How Do We Make Racist Children?

*This article appears on the Five Percent Media website*

 

“Ignorance.” That is the short answer to the question, “How Do We Make Racist Children?” With all of the intelligence, expertise, lip service, and resources addressing this issue in America you would think that we would have figured this out by now. But no, we continue to grow children who become the kinds of adults that we saw desecrating the U.S. Capitol building on Wednesday, January 6th. These are the same kinds of adults we saw in Wilmington Delaware in 1898, one hundred and twenty-two years ago, who violently overthrew a duly-elected government. For me, this behavior is not surprising. I could literally write about historical instances of violence perpetrated by Americans against their own citizens EVERY DAY for the next three years and still not exhaust that content. That is only 1,095 days. For 1,095 days I could exclusively write about lynchings and never have to discuss another topic. This is America and make no mistake about it, violence has been a staple of this society from its inception. Some people have been on the historical receiving end of that violence, while others have been its historical perpetrators.

Following the storming of the U.S. Capitol building by Pro-Trump supporters, we have heard both Democrats and Republicans proclaim, “This is not who we are” -which is one of the most disingenuous statements one could make, especially at a time like this. It is a boldfaced lie that denies the obvious existence of historical dissatisfaction, division and devilishment we have witnessed in this country. IT IS who you/we are… and until we can accept that uncomfortable reality we will not be able to perform the institutional autopsies needed to determine the cause of this cannibalism.

 

As an early childhood educator, I am always thinking about ways to foster the kind of growth and development that enables our youth to become caring critical thinking adults. From my experience and research, children are not born racist, sexist or etc. Babies are born into a societal womb that reinforces institutions, social norms and an economy that nourishes racist, sexist, ageist and other ideas just like blood vessels in a womb support the growth and development of a fetus. These ideas help set a child’s cognitive trajectory and contributes to shaping their worldview. We were all socialized like this, regardless how we ultimately grow up to define ourselves. A critical part of our growth and development journey is constantly performing a self diagnostic to check the bullsh*t ideas we have knowingly/unknowingly adopted along the way. Another important part of that journey is helping support others to do the same. Treating these racist, sexist or etc. ideas like they are harmless only creates a larger problem later on. For generations these problems of race, sex and etc. have been outright denied, ignored, minimized and treated as minor by the dominant society. This is the same dismissive way the garden snake was treated in Genesis until it grows into a fire-breathing dragon once you get to Revelations. Like Revelations, January 6th was a day of reckoning for America to face its uncomfortable truths.

So what can we do about this as adults? First and foremost it is important that we model the type of attitude, behavior and citizenry we would like to see and celebrate in our children. Because our youth are growing up in a society that promotes ideas that may not coincide with a worldview of freedom, justice and equality, we must be invested in helping them successfully navigate around, beneath, above and through racist, sexist and etc. ideas. Part of that means helping them develop their “spatial awareness”; one of the critical cognitive skills children start to learn in early childhood.

Spatial awareness is our position in space relative to the people, places and things around us. In early childhood, children start understanding the concepts of location, direction and distance which enables them to physically navigate their environment. They also begin to understand where they are; their point of origin and how they are oriented. For example, recognizing that a toy is across the room on a couch or the direction of a window in a room. When a child has challenges with spatial awareness they have difficulty navigating their environment, reaching destinations and understanding their position in relation to the people, places and things around them. When a child or even an adult does not understand their point of origin they will lack a sense of orientation. Without a sense of orientation, it is impossible to determine direction. This disorientation makes a person more prone to being lost and easily led in the wrong direction. Make sense?

What makes racism, sexism, ageism and etc. so insidious is these ideas distort a person’s spatial awareness and sense of orientation. These ideas pervert reality and warp a person’s ability to understand their socioeconomic position in relation to the people, places and things in society and their capacity to reach their goals. Consider how something like segregated drinking fountains twisted a person’s spatial awareness. Where an object only steps away had to be rationalized as being more distant than the Moon. What about women who have earned a certain position based upon quantifiable data but are consistently passed up for a promotion by unqualified men. There is no way to rationalize how those positions in society and distance to other people, places and things are what they are. In both of these examples, accessibility and the landscape that they see IS NOT what it truly is… While black and brown people are often told all they need to do is work hard to successfully get from point A to point B in life, it is more like the game Frogger. Some will argue that we all have challenges reaching our goals and that is true. What is also true is there have been and still are institutions, government policies and socioeconomic obstructions that have impeded the progress of specific segments of our American population. In other words, some frogs are facing an entirely different obstacle course that other frogs have never seen and will never see in their lifetime. Understanding and navigating a society that distorts our spatial awareness is difficult for adults. So just imagine how difficult it is for our children. The growing mental health crisis and expanding education on trauma-informed care in this country is a clear example of this.

To some people, this warped reality of racism, sexism, ageism and etc. puts them in an inferior position of disenfranchisement. This makes it difficult to navigate this environment, reach destinations and understand their position in relation to the people, places and things around them. To other people, this warped reality of racism, sexism, ageism and etc. puts them in a superior position of privilege. Thus they are able to navigate this environment, reach destinations and understand their position in relation to the people, places and things around them with relative ease. We are all socialized this way the moment we take our very first breath.

   When children are taught to be culturally competent, when we respectfully expose them to different worldviews, it encourages them to become caring critical thinking adults. They learn that everyone has something to offer of significance to this world and your skin color, gender, age or etc. does not make you superior or inferior to others. Teaching children the obvious ugliness of America, as well as its beauty, is also a vital part of this educational process. IT IS who they/we are. For some of us, America has been more of a nightmare than a dream. America has only existed for 244 years yet my ancestors were legally enslaved and segregated against for 189 of those years. This means that 78% of the time black people have been in America we were legally denied the right to participate in American society and have equal access to its resources, institutions and economy. In regards to spatial awareness, many of my people literally lost their lives… and still lose their lives… for “not knowing their place.” We will continue to make racist children, who become racist adults, by lying to them about this American landscape. They need to know what they are inheriting; good and bad. They need to be spatially aware and know their true position relative to the people, places and things around them. There is a short answer for that also. In my culture, we say that understanding is seeing things for what they are, not what they appear to be.

Peace,                                                                                                                                                    Saladin

Five Percent Pioneering and Flashes In The Pan

Flash in the Pan: Something which disappoints by failing to deliver anything of value, despite a showy beginning.

     People who often remark how positive and productive I am usually have no clue WHAT I am working through. Despite the various projects that I have recently shared such as unveiling my Atlantis School Renovation Project on cable news, the Story Time Animation series I produced for distance learners or the premiere of Samuel L Jackson's Enslaved docuseries that I appear in, behind all of this it has been challenging. Over the last year we have lost some giants within our Five Percent Nation due to COVID-19 and other health related issues. This has been tough for many of us. Although some do, I typically don't share public memorials explaining the relationships that I've had with people who have passed, the last time we spoke to each other or etc. I honor them by walking with the best part that they shared with me and I preserve it for myself. 

     With the departure of some of our universal family members, they left a huge cultural void for others to fill. Not for us to take up space but filling that void by doing as much or more than what those universal family members were willing and able to do for us. It is a daunting task, for many. Some of these universal family members were pioneers and to fill a pioneer's shoes you will likewise need to be a pioneer; not someone who is simply walking on the road that they paved. In my experience within this Nation there are many who simply repeat what others have said before them. They do not actually add-on to their legacy and they do not understand the level of vision, effort, discipline, consistency and resilience that comes along with being a pioneer. Especially in this Social Media Era, people often seek attention yet do not grasp the potential ridicule, sabotage, open/closed enemies and change that comes along with the uncharted journey of being a pioneer. In regards to WF Muhammad's journey as a pioneer to find/teach his relatives, we learn to quote "I came to North America by myself" yet often don't realize the vulnerability that comes along with that self-reliant decision. We often don't realize the vulnerability that came along with The Honorable Elijah Muhammad co-founding the Nation of Islam as a pioneer or the vulnerability that came along with Allah leaving that religion and mosque politics to stand on his own and pioneer a youthcentric culture. Again, this is a daunting task for many and I am not confident that many will step up to fill the voids of our universal family members who have passed. We remember those in perfection by striving to be a perfect conduit of their consciousness through our actual contributions. In other words, we must do as much or more than what those universal family members were willing and able to do. Without contributing anything significant to our Nation, why are we even here? Some of us have identified as Five Percenerst for ten, twenty, thirty or more years and all we can tell others is what someone else said or did in the 1960s, 70s or 80s. While knowing past chronology is important, it is also important to understand that we are standing in the midst of current chronology and our actions, or lack thereof, dictates the future chronology. 

     Human activity, movement and the physical environment affects how cultures develop. One of our pioneers of cultural development, UM-Allah, was one of the first Five Percenters to attend and graduate from college with a Masters degree. Through his journey into this uncharted collegiate territory, UM-Allah helped develop our culture in societal spaces where it did not previously exist. Earning his Masters degree from California Polytechnic State University, he expanded the possibilities and progress of our nation. This enabled other Five Percenters to see a growth and development opportunity that did not previously exist. UM-Allah's contributions added a unique cultural mark on the map of human geography and within our nation's chronology. Breaking that social barrier, he paved the way for people like myself to learn this culture from a God in a collegiate academic setting, who also learned from a God who was taught in a collegiate academic setting. UM-Allah is just one example of our universal family members who have recently returned to the essence and left a cultural void for us to fill. 

     Building requires more than Facebook posts and "doing it for the 'Gram [Instagram]." I sense that many of us, including some Five Percenters, have gotten lost in a longing for clout chasing and social media visibility. The problem with this is they unknowingly dive into a content driven stream of 'staying relevant'. In other words, if we are THAT important than we must prove that importance by constantly engaging our network with content demonstrating that value. For example, imagine folks who have been branded conspiracy theorists who are online 3-4 times a week putting out information exposing some government plot, cabal network and etc. In order to maintain that online persona THEY NEED TO CONSISTENTLY come up with content EVERY WEEK without fail. For many, it becomes ambulance chasing; constantly looking for something to post, share and say to keep up the online persona they created. The same applies to those among the Five Percent who try to brand themselves online as youth advocates and community builders. Up until that point in their life most have been on a totally different trajectory. This is not to say that it is impossible for people to change that trajectory, it is to say that it is difficult if you are not really about youth advocacy and community building. That is one of the reasons Allah left the adults at the mosque and focused on teaching youth. This is also one of the reasons Fredrick Douglass said, "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." In my two decades of experience as a youth advocate and community builder I have learned that people who are not really about this life fizzle out after a couple of barbecues, a school supply drive or other events they dress up for and take pictures at. A few short years later it will be hard to find any consistent evidence that they were ever serious about youth advocacy and community building. In most instances people don't even last a year and within weeks to months you will see them still doing things like promoting strip clubs, selling/using drugs, swinging, neglecting their own children, trolling people online, running around with open cases and other dysfunctional behavior. None of which represents righteousness or the duty of a civilized person.

   In conclusion, our elder Dumar Wade was adamant about teaching us to be positive/productive members of society; from the Rotor Rooter Man to the Architect. He was also adamant about us not being a gang, promoting gang activity or cosigning a gang lifestyle. He often remarked that, "We [Five Percenters] are here to STOP crime!" This mindset is the hallmark of youth advocacy and community building because it combats juvenile delinquency, social decay, lawlessness and community deterioration. Dumar, like other elders, simply echo[ed] the same sentiments of our founder Allah, The Father who also taught youth to be positive/productive members of society. This is our national trajectory. If this is not the direction we are leading our family and community members in then we are clearly leading them in the wrong direction.

Peace,

Saladin

Animation Series: Love, Hell or Right

 In this Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters Episode we discuss "Love, Hell or Right."

"Love transcends emotions; it is the highest degree of Understanding between two people. Hell is the tempering fire of experience all relationships go through; in order to remove its impurities and unveil the substance of our bond. Then and only then will we reveal what's Right!" -Love, Hell or Right (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Amazon Kindle) 

 

Peace,

Saladin

 

Political Analyst Angela Rye Endorses Atlantis School

 

Political Commentator and Analyst Angela Rye recently endorsed the Atlantis School Renovation Project and encouraged people worldwide to support this initiative.

Angela Rye (born October 26, 1979) is an American Attorney and the Principal and CEO of IMPACT Strategies, a political advocacy firm in Washington, DC. She is a liberal political commentator on CNN and an NPR political analyst. She served as the executive director and general counsel to the Congressional Black Caucus for the 112th Congress.

The Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters is a private institution established in Niagara Falls, NY. Its Mission is to teach and train youth in the growth, development and control of their powers through important projects, programs and initiatives. We are currently undergoing a renovation project for a recently acquired property that will allow us to centralize our projects, programs and initiatives for at-risk communities. You can support our project at this link: Atlantis School Renovation Project

Peace,

Saladin

4 DIY Distance Learning Ideas

This Article Appears in The Challenger Newspaper

     With the national economy coming to a grinding halt and educational institutions shutting down to help flatten the corona virus curve, many of us parents and guardians now find ourselves in a unique homeschooling situation that we, and many of our school districts, were not prepared for. Fortunately for us there are those who were prepared and seized this moment as a DIY distance learning opportunity. Today I would like to share some of those ideas in hopes that we can make the best out of the time educating our children at home. 

1. Don't worry, be resourceful. Find out what your child's grade level learning targets are. Prior to the school year Teachers create lesson plans to cover the entire year and these plans are not like a freestyle rap. They take preparation and are based upon the student's grade level learning targets and NYS competency standards. So if your child is in the 6th grade, during any month of the school year 6th graders across the New York State are learning the same ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies curriculum with minor variations. If you want to know for sure what your child's learning targets are reach out to their Teacher and find out. I am sure they would be more than happy to give you that information! Why am I sharing this? Because the initial reaction of many parents and guardians teaching their children at home has been, "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO TEACH THEM?!" If your child was given take home packets and/or access to an online learning platform, those learning packets and online assignments are based upon their Teacher's lesson plan. And their lesson plan is based upon the student's grade level learning targets and NYS competency standards. As a parent and guardian our job is to help provide added resources around our child's learning targets and competency standards. In other words, if your child has a Social Studies assignment about Ancient Egypt, there are many resources online, especially on YouTube, that you can share with them. If it is Math, no problem. You may not know the weird math your child is learning but someone does and there are resources online to support them. There are resources literally at our fingertips. Take advantage of them by connecting with your child's Teacher, School, using social media networks, searching the internet and contacting the School District if necessary.

2. Physical Education is everyday. According to various studies regarding lifespans, the present generation is the first generation that are expected to not outlive their parents and guardians. A combination of sedentary lifestyles, obesity, poor diets and other issues are the causative factors. Nowadays elementary school children are lucky to get more than two days of forty minutes of physical activity each week. Also, lessons about diet, eating the right foods and the importance of optimum health are few and far between. Especially with the social climate around COVID-19, this is an excellent opportunity to reinforce the importance of health and wellness. Encourage some form of physical activity for your child EVERYDAY. It doesn't matter if it is in backyard, front yard or on the side of the house -of course while maintaining physical distancing from others. If there is no place outside, use the basement, attic, living room or bedroom. Create some space so they can get their heart to race. Physical activity does not need to be standard exercises either. If you have a Wii game system, use one of those games that promotes physical activity. Use the TikTok for some fun physical activity. Find some fun activities on YouTube. Also, join them! In regards to diet and eating the right foods, this is also a great opportunity to include healthy snacks in your daily routine and easy to prepare healthy meals that promote optimum health. Health is wealth.

3. Don't forget the life skills. Use this time to incorporate basic life skills in your daily routine. Teaching a child how to separate, wash and dry clothes, garden, how to use certain computer programs, clean the bathroom and numerous other tasks that they will need later in life is priceless. These tasks are usually not even taught in school and this is a unique opportunity to school them. Plus you can make these tasks fun. I mean, I am not sure how to make cleaning a bathroom fun but I'm sure you can figure something out. Incentives always work.

4. Your home is the classroom. Distance learning does not mean to replicate our child's classroom at home. You are now the Teacher, again. I say "again" because you were the first Teacher to begin with. So make your child's learning environment yours. When I taught preschool, during breakfast time my class would listen to a mix of A Tribe Called Quest, Jill Scott, Alice Coltrane, Frankie Knuckles and others. On the walls I had images of black artists at their eye level. After our daily exercises we would meditate for five minutes to slow our heart rate before transitioning into our calendar lesson. It was our classroom. I am not sharing this to tell you to rearrange your home. I am sharing this to emphasize the fact that you determine the structure, time period and resources to support your child's learning environment. If the first thing in the morning you want your child to do is read for fifteen minutes, cool. If you want them to watch a ten minute national geographic video while they eat breakfast, do it. If they usually have math after lunch in school and you want them to knock it out in the morning, that is all good. Do what works for them, and you, and don't be afraid to make adjustments. Also, if you have children in different grade levels, delegate, delegate, delegate. The older children are your TA [Teacher's Assistant]. 

    In closing, I will that these ideas are not only helpful in making distance learning run smoother but also minimize the stress that many of you are feeling from being thrown in this unpredictable position. You have more skills, tools and resources than you may know or even give yourself credit for. I have worked with youth from preschool to college age, in various capacities, for over two decades. One of the most valuable assets that I or any Teacher could have is a relationship with a student. It is only through that relationship can learning be facilitated. For 8 hours every day throughout a school year we strive to build this asset which you naturally have as a parent or guardian. So don't stress, you got this, and when you want support that is what we are here for.

Peace,

Saladin 

9 Ways To Born A Determined Idea

   Reflecting upon how positive and progressive 2019 has been for me and looking towards 2020, I wanted to take a moment to share some of my thoughts with all of you in regards to being successful in our undertakings. As a Nation we do not advocate Gregorian New Year Resolutions and strive to be resolute in all that we say and do. In part, this is what “word is bond, bond is life and I will give my life before my word shall fail” means in our 11^th degree in the one-to-fourteen. This degree is not simply something to recite. It is a declaration of being resolute and it highlights the integrity, fortitude and consistency to follow through with our word. In fact, when our word is truly bond we will not be broke, or broken.

   I have accomplished much in 2019; from being my city’s prestigious 2019 Civil Rights Achievement Award Recipient, helping coordinate a Walk To Freedom Public Art Mural Project to releasing my seventeenth book Once Upon A Time In Amerikka and being featured in the soon to be released six-part international docuseries "Enslaved" that is Executive Produced and Hosted by Samuel L. Jackson. As one of our cultural ambassadors I take great pride in knowing that positive contributions such as this continue to expand the global footprint of our Nation. This means nothing if I am unable to show others how to also be successful in our undertakings. There are certain things that I have done, and continue to do without fail, that have allowed me to take my ideals from knowledge to born, from inception to conception. So in this article I would like to share these thoughts as 9 Ways To Born A Determined Idea:

1. Although it is your personal idea, our idea should be something that improves (progresses) you with the intent/consideration of making you a better resource to others and this world we share. Life is interdependent, we all play a role in how the world turns and there is a constant process of giving and receiving. This intent/consideration ensures that our idea is in tune with the universal order and is something that is sustainable -because we are actively providing a service (and/or products) that others, and the world, needs. If all we are thinking about is what we can get (keep), and not what we are able to consistently give, what we get (keep) will eventually run out. 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... In short, we are not the 10%.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE Secure Your Subscription of our Nation's Official Publication The Five Percenter Newspaper Today | 

Secure Your Subscription to The Five Percenter Newspaper 

Send $25 M/O [Money Order] to:

THE FIVE PERCENTER NEWSPAPER
P. O. BOX 3497 - NEW YORK, NY 10027

Peace,
Saladin

Hey RZA, We Have Questions About Wu-Tang: An American Saga?

   Since its September 4th, 2019 Hulu release, Wu-Tang: An American Saga series has received mixed reviews from mainstream audiences, critics and citizens of the Five Percent Nation. With an 80% Rotten Tomatoes Rating, Daniel Fiendberg of The Hollywood Reporter writes, "the Wu built a brand based on the street-level drama of their primarily Staten Island upbringing, but filtered through lenses as eclectic as martial arts movies, comic books and 5 Percenter doctrine. The Wu narrative is gritty and grounded, while at the same time verging on urban legend or tall tale." He also goes on to state that, "it captures some of the group's kaleidoscopic perspective and nascent brilliance, but leaves too many of its best ideas half-developed."

   As a Five Percenter, it is no secret that our culture has been very influential in the growth, development and creative expression of the Wu-Tang Clan and its associated group members. In fact, RZA explicitly depicts some of our cultural elements in this series which most mainstream audiences are being exposed to for the first time. While some of those cultural elements were accurately depicted, other elements were not accurately depicted. Because of this, Five Percenters have shared mixed perspectives about how we were and are portrayed in this series. On October 18th I sent RZA an email concerning these perspectives which he has yet to respond to. In part, that email read:

"With the success of your series, and more mainstream exposure of various cultural elements of the Five Percent, I would like to interview you about that process. My readership would be interested in knowing what challenges come along with striving to articulate those cultural elements in a screenplay and presenting them in mainstream media on film? What was the process used to familiarize the actors with the culture of the Five Percent? What creative control do you have in our imagery, use of symbols and objects that express our culture in the series? What was your vision in regards to our depiction and how closely have you manifested that determined idea? These are just a few questions, and others, that many of us have regarding our cultural expression in this series. To my knowledge there is no interview, or interviewer who has allowed you to expound upon these important insights and I would be thankful to have an opportunity to responsibly make this happen!" 

   While some Five Percenters have been quoted on social media as saying, "Bullshit" and "That's why I'm not watching that series.... It's all watered down....", others have stated, "Wow peoples it's TV ya'll. I [am] thankful he [RZA] made Knowledge Born of our existence to the mainstream. I like it!" and "It's not a documentary. lol It's a TV series based on true events. Near Correct." I can understand and appreciate both perspectives. Since its release I have received three times as many inquiries about KOS [Knowledge Of Self] than I normally do. This has enabled me to respond to more questions regarding our culture and direct people to active Five Percenters in the inquirer's region. Creating consistent quality content from a Five Percenter perspective has enabled me to build this type of global platform that people can reference. While there were certain Five Percenter customs that were correctly depicted in this series such as the Just-Ice character questioning Rakeem [RZA] backstage about Today's Mathematics and Rakeem's breakdown of "justice" when questioned by the Gods on the block, there were other instances in this series that depicted us so inaccurate that any Five Percenter would question how much creative control RZA actually had in this series. For example, the emblem that Five Percenter actors wore was not our Universal Flag. As one Five Percenter put it, "reminds me of the Kellogg's Raisin Bran Logo." In the series our 120 Degrees/Lessons were presented as some type of book or manual that one could buy, not the book of life research binder that a student compiles as they responsibly acquire their Degrees/Lessons from their Educator/Enlightener. Although this Wu-Tang: An American Saga series is inspired by actual persons and events, the Five Percenter characterizations, dialogue and incidents that are fictionalized for the purpose of dramatization is still disinformation that can misled people about who we are as a Nation.  

   The release of the Wu-Tang: An American Saga series has definitely caused more people to inquire about the culture of the Five Percent. This same interest has occurred throughout the chronology of Hip Hop depending upon what Five Percenters or Five Percenter influenced Rap Artists were popular. This did not and does not automatically make a person qualified to learn anything. It is only through building actual relationships is that determined. Regardless of a person's interest, the release of a dramatic series or treading topics on social media, we as the Five Percent have been here and will continue to be here living out our culture. If a person is truly willing to seek, they will find us.

Peace,

Saladin 

What will you name your "Theyby"?

    

   With the popularization of non-gender terms, the political influence of the LGBTQ community's reshaping of municipal landscapes and dominance within various industries, one of the recent contributions of Millennial parents to Western culture is the word "theyby." According to NBC News, "Parents in the U.S. are increasingly raising children outside traditional gender norms — allowing boys and girls to play with the same toys and wear the same clothes — though experts say this is happening mostly in progressive, well-to-do enclaves. But what makes this 'gender-open' style of parenting stand out, and even controversial in some circles, is that the parents do not reveal the sex of their children to anyone. Even the children, who are aware of their own body parts and how they may differ from others, are not taught to associate those body parts with being a boy or girl. If no one knows a child’s sex, these parents theorize, the child can’t be pigeonholed into gender stereotypes."

   "Theyby" is a non-scientific word used to describe a baby being raised without the  social and cultural construct of gender and the biologically based gender pronouns "he, "she", "him" or "her." Parents/Guardians who raise their children as theybies are known as gender-creative parents.


   When people consider gender they often define it as "a chosen identity" distinctly separate from biology. Consider this: 

• The word gender finds its origin in the Proto-Indo-European [PIE] root "gene" which means to beget or give birth in reference to procreation. 
• It is also related to the Old French "gendre, genre" which means a kind or species and the Latin "genus" meaning kind, stock and species. 
• Its PIE root "gene" is related to the Greek root "genea" which means generation. 
• In Biology a gene is a unit of heredity made up of DNA that is transferred from a parent to offspring. This distinct sequence of nucleotides forming part of a chromosome determines some characteristic of the offspring. 

   As you can see, it is impossible to separate gender from its etymological origin and its basis in science. People generally use the word gender incorrectly and in a social and cultural context. This explains the notion of gender fluidity and people defining themselves as non-binary [Genderqueer]. Even in rare instances where a person is intersexual; they are born with several variations in sex characteristics including chromosomes, gonads, sex hormones or genitals. However we choose to define ourselves, socially and culturally, we bring our "gene" with us.

     Kyl Myers, parent to 2-year-old theyby Zoomer, told New York magazine: “I’m very tired of the heteronormative and cisnormative model. I’m very tired of the patriarchy. A part of why we are parenting this way is because intersex people exist, and transgender people exist, and queer people exist, and sex and gender occur on a spectrum, yet our culture loves to think people, all 7 billion of them, can and should be reduced to either/or.” Some parents are raising their child this way because they don't want them to be discriminated against because of gender stereotypes. I understand that. The irony is some of these same parents won't say anything about other stereotypes that result in the murders of innocent black people at the hands of the police, this country's immigration policies against Mexicans or the federal profiling of Muslims. When I've had discussions with some of these parents they found it very difficult to look past their white privilege of assigning their child's gender to empathize with black and brown folks who have also been reduced to an either/or binary identity; either we are white or we ain't white...

     I must acknowledge, whenever and wherever the meeting took place to discuss shifting the gender descriptive landscape, black and brown folks were not invited. If there were any of us at that table, we, as a community, were not informed about what was discussed. I have attended various trainings and conferences introducing attendants to these gender-neutral concepts, curriculum to articulate gender-neutral perspectives, gender-neutral legislation and LGBTQ nomenclature. I have found them to be very informative. Not from the perspective of advocating this worldview to the youth I work with but informing them about the perspectives of other human beings and equipping them with the proper knowledge, wisdom and understanding to navigate this landscape. This is important, especially to those of us who do not represent the dominant class or status quo. Why? Because if you are not the decision makers, sometimes those decisions don't consider you or the changes you need to make to accept or tolerate those decisions. And change is often more difficult when it is not on your terms.
     Speaking of not representing the dominant class, consider how marginalization has not only affected the gender landscape but also the racial landscape in the U.S. Those within the LGBTQ community often speak about being marginalized. Being marginalized means that decisions are usually made by the dominant class without your input or consent; that is the status quo. When you are marginalized you don't have the privilege of ignoring that status quo. As black and brown people, our survival and lifespan has always depended upon us knowing the perspectives, customs, traditions, norms and territories of white folks [the dominant class]. White folks have not had to reasonably consider us and you can see it by the historically systemic lack of inclusion and representation of black and brown in their institutions, territories and economy. To not even have to consider other people is a hell of a privilege that many people overlook. At no point in the history of this country, even during the time of segregation, did black and brown people have that privilege of inconsideration. And if we ever tried to exercise that white privilege of not considering the customs, traditions, perspectives and territories of the dominant class, it usually meant death; socially, politically, financially and of course physically. Why am I talking about race? Because oftentimes some gender-creative parents and members of the LGBTQ community strive to equate their struggle for identity with the human and civil rights struggles of black and brown people. While there are some similarities, they do not intersect and there is still an overarching umbrella of white supremacy, racism and discrimination even within the LGBTQ community. Some things still have not changed concerning the racial landscape in America and even among some gender-creative white parents I can see them using separatist phrases like "theyby of color", "black gender-creatives" or worst, "n*gger theyby."

   In my experience and research, the bulk of information we see about the use of gender-neutral language in society and gender-neutral educational curriculum is designed to reshape social and cultural norms related to how people use personal/possessive pronouns. It does not change or dispute science, the scientific terms of anatomy or biochemical, hormonal, physiological and reproductive processes that exist -regardless of the personal/possessive pronouns people choose to use. Again, the word "gender" is etymologically rooted in science [gene]. Science and scientific terms are used to accurately describe and define anatomy and predict biochemical, hormonal, physiological and reproductive processes that sets the basis for personal/possessive pronouns. People choose to use personal and possessive pronouns like "he", "they", "hers" and etc. in a social and cultural context, regardless if they align with what science and scientific terms accurately describe, define and predict. That is the reason you usually don't see gender-neutral discussion in the scientific domain because you would need to rewrite the language and scientific terminology, some which is not gender-neutral. Calling my newborn daughter a "theyby" does not change the science of her anatomy or physical composition. Some folks are choosing to ignore or exclude that inherently important part of our identity. That biological part of all of my daughters identity is just as important as their identity as infinite potential, incarnated consciousness, a human being, black women, sisters, daughters and etc. 

   In closing, I think the best we can do as adults, parents, guardians, caretakers and educators is equip our youth with the most accurate anatomical, biochemical, hormonal, physiological and reproductive information and encourage them to be critical thinkers along their growth and development. If we don't know, then find those who do! We must provide our youth with the proper information to make educated decisions about what, who, where and how they are, and decisions about the future of our world. Imagine if en masse our youth had no more interest in procreation or future generations, where would that leave our human family? We are complex beings with various layers that define us. Some of those layers are gender specific, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Peace,
Saladin

Final Call Newspaper Mischaracterizes "Allah", Founder of the Five Percenters

   In what I consider to be a genuine effort to highlight our community, the Final Call , a Nation of Islam Newspaper, recently published an article entitled 'Five Percenters unveil Allah and Justice Square in Harlem.' Its writer Clarke Immatical did a good job directly quoting some of the attendant speakers and articulating the process Mal’akiy 17 Allah experienced in making this vision a reality, yet the writer mischaracterizes Five Percent Nation founder Allah, and our teachings, on more than one occasion. Anticipating outsiders interpretation of our community and this commemorative street naming I published the article "Setting The Record Strait: Allah & Justice, Five Percenters Square!!" on March 31st, 2019 to clarify common misconceptions that people have. Here are a few of those mischaracterizations in that Final Call article and the appropriate corrections:

"Clarence 13X, founder of the Five Percenters, left the Nation of Islam in 1963 and continued to teach what his teacher the Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught him which is that God is a man."

CORRECTION: Allah was his name, as our Commemorative Street Sign 'Allah & Justice, Five Percenters Square' clearly indicates. Allah's name was not Clarence 13X when he founded the Five Percenters. When he left the Nation of Islam he left the religion, he no longer self identified as a Muslim and he ceased using the name Clarence 13X. As mentioned in my article Setting The Record Strait: Allah & Justice, Five Percenters Square!!, "During one of the Community Board Presentations for the street naming Mal'akiy 17 Allah was asked by a Community Board Member, "Why not name it Clarence 13X Way?" to which he responded, "Clarence 13X was the level of understanding he [Allah, The Father] had when he was in the mosque. As his understanding grew he took on the name Allah. We honor Allah as the man who founded the Five Percenters, not Clarence 13X who was a Muslim at that time." The Five Percent Nation does not teach that God is "A" man. This implies that an individual, such as W.D. Fard, whom Nation of Islam followers believe, is that God. The Five Percent Nation teaches that the Original Asiatic Blackman is "The God" [Allah], not a god. This is one of the reasons some Muslims deliberately refer to Allah as Clarence 13X and not Allah; they do not acknowledge him nor Five Percenters as equal to W.D. Fard.

"Clarence 13X Allah hit the streets of Harlem with The Supreme Wisdom. He delivered this information to the streets when Harlem was experiencing tremendous police brutality and in need of spiritual direction."

CORRECTION: Again, his name was not "Clarence 13X Allah." Allah primarily taught the principles and values expressed in a unique system and indigenous language he developed known as the Supreme Mathematics and the Supreme Alphabet. His Supreme Mathematics and Supreme Alphabet serves as a key to unlock our relationship to the universe and what came to be known as 120 degrees [lessons]; a series of catechisms that were contained within the Supreme Wisdom book. Allah rejected other elements of the Supreme Wisdom book such as the Instructions Given To The Laborers [Muslim Believers] and the Problem Book.

"The street sign is not an ending, but a continuation of work that these poor righteous teachers have, a work that was expressed by The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan himself in a past speech, when he said, “Here is a small percentage of people who know God; and when they know God, they have a duty, and that duty is, to teach what you know to those who do not know."

CORRECTION: The above Minister Louis Farrakhan quote is from a portion of a speech that was sampled as an interlude on Brand Nubian's In God We Trust album that was released in 1992. That speech and the above comment is not in reference to the Five Percent Nation as a cultural community that Allah, Justice and others belonged to and still belong to. That speech and the above comment is a general explanation of one of the degrees which references The Five Percent on this Poor Part of the Planet Earth. The Nation of Islam as led by Minister Farrakhan has no official partnership with the Five Percent Nation community. 

The Five Percent Nation is not inextricably linked to the Muslim religion. In a 1967 interview at the Otisville Reformatory School For Boys Allah shared the following non-Muslim points in regards to religion and the human family,

“… black and white, must unite together...now many of my people are against me, such as the Muslim...they are against me!  This is why I don't believe in religion...because religious peoples do not have no understanding.” 

“Five Percenters, I'm teaching them that they can't go on under religion because religion has never did anything for them.” 

“The people been taking advantage of me ever since I said I was Allah. And I know when I said I was Allah, the Muslim whole world was what? Against me.  I don't care. And now they really against me because I'm not anti-white nor pro-black.  They really against me because everybody is, is against the white. Well let me show you something. Who is man if he ain't man? Tell me!”

Misinformation, left unchecked, sets a trajectory that leads to misconceptions, prejudice, discrimination, loss of property and potentially death. Some of us believe these things to be trivial... This is not. Consider two airplanes leave an airport on a thousand mile journey set on courses that are only 1 degree apart. Seemingly close, these planes are not inexplicably linked and will arrive at two different destinations that are worlds apart. Some may believe that 1 degree is insignificant. It is not. In correctional facilities around the country right now many Five Percenters are denied the right to practice our culture because of a STG [Security Threat Group] label. This permanent landmark, Allah & Justice, Five Percenters Square, was established to honor our cultural heritage, preserve and perpetuate our legacy. It is also a means to help legitimize our identity within these facilities and lift this label. There are also some serious socioeconomic repercussions that can occur when misinformation is distributed, especially when you don't control that narrative. Acres of land have been taken from families, insurance policies denied, contracts not honored, crippling debts levied against people, history rewritten, media content flawed and intellectual property has been stolen all because of inaccurate or incorrect information. Since the global popularization and expansion of Hip Hop, particularly during its Golden Era that was immersed in Five Percenter influences, some non-Five Percenters have tried to claim credit for our contributions and "visually annex" themselves to our community. This has undoubtedly been the intention of some Muslims while constantly refusing to acknowledge the Five Percent Nation as a uniquely distinct non-religious community and our founder, Allah, as the non-Muslim youth advocate and community builder that he was and died as. However, his legacy, our legacy, lives on.

Peace,
Saladin

9 Ways To Master 2019!!

Reflecting upon how positive and progressive 2018 has been for me and looking towards 2019, I just wanted to take a moment to share some of my thoughts with all of you. First I want to THANK all of you who invested time in reading these articles, researching the links/information I share via my Facebook Page, checked out and subscribed to my Youtube Channel (A.S.I.A. TV) and Radio Show (Atlantis Build Talk Radio), purchased my literature/music (Quanaah Publishing) and connected with me in whatever capacity we were able to. It is very much appreciated!! The numerous dialogues, testimonials, emails, messages, questions and constructive advice I receive on the daily lets me know that what I do is not in vain. It is serving my intended purpose; inspiring, empowering and educating people. There are some of you I had the pleasure of meeting for the first time this year and others I’ve had the opportunity to build/rebuild relationships from all over the world. None of us are in each others lives by chance and I look forward to what these bonds continue to positively produce for the future. I also want to THANK all of you for staying in tune with the renovation of the Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters, the creation of my Animation Series that is now available worldwide on Amazon Direct and Boys As Allies Rights of Passage Program!! As far as Resolutions are concerned, I don’t have any. I am a work in progress so I am always exploring ways to improve myself so that I can be a greater resource to others. Living a way of life that includes the phrase ‘striving for perfection’ as a part of its fundamental principles is the essence of any/all Resolutions. Therefore, I will continue being as resolute as I have been.

Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters Animation Series

   For those of you who making Resolutions for 2019, here are 9 Ways To Master this upcoming year:

1. Although it is your personal Resolution, your Resolution should be something that improves (progresses) you with the intent/consideration of making you a better resource to others and this world we share. Life is interdependent, we all play a role in how the world turns and there is a constant process of giving and receiving. This intent/consideration ensures that our Resolution is in tune with the universal order and is something that is sustainable -because we are actively providing a service (and/or products) that others, and the world, needs. If all we are thinking about is what we can get (keep), and not what we are able to consistently give, what we get (keep) will eventually run out. 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...

2. Make sure your Resolution 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 stepping stones; helping us build confidence and gain the tools and experience that are necessary to forge our larger goals. And with any goal, one of the first and most important steps we need to take, and habits we need to create, is to "get our day underway with a positive, productive attitude." That attitude sets the stage for our altitude.

3. Make your goals specific. Instead of saying something murky 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. This 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 2019" there is no sense of ambition or plan of action to achieve 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" that has a sense of ambition and provides part of a plan of action to achieve your goal of being healthier in 2019. If it's not clear, our path won't be cleared. 

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 then we are saying that our goals are not really a priority (important) -because under these circumstances they can happen any time and any day. That is not resolute, and if you don't have a time/date, there will probably never be a time/date. Keep in mind that "one day" or "someday" are not days on a calendar.

5. Write down your Resolutions. 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. This helped reinforce/remind them of their goals so they would not allow themselves to get lost in the hustle & bustle of each day.

6. Only share your Resolutions 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 includes the nice folks with the pleasant attitudes also. Just because they have a happy disposition it does not mean that they can automatically help. As cool as some people are, without sharing your vision they can become a cool obstruction.

7. Look into networking with people/organizations that will help you fulfill your physical and mental health goals. If you want to cut back on the substances you’ve been using like drugs/alcohol, or have some mental health issues going on, reach out to any local, regional, national organizations that specifically deal with drug/alcohol abuse and mental health. There are no Resolutions when we don't have your health!

8. Keep a positive outlook! Some days it will be easy to maintain a level of positivity and other days you need ‘social equality’ (fellowship) with others who share the same goals and are just as resolute as you are about positivity. This means, whatever religious, cultural, or secular organization you are a member of or affiliated with, invest the time to be there and learn as much as you can about the positive principles/values they are sharing with you. This is part of your foundational network and will help you maintain a positive outlook when you need the support, which we all do.

9. Your Resolution is not the end all be all. Some people live to have a wedding while others strive to be married, have a family and etc.. While the wedding is a place, a marriage is a state. So although your Resolutions 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/greater goals! It’s all about constant growth and elevation, not stagnation. Life is constantly changing & evolving, and so should the living.

PLUS DEGREES: 
*"Be a shark, not a peacock" as one of my homegirl's would say. When a peacock walks into a room with its feathers fanned out everyone can see it. It's not necessary to be showy and strive to get attention. You also attract predators that way. Sharks move in silence and by the time you see their fin it's 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. When we talk a lot we're also subject to the expectations of others which are usually unrealistic. If you tell people you're writing a book and you know you don't even have a manuscript yet, they may assume you're going to be publishing a 300 page book next week and expect it. Now when you obviously don't deliver, people 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're doing before they can hear what you're saying so your reputation proceeds you. So talk less in 2019 and let your work speak for you!

*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 literally don't have the time, you don't have to agree to do it. Let time be the reason that you are literally not able to commit to something. It's unreasonable for someone to expect you to create more than twenty-four hours in a day. Just. Say. NO.

   In closing, I want to will every one of you and our families a very safe, happy, healthy and productive 2019! I also will that while reflecting on this past year, we consider those negative things we have held fast to that has not only destroyed our ability to unify with others but undermined our ability to accomplish anything significant on our own. Begin your new Gregorian calendar year with the right mindset, on the right foot and making the right decision to move forward. We’ve all had challenges within ourselves, and with others, this past year, and I will that 2019 is much more positive and progressive for us all!

Peace,
Saladin