the CMP and supporting the byway’s designation. Phase 2 will extend the byway from Auburn east through 14 additional counties to Manhattan and the New Jersey border, creating a contiguous 550-mile border-to-border corridor. Seventy-nine municipalities across Phase 2 counties have already passed resolutions of support. Phase 2 designation legislation is proposed for the 2027 legislative session. The long-term vision connects the New York Byway into a continuous multi-state route from Dorchester County, Maryland — Harriet Tubman’s birthplace — to St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, where Tubman guided Freedom Seekers to safety. Linking with the existing Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania Harriet Tubman byways, and the proposed New Jersey byway, the full corridor would become one of the most significant heritage travel routes in North America.

ABOUT The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway Organization is the independent governing body of the designated byway, housed within the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area (NFNHA). It oversees governance, stewardship, tourism development, and the corridor’s expansion to a full border-to-border route.

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway (HTURB) is now a New York State Scenic Byway spanning 550+ miles from Manhattan to Niagara Falls across 22 counties and more than 160 municipal jurisdictions. Phase 1, signed into law by Governor Hochul on June 13, 2026, designates 176.76 miles from Auburn to Niagara Falls across 8 counties and 22 heritage sites. The byway was initiated by the Underground Railroad Consortium of New York State (URCNYS) — a non-profit volunteer coalition of historians, tourism officials, heritage attractions, and descendants of Freedom Seekers, founded in 2015 — and has grown into its own independent organization, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway Organization, supported by URCNYS and administered by the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area. For more information, visit our Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway (HTURB) HERE or follow @tubmanbywayny.

What Happened to the Senate and Assembly Bills to "Save Allah School"?!

   In January of this year [2026], I shared two important articles about NYC Executive Orders 04 and 5, and Senate Bill S8655, as they all relate to our Allah School in Mecca; a city-owned parcel located at 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. That parcel is officially classified as a miscellaneous religious facility owned by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services [NYC DCAS]. If you have not read those articles, you can read them below:

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

Article: Senate Bill S8655 and Allah School in Mecca

Senator Cordell Cleare at the NYSABPRHAL's 55th Legislative
Conference in Albany, New York, February 13-15, 2026

    

   After my first article was published, some Five Percent community members began to share misinformation about a proposed Senate Bill S8655 and its relationship to Executive Orders 04 and 5. Senate Bill S8655 was introduced on January 7th by Senator Cordell Cleare of the 30th Senate District, one week after Mayor Mamdani's Executive Orders 04 and 5 became the law. Senate Bill S8655 sought to authorize the transfer ownership of 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd from the Department of Citywide Administrative Services [NYC DCAS] to The Allah Youth Center in Mecca Inc. Most of the people who shared or commented on Senate Bill S8655 via social media did not understand how a bill becomes a law in New York State. They also didn't understand that any introduced Bill is simply a legislative "proposal" that does not supersede or override active Executive Orders that are signed into law by a Mayor or City Executive. Seeing this gap between knowledge and understanding, I published the second article to inform people about how the legislative process works here in New York State. In this second article I shared how an identical Senate AND Assembly Bill must be introduced into the State Legislature. When my second article was published there was no Assembly Bill. Two weeks later, on Thursday, February 12th, 2026, Assembly Bill A10232 was finally introduced by Assemblymember Jordan Wright of the 70th Assembly District. I was actually in Albany with State Lawmakers at that time for the NYSABPRHAL's 55th Legislative Conference. I was invited to speak on a Historic Preservation Panel sponsored by Senator Cleare, who sponsored Senate Bill S8655. That panel was moderated by Claudette Brady who is the Executive Director of Save Harlem Now!, an organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and celebrating Harlem’s [Mecca's] irreplaceable heritage. I also attended workshops and events with Assemblymember Wright, who sponsored Assembly Bill A10232, and other State Lawmakers. On Wednesday, March 4th I was back in Albany for the annual NAACP Advocacy and Lobby Day. 

NYS Legislators Contact Spreadsheet 

     When both Bills were introduced in the NYS Senate and Assembly in February, I spoke with an Allah Youth Center in Mecca, Inc. board member and offered my assistance in helping move this legislation forward. In addition to my political network and advocacy experience, that assistance included email attachments with compiled advocacy information which included a contact spreadsheet (see above) and template letter (see below) for Senate Bill S8655/Assembly Bill A10232. With the contact spreadsheet, Assemblymembers and Senators could be contacted in multiple ways to garner their support for the Bills. I also shared that in our New York State Legislature there are 150 Assemblymembers (103 are Democrat) 63 Senators (41 are Democrat). In order to pass Assembly Bill A10232 76 Aye votes are needed, and to pass Senate Bill S8655 32 Aye votes are needed. I was thanked for this information, told that it would be distributed, and I would be contacted if the board wanted me to add-on. Out of respect for the board who was leading this initiative, I did not do any independent advocacy work to garner support for Senate Bill S8655/Assembly Bill A10232 when I was in Albany among Lawmakers or speaking to them via phone or email.  

Advocacy Template Letter

     What is the current status of Senate Bill S8655/Assembly Bill A10232?

    As of today, the below screenshots show that there was no progress regarding advocacy for Senate Bill S8655/Assembly Bill A10232. Both Bills had no co-sponsors and remained inactive in their respective committees since Senate Bill S8655 was introduced by Senator Cleare on January 7, 2026 and Assembly Bill A10232 was introduced by Assemblmember Wright on February 12, 2026. 

 

In order to get to the Senate and Assembly Floors and placed on the Legislative Calendar for a vote, these Bills must first be voted out of their committees. As you can see above, both Bills were not voted out of their Cities committees or referred to the Ways and Means Committee and then to the Rules Committee. Below is the Legislative Calendar which shows that the last day that Senators and Assemblymembers met to pass Bills for the 2026 Legislative Session was June 4th.  These Bills also required a NYC Home Rule Request; a Resolution that requests that the New York State Legislature pass these Bills that only apply to NYC. That Resolution was never sponsored by 1 NYC Council member, co-sponsored by any of the 50 NYC Council member colleagues, or passed.

     What does this mean? June 4th was the last day for the Senate and Assembly to vote on Bills that have already been approved (voted Aye) in their committees. We did not secure a NYC Council Home Rule Request and Senate Bill S8655/Assembly Bill A10232 were not moved out of their Senate/Assembly committees and placed on the Legislative Calendar for a vote. Thus, Senate Bill S8655/Assembly Bill A10232 to Save Allah School both died in their respective Cities committees due to inaction, no co-sponsorship support, and the lack of advocacy on our part. Because these Bills died, these Bills will need to be re-sponsored, refiled, and reintroduced as brand-new legislation with a new Bill number in a future Legislative Session. Because there was no action taken, no co-sponsorship support from Lawmakers and our lack of advocacy, this is now an uphill battle. In New York State a little over 10% of Bills are actually signed into law, which is a very low success rate. Because all 63 Senate seats and 150 Assembly seats are also up for reelection this year, 2027 poses another challenge because next year there will be a different State Legislature, and political landscape, where new relationships will need to be built to move an initiative like this forward. 

    I get it. Many people, including members of the Allah Youth Center in Mecca, Inc. board, are probably unfamiliar with how the advocacy process works. I am continually learning how to navigate this landscape. The resources that I shared with an Allah Youth Center in Mecca, Inc. board member on February 19th was a basic advocacy roadmap. To start, direct advocacy support should have been shown to the NYC Council to get the Home Rule Request crafted/sponsored, co-sponsored and approved in the NYC Council. That didn’t happen. Senate Bill S8655 should have be shown by contacting the Cities 1 Committee Chair Senator Luis R. Sepulveda and other committee members to express our community's desire and the socioeconomic benefit for them to pass it in their committee. The Senate Cities 1 Committee meets Thursdays at 9:00am in room 124 CAP of the Legislative Office Building (LOB) in Albany. On the Assembly side, direct support for Assembly Bill A10232 should have been shown by contacting Assembly Cities Committee Chair Patrick Burke and other committee members to express our community's desire and the socioeconomic benefit for them to pass it in their committee. The Assembly Cities Committee meets Tuesdays at 9:30am in room 843 of the Legislative Office Building (LOB) in Albany. Once we were able to help move these Bills out of their committees, all State Legislators (63 Senators/150 Assemblymembers) should have been visited in-person, met with through virtual meetings, contacted by phone, sent [registered] postage mail and emailed to garner their co-sponsor support for Senate Bill S8655 and Assembly Bill A10232. These advocacy efforts would have been even more powerful if we were an organized Lobby Committee that had well-crafted, clear, uniform talking points and literature about the importance of supporting Senate Bill S8655 and Assembly Bill A10232. That advocacy work would have equally served as political leverage in our active engagement with the Mamdani Administration to garner municipal support and collaboration. 

   When I shared these resources one week after I learned that both Bills were now in their respective Cities committees, this gave us about five months to organize ourselves and advocate for this one common cause: GETTING THESE BILLS PASSED! I am not sure what happened during this time period. I don't know what the Allah Youth Center in Mecca, Inc. board's plan was or how they strived to take these Bills from knowledge to born. I don't even know if the resources that I shared were utilized. Whatever happened behind the scenes, it is publicly reflected in the actual status of these Bills that died. To say that I am disappointed, especially considering my experience, network and position that I am in to assist us, is an understatement. At no point did it cease being our responsibility to secure a NYC Council sponsor and Council co-sponsors to advance a Home Rule Request. At no point did it cease being our responsibility to secure Senate and Assembly Committee support and co-sponsors to advance our Bills. It was our responsibility to take the entire process from knowledge to born by supporting our duly elected public officials. 

    Now that this NYS Legislative Session has ended on June 4th and we did not secure a NYC Home Rule Request or advance our Senate and Assembly Bills, the Allah School still remains a vulnerable city-owned parcel of the Department of Citywide Administrative Services [NYC DCAS]. Next week on June 12th-14th, Five Percenters will come from far and wide to gather on this city property to celebrate ourselves at our Annual Show & Prove weekend. Brothers will stand in ciphers talking about how we are from a Tribe called Jabbar, debating power verzuz power refinement, and gossiping about ATF. We will sing The Enlightener and proudly say that Allah can't die, yet two important Bills to actually Save Allah's School would have just died in the NYS Legislature. In the midst of all of our celebration, willfully there will be some sobering builds AND commitments made to be more politically engaged to actually secure the future of our national headquarters and its mission. Because the Allah Youth Center in Mecca, Inc. board was responsible for this outcome, I would suggest restructuring that board to replace/add new Five Percent men AND women who actually have the experience and expertise to serve and successfully take initiatives like this from knowledge to born. This was clearly a terrain that the board was not the best knowers of and it cost us. Change should not be a problem, if we are truly about our nation. Some of us are simply not qualified to be in different positions, me included. There are certain positions I would never agree to be in or accept, knowing that others are more qualified than me. Keeping things the same will only produce the same results.  

Peace,

Saladin #AtlantisBuild

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 we 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 [outside onlookers]. That mixed company was exposed to language spoken in and referencing our Five Percent culture that most outside onlookers 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 seeing confusing representations of our 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 collective 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