9 Ways to MASTER 2023!!

Photo Credit: Alana Adetola Arts Photography

     First and foremost I want to acknowledge those whom we lost this year. This has been and continues to be a tough year for many of us. It is my will that we honor them by walking with the best part that they shared with us. By allowing their knowledge and wisdom to live through us, others can understand who they were and are! Reflecting upon 2022, I just wanted to take a moment to share some of my thoughts with all of you regarding being successful in our undertakings. Whether we make New Year Resolutions or not, striving to be resolute in all that we say and do is important, regardless of when we choose to make that decision. In part, this is what “word is bond, bond is life and I will give my life before my word shall fail” means to those of us who are Five Percenters. This phrase is not simply something to recite. It is a declaration of being resolute and it highlights the integrity, fortitude, and consistency to follow through with our word. In fact, when our word is truly a bond we will not be broke, or broken...

   Despite the challenges of this year, there were a number of things that I accomplished; from helping coordinate some amazing Niagara Falls National Heritage Area and Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center projects to being featured in a United Nations Short Doc, speaking at the United Nations, and filming two documentaries that will be released in 2023. What I am most proud of is the completion of the renovation project and receiving the official license to open our Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters!! 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 Five Percent Nation. This means nothing if I am unwilling and unable to show others how to also be successful in their undertakings. There are certain things that I have done, and continue to do without fail, that has allowed me to take my ideals from knowledge to born, from inception to conception. In this article here are 9 Ways to MASTER 2023:

1. Although it is your personal idea, our idea should be something that improves your quality of life with the intent/consideration of making you a greater resource to others and the world that we share. Life is interdependent and there is a constant process of giving and receiving. This intent/consideration ensures that 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, need. 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... It is all about reciprocity.

2. Make sure your idea is real and obtainable. It is less likely that we are going to change EVERYTHING at once so it is important to work on what we can change, one goal at a time. Also, take things one day at a time. It took a while to create habits/routines and it is going to take time to change them. The smaller goals we accomplish serve as steppingstones; helping us build confidence and gain the tools and experience that are necessary to reach our larger goals. And with any goal, one of the most important steps we need to take, and habits we need to create, is to “get our day underway with a positive, productive attitude.” That attitude sets the stage for our altitude. This is one reason for asking ourselves, and other members of my Nation, “What is Today's Mathematics?” and “What is Today’s Degree?” It orientates us with higher-order thinking and enables us to get our day underway with a positive, productive attitude. Whatever your cultural worldview or religion is, start your day considering the positive principles that your worldview and religion share. Our attitude sets the foundation of our altitude.

3. Make your goals specific. Instead of saying something ambiguous like, “I’m going to read more” say something more specific like, “I am going to read one book every month.” This is called Specificity. Specificity helps you better focus on your goals and encourages you to be more responsible and committed to those goals. If you were to say, “I want to be healthier in 2023” there is no sense of ambition or plan of action to take that idea from knowledge to born. Now if you said, “I am going to only eat baked chicken once a week and go to the gym three times a week for 1 ½ hours after work” that has a sense of ambition and provides part of a plan of action to achieve your goal of being healthier in 2023. If it is not clear, our path will not be cleared. When we learn about being ‘right and exact’, Specificity is what ‘exact’ means.

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). Why? Because under these circumstances they can happen any time and any day; that is not resolute. If you don't have a time/date, you are creating the possibility that there will never be a time/date. Keep in mind that “one day” or “someday” are not days on a calendar. This is especially important for those Five Percenters who still have not knowledged 120. Apply yourself and make a serious commitment to getting your degrees on cap. Set a reasonable time/date when you want to be complete and don’t procrastinate. We need you, especially our youth!

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

6. Only share your ideas with those who have shown themselves to be supportive of you fulfilling them. If they are not there to help you, they are only going to hinder you. If they are not an asset, they are a liability. If they are not in your life to build, they will destroy. This also includes the nice folks with pleasant attitudes. Just because they have a happy disposition, it does not mean that they can automatically help. Again, our idea is likened to a baby and a baby must be nurtured, respected, loved, protected, and educated. That baby must build its immunity to repel the bacteria and viruses that could compromise its health, growth, and development. It is unwise to let any and everybody touch your baby. It is equally unwise to expose your idea to any and everybody.

7. Look into networking with people/organizations that will help you fulfill your physical and mental health goals. That is why our social equality is important and the reason some keep us apart from their own social equality. Our network is a prime indicator of our net worth. Take care of yourself and connect with those who are invested in doing the same. There are no ideas when we don't have your health!

8. Speaking of health; strive to maintain a positive outlook! Some days it will be easy to maintain a level of positivity and other days you need fellowship with others who share the same goals and are just as resolute about achieving goals. This means investing the time to build with others and being present to learn as much as you can about the positive principles/values they are sharing with you. 

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

PLUS DEGREES: 

"Be a shark, not a peacock" as one of my homegirls would say. When a peacock walks into a room with its feathers fanned out everyone can see it. It is 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 dorsal fin it is too late. In many cases staying below the radar and not revealing what you're doing until it's actually done is a sure way to be successful in your undertaking. Be a fine mist that the naked eye can hardly detect. When we talk a lot we are also subject to the expectations of others which are usually unrealistic. If you tell people you are writing a book and you know that you don't even have a manuscript yet, people may assume you are going to be publishing a three-hundred-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 are doing before they can hear what you are saying so your reputation precedes you. So talk less in 2023 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 don't have the time, you don't have to agree to do it. Let time be the reason that you cannot commit to something. It is unreasonable for someone to expect you to create more than twenty-four hours in a day. Just. Say. NO.

   In closing, I will that every one of you and your families have a positive and productive 2023 and that is adds more beauty to our families, community, and environment.

Peace,

Saladin 

What is the future of Allah Youth Center in Mecca?

     For the last twenty years, I have had the opportunity to learn along the landscape of community building through successfully creating a variety of projects, programs, and initiatives and working in partnership with various organizations, institutions, and municipalities. I also ran for public office, have helped folks get elected, work as a machine inspector with the Board of Elections and I am a Human Rights Commissioner in my city who wrote its bylaws. It is important that I lead with this so that you know where my insights are coming from.

     Recently there was an update shared by a couple of brothers, Beloved and Bilal, regarding the status of our Allah School in Mecca. They met with Sid Davidoff on October 19th, 2022 in preparation for their meeting with Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Marie Torres-Springer on October 20th, 2022. The highlights of those meetings are as follows:

*The City of New York possesses the title to 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd, the location of Allah Youth Center in Mecca. 

*Sid Davidoff asked those present at the meeting did they have a copy of the 99-year lease for 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd that Five Percenters have historically said Allah was given by the Lindsay Administration. They did not have this document, nor did New York City Government, and there is no record of its existence. 

*The only documentation that was found regarding 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd was an outdated month-to-month lease dated July 1967.

*Beloved said that Sid Davidoff, not New York City Government, stated that the 99-year lease did not matter and that the Five Percenters were the "defacto owners" because it has always been everyone's vision and understanding that you would hold that site as a school. So Davidoff advised the group to go into the meeting with the Mayor's Office and tell the city what we wanted and request a transfer of land as a part of the development deal.

*Davidoff also shared that there were other Five Percenters with different plans for the site and encouraged us to all be on one page.

*The group shared a presentation with the Mayor's Office regarding the history of the Five Percenters and their idea for developing the site.

     As Five Percenters we are supposed to live according to our word is bond, and bond is life. That is not a City Government's policy nor its legal department's policy. So while the presentation sounded excellent, it legally means nothing to a municipality. Even if you were to get a signed MOA from a City Government, its legal department can still find a way to maneuver around it if it conflicts with a department's policy or a new administration comes into office. That new administration is not required to honor that. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is a written document describing a cooperative relationship between two parties wishing to work together on a project or to meet an agreed-upon objective. This serves as a legal document and describes the terms and details of the partnership agreement. Nothing was shared in this update about an MOA, just hope that we can rely on our history and that the current New York City Government will leave this prime real estate that they possess, alone. Another important part that was not discussed in detail was the actual budget for the development plan and the actual CAPITAL we have in our account to complete this project. However, it was shared that there will be a fundraising initiative spearheaded by Black Just, the brother of Carmelo Anthony. 

     While I commend the Gods for their will and concern to move us collectively forward, I think that it was premature to engage City Government with an idea, no economic development plan, and no CAPITAL to develop the city's prime real estate that we have no legal rights to. This meeting has now set into motion a timeline for the Five Percenters to demonstrate to the current New York City Government our commitment to completing a proposed development plan that doesn't even have a blueprint or CAPITAL. This also establishes a justification for the current New York City Government to remove us Five Percenters from their property if they feel as though we are not committed to developing this prime real estate. If some corporation, institution, or organization has a better development plan and the CAPITAL to complete that project, the current or future New York City Government has no legal obligation to the Five Percent. 

     From here it is important to understand that we, as the Five Percent, have officially put the current New York City Government on notice regarding our intention and the timeline that they expect us to establish. Here are a few things that I would suggest moving forward:

*Create an actual development plan and secure CAPITAL investors in 2023. 

*As Five Percenters, we are now officially on the city's economic and workforce development radar. Remove and do not post any Universal Parliaments online. The arguments that broke out, and the disorganization that was captured, after Beloved and Bilal shared their update should not be available to the public, which includes New York City Government. From this point forward it must be understood that the current New York City Government, and its partners, have a vested interest in developing the prime real estate located at 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd. Anything that Five Percenters say or do will be held against us as evidence of incompetence, not as adults trying to work it out.  

*According to public records, the total assessed value of 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd is only $186,300 -which is a steal for a major development company. The value of the building [Youth Center], which measures 1,200 square feet, is $69,300. The value of its land, which measures 12,490 square feet, is $117,000. Its current market value, or the actual price someone is willing to pay for this property, is $414,000. These figures help set a reasonable CAPITAL investment goal. Taking a development plan to the current New York City Government with CAPITAL investments that are less than the property's market value does not make business sense to that municipality. A multi-million-dollar project from a major development company does make business sense.

*Build a relationship with the current New York City Government. That requires more than having one meeting sharing an idea with no money. Be consistent about attending city meetings, functions, and initiatives. Be consistent about participating in meetings, functions, and initiatives. Learn the pulse and heartbeat of this administration.

*Strive to get the current New York City Government to establish a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Five Percenters use and outlined development plan of 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd. If the current New York City Government is unwilling to establish a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), that is your indication that they do not intend on honoring the Five Percenters' future use and development of 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd. The current New York City Government's unwillingness to establish a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) also nullifies a "de facto" rule. In other words, someone could "de facto" be a parent because they behave like that... until someone has a court order.

     The only way forward is progress, and the only way to be progressive is to work together. A year ago I invested in an IP and strived to gift it to our nation. This not only enabled us to protect our cultural identity in the public domain but was a legal means to successfully secure immediate CAPITAL through license agreements and infringement suits against its illegal use. While some understood its value, some publicly spoke out against it. I took the initiative to secure this IP for us knowing that a day such as this would ultimately come; a time when our vision for a sustainable future and financial vulnerability would be completely exposed. Although I was disappointed that some of our nation members did not see the value of this gift, I remain hopeful that this will be realized in time. I just will that those who spoke the loudest, and had the most to say, will be the same ones to step forward and answer the call to legally secure the economic development future of Allah Youth Center for our nation. 

Peace,

Saladin

Saladin Allah Appears in United Nations World Campaign

November 30th to December 2nd, 2021 I had an opportunity to film a video feature with the United Nations Department of Global Communications as a contributor of their #FightRacism Campaign. This Campaign is in conjunction with the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on March 25th, 2022. The #FightRacism Campaign marks the 20th-anniversary celebration of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA). The Durban Declaration was a document adopted by consensus at the 2001 World Conference against Racism (WCAR) in Durban, South Africa. This document proposes concrete measures to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance globally.

On August 9th, the United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution establishing a Permanent Forum of People of African Descent to provide expert advice on addressing the challenges of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and intolerance. The resolution adopted by consensus by the 193-member world body also called for the forum to serve as “a platform for improving the safety and quality of life and livelihoods of people of African descent” and their full inclusion in the societies where they live.

     In regards to this video feature the United Nations states:

 "Our lead character is educator, author and human rights advocate Saladin Allah, a descendent of Underground Railroad forerunner Josiah Henson, whose life was the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. As a visitor experience specialist at the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, Saladin is an expert storyteller who takes us on an unforgettable journey through African American history and reminds us that we all play a role in shaping the next generation. Only through education and historical truth-telling can we achieve recognition of past wrongdoing, and work toward a more just world."

Peace,

Saladin

Digital Missteps in a Cancel Culture Industry

   

   The Internet, and social media in particular, is doing more than reshaping our brain architecture and how we explore and attend the real world. 

     In my article Is Social Media The Digital "Turn on, Tune in, Drop out"? I wrote, "Fifteen years ago National News was a mainstream talking point for at least a week. Nowadays National News has about a 48 hour life unless other information is shared in connection to that information. This is why stories are now shared in segments and you rarely get all of the details when a story breaks. This is not because of lack of information, it is often done in parts to lengthen the life of a story. Sometimes the wrong information is deliberately shared in order to retract it 24-48 hours later, which insures web traffic for another two days. Keep in mind that I am speaking from personal experience, as a writer and as a subject who was catapulted into the spotlight in 2014 when I was cited by as a subject matter expert by the international and national press on Jay-Z's Five Percenter Jewelry." 

     In regards to this digital landscape I went on to elaborate that, "All social media formats use a scroll screen model. This enables users to easily scroll through pages without the cumbersome task of reading anything. If reading was not considered cumbersome, social media Apps would not limit the character count to convey a thought. While some people have learned and are learning to use these limited/ideal character counts to refine concise truncated thought, many others have found themselves becoming less and less equipped to communicate, online and offline. This technological shift coincides with what we are also seeing across the country with the closing and defunding of libraries, the historically low ELA competency levels in primary school students and the moving away from handwriting in exchange for typing."

    With these changes and the creation of D2C [direct-to-consumer] mediums where people can interact without middlemen, there has also been a paradigm shift in how people navigate the digital landscape, interact with one another and engage the media. With the proliferation of Cancel Culture, these mediums have become problematic for many people, especially public figures, who feel as though they can Like/💓/😂, tweet, post/repost, comment, inbox, DM or LIVE Chat whatever they want. Sha'Carri Richardson is just one example of numerous athletes, entertainers, public officials and etc. who have found themselves in hot water because they clearly lacked "professional advice" on what to say, or not say.., publicly. Some people have literally lost their careers, and the ability to financially support their loved ones, because of digital missteps. Many athletes, entertainers, public officials and etc. have been lured into the illusion that because social media enables them to directly connect with people, investing in professional consultants to help curate their content and engagement is not necessary. In regards to freedom, I understand. Paying folks to give their professional advice on some of our thoughts before we share them may feel like a lot. Yet it is not nearly the price many of us end paying without that advice. 

     Gossip Blogs, Podcasts, Reaction Videos, LIVE Streamers, Mainstream Media and etc. all thrive on Digital Missteps; resharing, recreating and recycling it as traffic driving monetized content that they feed off of. This is an entire billion dollar industry based upon digitally amplifying imperfections. An industry that Generation Z [Zoomers] now look at as a viable career like my Generation X looked at college. And hey, I understand. YouTubers like DJ Akademiks don't even need to spin records to make a living. All you need to do is talk about people and instigate beefs; the same thing some of my elementary school students like to do. Now adults make money doing it. 

    As a cultural content creator I could share a different article, video, book, class, presentation, animation, album, song, poem, news story, podcast, interview, project, program or initiative that I have created/co-created every single day for the next 5 years without reposting anything. I am not talking about posts or tweets just sharing my thoughts. I am talking about sharing a different example of actual work that I have successfully completed, every day of the week, for 5 strait years without fail. Being a Five Percent pioneer in this space, this has enabled me to establish a global digital footprint that pushes our culture forward into uncharted territories. I am very proud of that. I am especially proud of the fact that none of my content is based upon gossip, instigating beefs or ambulance chasing for views. 

     For over a decade now I have also worked as a professional consultant. In this capacity I have had the opportunity to advise many athletes, entertainers, public officials and etc. on how they should best answer interview questions, respond to panel discussion topics, craft email correspondences, pen think pieces, issue public statements and etc. Because of the confidentiality of this kind of work I would never betray their trust and share who I work with. Yet if people are observant enough they could possibly tell who these people are based upon my global digital footprint and self-styled wisdom. So it is from this vantage point of view that I am assessing this changing digital landscape and what I see as a vital need for folks to invest in professional consultants. If not, we will continue to see the best of our athletes, entertainers, public officials and etc. living with a Cancel Culture sword above their heads.

Peace,

Saladin

WATCH HERE: United Nations Panel Discussion on "Resistance"

     On July 29th I participated in an online panel discussion hosted by the United Nations Outreach Programme on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery. This panel highlighted the Samuel L. Jackson award-winning Enslaved docuseries that I appear in; Episode 5 "Resistance." 

     Every year on 25 March, the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade offers the opportunity to honor and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system. The International Day also aims to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today. As a part of this year's National Day of Remembrance, the United Nations Remember Slavery Programme consisted of a series of panel discussions and episode screenings of Enslaved. 

     I am thankful for this opportunity and you can view our Enslaved Episode 5 "Resistance" panel discussion at the link below.

UNITED NATIONS PANEL DISCUSSION

Animation Series: Student Enrollment [1-10]

 

In this Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters Animation episode we share the Student Enrollment AKA 1-10 or knowledge to knowledge cipher.

Please SUPPORT and SHARE my Atlantis School Renovation Project. I am renovating a property to establish a cultural enrichment early childhood learning and after school program:

Website: Atlantis School Renovation Project

PayPal: atlantisbuild@gmail.com

CashApp: $SaladinAllah

Peace,

Saladin

From Student Enrollment to Solar Facts

    

     First and foremost I would like to say, "PEACE" to my brother Sincere Asiatic who knowledged 120 recently! I am very proud of the God and appreciate the time, effort and consistency he has shown to be successful in this undertaking. For those who have taken this sacred journey from Who is the Original Man to Pluto know that this is not an easy task. Once we have this knowledge we now have the potential to grasp its wisdom and understand how to apply these degrees in our every day life. That also is not an easy task. The knowledge of 120, wisdom of 120 and understanding of 120 equals 360 degrees or a complete cipher. That cipher or code, in addition to our Supreme Mathematics and the Supreme Alphabet, is a vital part of codifying our Five Percent cultural worldview. Celebrating milestones, especially milestones like this, are an important part of measuring our growth and development. If we do not acknowledge where we have been and how far we have come, it is difficult to fully appreciate where we are and where we can go. 

     When we are learning Five Percent culture some of the principles and values that we are exposed to may be unknown or theoretical to us. Learning about the legacy of Allah, his community outreach and youth advocacy, some of us have never done any of this work before. It is an entirely new world to us. It is not uncommon to meet those who claim to be Five Percenters for years.., yet they have no history of community outreach and youth advocacy. It it also not uncommon to find Five Percenters in the heart of any community actively building with the youth.

     Today I want to take you through Today's Degree to give you a sense of how we build on our degrees. This is not THE ONLY WAY and only serves as an example of my self-styled wisdom. Meaning, this is my unique perspective and how I may practically apply this degree and its correlations to other degrees, our Supreme Mathematics and the Supreme Alphabet.

   As Today's Mathematics correspond to the current date, Today's Degree is a degree or lesson within 120 that also corresponds to the date. If today were the 13th, Today's Mathematics would be Knowledge (1) Understanding (3) all drawn-up to or all being born to Culture (4). Today's Degree, Knowledge (1) Understanding (3), would also correspond to one of our 13th degrees within 120 as shown below:

13/1-14: "What is the meaning of C.A.P.T.A.I.N. and L.I.E.U.T.E.N.A.N.T.?"

13/1-36: "What is his ownself?" 

13/1-40:  "But brings rain, hail, snow and earthquakes?"

13/Actual Facts: "There are 790,613,581,824,000,000 square inches on the Planet Earth."

     So if another Five Percenter were to ask me, "How do you see Today's Degree?" I would reference one of the above degrees, recite the question and answer by heart and then share my understanding of the degree and how it applies to life. Suppose today is the 20th, here is an example of how I may build on Today's Degree:

     "Peace! Today's Degree in the 1-40 is, 'What are the prescribed laws of Islam for the said person of that ability? That the civilized is held responsible for the uncivilized and must be punished by the Nation of Islam.' In this degree we learn that for any said ability, meaning, even if we simply said that we had a certain ability, there are certain rules and regulations that govern that ability and expectations that come along with that ability. If I were to say that I was a plumber, there are certain rules and regulations that govern that profession and expectations that I am held accountable for. Imagine if I said that I were a mechanic and someone hired and paid me to perform a job that I didn't have the ability to complete. There are a variety of consequences, including legal, that are the result of me not being responsible for following through with what I said. The same applies to us when we call ourselves civilized, righteous, Fathers, Mothers, Gods, Earths and etc. when we don't live up to who we say that we are. Regardless if a person punishes us or not, life itself penalizes us for being irresponsible. This is one reason why it is important to not say we have an ability that we don't have. It is only a matter of time when we will be forced to show and prove it. It reminds me of my 6th grade students. When I introduce them to a new math concept I always stop to ask the class if they understand. There are always some students who nod their heads in agreement knowing good and well that they don't get the math. After calling them up to solve a problem on the board, I remind them to not say that they know something that they don't know. You will have to show and prove it and sometimes you might get put on the spot. More importantly, I remind all of them to not be afraid to say that they don't know something and to ask for help when they need it. You may think that you can fake it until you make it but you will eventually break it; whether that is a broken object, a broken promise or a broken relationship.

     When something is "prescribed" it is a recommendation that is considered beneficial. In regards to this wisdom cipher [20th] degree in the 1-40, responsibility for the uncivilized is what is recommended for those who are civilized. Why? Because those who are civilized possess knowledge, wisdom, understanding, culture, refinement and are not savages in the pursuit of happiness. Thus we have the capacity to help temporarily guide those who are uncivilized. I say temporarily because the goal is for others to ultimately help themselves.  While we learn that we get punished for not following the recommendation of being responsible, the benefits of this prescription is not expressed. We learn, through experience, that the benefits of being civilized is our direct access to righteousness, knowledge of self, the science of everything in life, love, peace and happiness. 

    Again, this is the Wisdom Cipher [20th] degree. The importance of only speaking about an ability that we actually possess and being responsible for assisting those who are in need is wisdom [2] that helps solidify and sustain our cipher [0]. In fact, it is the exact same wisdom many of us have been taught in our family's cipher, community ciphers, academic ciphers or employment ciphers growing up. My parents always told my siblings and I about not writing a check with our mouth that our ass can't cash. As members of the Black Panther Party they also taught us about the responsibility of being civilized and teaching others. Peace!"

     Above was just a brief example of how I may build upon Today's Degree. If I were to cross reference other corresponding degrees and elaborate on the 2nd and 20th letter in the Supreme Alphabet, the above build would be even more extensive. It would be too lengthy to read, thus I share builds like that via FB LIVE or YouTube LIVE or on Atlantis Build Talk Radio. If you would like me to build on any degrees please email me your NAME, COUNTRY, STATE/PROVINCE, CITY and QUESTIONS to atlantisbuild@gmail.com.

Peace,

Saladin

Are We Trolling OR Teaching?

     In my last article What Is A Poor Righteous Teacher? I shared some insight on the etymology of the word "poor", its use in the 1800s until now and how it has been misinterpreted by some Five Percenters as evidenced by their quality of life. There are many Five Percenters who understood and appreciated that article because they do not represent that segment of our population. They desire more for us as a Nation and that is also evidenced by their quality of life. However, there were those who felt that my article was inaccurate and an unfair assessment of the poverty mindset among some Five Percenters. From their perspective I painted the Five Percent with a broad brushstroke which contributes to the negative narratives about us. That does not accurately reflect the content of my article or any of my contributions to this society. While genuine peer review and accountability is always important with our work, it is also important to offer practical solutions to what we see as problematic. Sitting back talking or just repeating what someone else said is not enough. We must have something to share, something we built that actually works. So lets build about that work and what works.

     For two decades I have consistently worked to be one of the many positive representations of the Five Percent. This work, from my youth initiatives, articles, books and animation series to being a Humans Rights Commissioner and Educator in my city, has literally served as evidence to help win court cases for incarcerated Five Percenters fighting to prove our cultural legitimacy. I am very proud of this and the various other ways that people have benefitted from these contributions. Among the different niches that Five Percenters have, we are not all a-alike. While there are some Five Percenters who represent the best of what we teach, there are others who behave like they don't agree with Dumar Wa'de's statement that We Are Not A Gang. You can see by how they live and a simple glance at their social media will have you confused about what they actually represent. Their social media is usually a hodgepodge of vulgar memes, trolling, throwback pictures of Five Percenter pioneers, Henny toasts, wannabe IG model flicks wearing our Universal Flag and video clips of questionable Eighty-Fiver behavior. These are the same folks who long to be professionally recognized as a credible source of Five Percent culture. The irony is, I am actually one of the most qualified people to teach them yet they usually don't want to learn who is causing all of this to professionally happen... Most times I am outright embarrassed by what I see and often find myself in awkward positions striving to diplomatically explain to outside onlookers that, "all of us [Five Percenters] are at different stages in our growth and development. Regardless what knowledge you think we have, some of us are evolving as civilized people, some of us are not and will not evolve as civilized people. That choice is entirely up to us." I receive so many emails, inboxes and DMs from people inquiring about our culture via the out-of-pocket behavior they see that I actually saved a standard response for folks to save time responding. Yeah, it is that serious.

     See, when we gain knowledge of self it is not like we start off with a blank slate and everything we have thought, said or done prior to that simply disappears. It does not work that way. In this journey we are not simply learning things. We also unlearn things that are not good for our growth and development. Well, we are supposed to unlearn things. We all experience this, even if we claim to be born into the Five Percent Nation. Living within this wilderness of North America we are all exposed to what others think, say and do. Some of that exposure is corrupting and contradicts our culture. All of us have to deal with this reality and none of us are exempt from it. How committed and consistent we are to deal with that corruption and those contradictions is entirely up to us. It is apparent, at least to me, that some of us have a much harder time with civilization than others.

     Over the years of having knowledge of self, the biggest challenge that I see among many of my fellow Five Percenters is how to connect What We Teach TO What We Will Achieve. Now some Five Percenters would argue that "What We Teach and What We Will Achieve" is not an authentic plus degree. Regardless if we think this or not, it is not debatable that there is a huge disparity between what folks say they teach and what they are actually achieving. There is no shortage of content you can find on social media of people sharing longwinded posts about Today's Mathematics or pictures with captions pontificating about what we teach and how it should/shouldn't be taught. However, there is a severe lacking of the same content that practically shows what we are actually achieving with these teachings. There is "some" content yet not nearly as much content as adults taking group pictures and talking. When I started sharing YouTube videos well over a decade ago and writing articles, my consistent focus has always been to demonstrate how I am actually using what we teach to positively impact my family and community in a practical way. My social media presence is based upon the same premise and over the years that focus has expanded beyond my family and community to include my city, other cities, states and countries. This is the reason that the national and international press contact me in regards to content related to our Nation of the Five Percent, why I currently have five books in a Curatorial Activism archive at the British Library and how I've had the professional opportunities to work with actors such as Morgan Freeman, Samuel L. Jackson and others. I have done and do all of this as a proud, public Five Percenter who literally comes in the name of Saladin Allah. I am not a Five Percenter at a Parliament but Marco the security guard the rest of the month. For whatever reason, some folks just don't like that I am in this kind of public position. When they are not playing a lazy game of Poison The Well, they are clumsily trying to discredit anything that they see me do while deliberately ignoring the things that are clearly of credit even to their own families. 

"Own It" -Drake

     

     As a public Five Percenter, my experience is not all Sun, Moon and Stars. I deal with bullsh*t just like everybody else, sometimes more than you could imagine. I have experienced dudes calling my home hundreds of times in a day. Yeah, I said hundreds. I have received snapshots of dudes gossiping about me in sausage party group chats. I have gotten pop-up trolled by lurkers who never even liked a post about my children. Dudes have circulated sloppy snippets of my content offline to try and discredit me. I have also been publicly/privately threatened with violence online and etc. None of these experiences involved women. Not one. While I have had some limited experience with girls harassing me when I was a teenager, never in my life did I ever expect to experience this kind of behavior from 30-50 year old dudes. Never! Allah was in his mid thirties and early forties when he was teaching youth in the streets of Harlem and I could not imagine him behaving like this. That dysfunctional behavior has nothing to do with Five Percent culture or "building." It has everything to do with what I see as a mental health and/or a substance abuse problem or folks who have become institutionalized; something that I am very well acquainted with because my Ole Earth [Mother] was a social psychologist by profession. No healthy, heterosexual, working family man would be that fixated on another man and behave like this. 

     Some would probably ask, "Saladin why do you even care?" Well as I mentioned earlier, we are all exposed to what others think, say and do while living in this wilderness of North America. So it does affect us, even if it is just a distraction seeing or hearing about it. In order to maintain a positive mental health state and sense of homeostasis we have to develop effective ways to neutralize and manage this exposure. After words, sometimes that exposure has the exact opposite effect; like the time someone posted a screenshot of my Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters Page to denigrate my work and I instantly received new followers, messages of support and donations to my Atlantis School Renovation Project.

     When it comes to our stability, it is important not to minimize or gloss over the impact this COVID-19 pandemic is actually having on our individual and collective mental health, including those who claim to be "woke" or have knowledge of self. In fact, it is my assessment that this pandemic will born a mental health epidemic that will undoubtedly impact our Five Percent Nation. As Five Percenters, attending virtual parliaments, posting videos about Supreme Mathematics and taking pictures wearing our Universal Flag is not an effective mental health plan. Based upon some of our behavior, some of us need serious professional help and there is nothing wrong with that. We all need help in some capacity. What IS wrong is using social media and/or substance abuse to try and self-medicate. 

     A decade ago, in 2011, I published the book Explorations of God/Earth Mental Health that offers insight on what we have begun to see, particularly among some Five Percenters, and how we can address this. Following the recent tragic deaths of my father and brother on the same day, hours apart, under two entirely different circumstances, I took the initiative to get therapy for the first time in my life. I never experienced anything tragic like this before in my life and I wanted to be proactive in putting resources in place that can support me through my grieving process. Access to a safe-space that enables me to unpack and process my thoughts and feelings about this tragedy and trauma with an objective black therapist, not just talking to my physical/universal family, has been very therapeutic for me. I would definitely encourage others to do the same to help unpack and process tragedy and trauma; especially those black/brown males who never talk about being molested as children and/or who have experienced sexual violence while they were incarcerated. I am fortunate to have never experienced this and can only imagine how difficult it must be for those who quietly carry around this question about their manhood and sexuality. I would also encourage Five Percenters to explore becoming a therapist if they are interested in that field. We need more of our own people creating these culturally competent safe-spaces to support our positive mental health. Lastly, we need more people showing evidence of our Five Percent teachings with actual achievements, not just being trolls. 

Peace,

Saladin

The Political Science of Five Percenter Parliaments

 

     According to Dasun Allah in his Five Percent Media article Universal Parliament Takes to The World Wide Web, "The Universal Parliament has been an institution of the 5% Nation since April of 1967 after the return of Allah the Father from his imprisonment in the Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. It built on the tradition of house parliaments, and local and borough wide gatherings of Gods and Earths, bringing them to a unified whole. The purpose of Universal Parliament is for the nation to get to know their righteous family through reports on individual and collective works within the various communities and to tend to affairs of national interest." 

   Contrary to what some may assume or have experienced at our Five Percent Nation Universal, international, regional and/or local Parliaments, they are not get-togethers or vent sessions. Our Parliament also didn't derive from the 1956 doo-wop group that was founded by a fifteen-year-old George Clinton and named after Parliament cigarettes. Parliament comes from the Old French "parlement" which means to speak. By definition, a Parliament is the legislative body of a government. The role of that body is to make and amend laws and hold the government accountable for its policies, actions and spending. In the context of the Five Percent, our Universal Parliament in Mecca [Harlem] was established for our nation's citizens to function as an informal legislative body and government. The Old French etymology for Parliament meaning to "speak" means "to build" [communicate/add-on] in the language of the Five Percent. Thus as Five Percenters we come together monthly at our Universal Parliament to build, introduce and amend policies, actions and spending related to our national headquarters in Mecca [Harlem, NY]. 

     In the United States, the policies, actions and spending implemented in this nation's capital [DC] may or may not affect regional and/or local legislative bodies in different states and cities. Likewise in our nation's capital [Mecca], policies, actions and spending implemented there may or may not affect international, regional and/or local legislative bodies of Five Percenters in other countries, states and cities. Our Parliamentary Procedure, whether nationally in Mecca or among our international, regional and/or local legislative bodies of Five Percenters, is based upon our nation's principles and customs, namely the concept of social equality. Coming together for one common cause and being equal in everything insures that any present member of our nation, regardless of their age, gender or physical ability, has the right to build upon policies, actions and spending at our Parliament. If a decision needs to be made regarding a certain policy, action or spending, all input is gathered by the present members and a decision is made based upon majority rule [vote]. If a decision cannot be made, the issue is tabled until the next scheduled Parliament. Although our Parliamentary Procedure does not follow the entire Robert's Rules of Order [RONR], we do acknowledge these basic RONR guiding principles:

• Everyone has the right to participate in the discussion if they wish, before anyone may speak a second time. 
• Everyone has the right to know what is going on at all times. Only urgent matters may interrupt a speaker.
• Only one thing (motion) can be discussed at a time.

Political Science: a social science which deals with systems of governance, and the analysis of political activities, political thoughts, associated constitutions and political behavior. 

   In 2013 I ran for public office as a 4th District Legislative candidate. I didn't run as a Democrat or a Republican. I used what is called an Independent Nominating Petition and created my own Political Party; the Niagara Youth Party. I was also the endorsed candidate of the Green Party and Working Families Party via my Opportunity To Ballot [OTB] Petitions. Although I was not elected, in the General Election I received 20% of the votes in comparison to the Republican candidate who received 25% of the votes and the Democratic incumbent who received 55% of the votes. In that General Election my name was on the ballot for the Niagara Youth Party, the Green Party and the Working Families Party. Based upon the registered voters in the 4th District, over 95% of the votes I received were from registered Republicans and Democrats. This is unheard of and never happened in my city before because most people vote for their party line. The votes I received proved that regardless of party affiliation, people will actually vote for a person. That is both threatening and viewed as an opportunity for political parties who see this. So of course this voter turnout shocked the county/city Republican and Democratic Committees and to this day I get asked by both parties if I am willing to run for public office again. If you have been watching the 2020 Presidential Race, this is a similar position Kanye West is in regarding his presidential bid via his filed Independent Nominating Petitions for his Birthday Party. The votes he receives will be from people who are voting against their party line. If he receives a national turnout that is similar to the turnout I received locally, he will get the same response from political parties who are seeking to draft him. Why am I sharing even this? Because in my experience navigating political landscapes in addition to community outreach, I have learned and still learn a lot about Legislation and how Legislative bodies function; the cornerstone of a Parliament. It does not make me an expert yet it does enable me to make a unique contribute to our nation. This education affords me, and other brothers and sisters in these political spaces, a vantage point of view that many Five Percenters do not have. There are likewise Five Percenters who navigate other spaces which affords them a vantage point of view that I and others do not have. This is what collectively makes us all-eye-seeing, of course when there is social equality and we share those perspectives. It is through those shared perspectives that we access the knowledge [1] that shapes our power [5] dynamics.

Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters Animation Series
NOW AVAILABLE on Seven On Demand via ROKU

     In conclusion, we are as strong and efficient as our ability to organize. While we can always improve upon what we are doing, I am proud to see those Five Percenters who are selflessly stepping up at our national headquarters, internationally, regionally and locally to help push our nation forward. Parliaments are a key component to this and with COVID-19 it has been challenging for us to gather together. The introduction of Virtual Parliaments have been a great way to help address this issue and maintain our cultural continuity. While immature, gossipmongering "interlopers" still exist on the fringes of our nation, they are becoming less visible and influential in leading people in the wrong direction. The launch of digital publications such as the Five Percenter Newspaper and Five Percent Media, young Five Percenters such as The 5% Percent Connection using social media platforms to globally engage learners and Five Percenters such as Darkim who are now using YouTube LIVE to expound upon our teachings are all positive examples of our collective effort to push our nation forward. This is successfully happening in spite of this current global pandemic and the interlopers on the fringe. 

Peace,

Saladin