NEW BOOK RELEASE: The Incarcerated Sevens' Resource Manual

***NEW BOOK RELEASE***

THE INCARCERATED SEVENS’ RESOURCE MANUAL VOL 1 is designed to provide incarcerated Five Percenters or their loved ones with accurate information to legally challenge a "Security Threat Group" [STG] designation or policy within the DOC [Department Of Corrections] and courts of law. This book contains a list of 85 cases filed by incarcerated citizens of the Five Percent Nation, a detailed summary of the origin and evolution of the current theological oppression campaign that began against Five Percenter from 1965 to the present and a copy of the Authors Pro Se legal brief.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Professor Born Supreme became a Certificated Paralegal/Legal Assistant through the Blackstone Career Institute Paralegal Correspondence Program in June 2021. That knowledge as a Paralegal equipped him to competently compile this Resource Manual using Five Percent language for our culture.    

You can purchase THE INCARCERATED SEVENS’ RESOURCE MANUAL VOL 1 HERE

Knowledge of Self: The 5th Element of Hip Hop

This unauthorized, independent White Lion Studios, Knowledge of Self Series and the Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters documentary is a thought-provoking exploration into the 5th Element of Hip-Hop; Knowledge of Self. Through never before seen interviews by some of Hip-Hop's biggest icons, poignant narration and entertaining animation, Knowledge of Self embarks upon an uncharted journey to reveal one the greatest stories never told!

   Where did phrases and names like, "God", "word is bond", "cipher", "Peace", "Queen", "FlyGod" and etc. come from? What do some of the biggest names in Hip-Hop such as Jay-Z, Nas, Tupac, Rakim, Busta Rhymes, Nelly and others all have in common? Knowledge of Self seeks to answer these and many other questions by exposing a narrative of Hip-Hop that has been historically hidden in plain sight.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A PART OF HISTORY? We are currently in Production and offering a limited number of exclusive Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond investment packages. Rewards include: become a Producer on the movie, swag, a role in the movie and more! Upon completion this film will be released FREE to the public. More information at this LINK

 

Peace,

Saladin

 

Where Are The Women And Children?

Sausage Party: an event or group in which the majority of participants are male.

     Sex Ratio is the proportion of males to females in a population. If the Sex Ratio were 8:1, this would mean that for every 8 males there is 1 female. While these Sex Ratios have not been formally examined among the Five Percent, when you look at our ciphers around the Nation, our Sex Ratios are grossly disproportionate and imbalanced. It does not matter what the occasion, Five Percenter males far outnumber the presence and participation of Five Percenter females. I've heard people give various reasons why this occurs. Regardless of those reasons I think we can all agree that the absence of women and children undermines our national growth and the growth of any nation. Without the Earth, seeds or soil, there is simply no life. These disproportionate Sex Ratios, combined with the low retention rate of women remaining citizens of our Five Percent Nation, is problematic and must be addressed. There is no silver bullet to address this, yet there are some things that we can do to help change this trajectory of our Nation. Here are a few ideas:

120 Degrees Are For Women Also

     Over the years of being a citizen of this Nation I've heard differing perspectives on if women in our Nation should know 120 Degrees. I've always been an advocate that she should know 120 along with Supreme Mathematics and the Supreme Alphabet. Why shouldn't she? Some brothers have said that 120 Degrees are FOR MEN ONLY, which is one of the most asinine statements that I have ever heard. Some other brothers think that you should only teach a woman 120 Degrees because she is going to be your woman. Which is also asinine because I am not sure how dudes handle that situation when an underage girl outside of their family is striving to learn or a woman they're not interested in having a relationship with. One of the primary reasons that learning 120 Degrees is important, whether we are a male or female, is because it represents 6/8th's or 75% of our cultural curriculum:

1. Supreme Mathematics
2. Supreme Alphabet
3. 1-10 (Student Enrollment)
4. 1-14
5. 1-36
6 1-40
7. Actual Facts
8. Solar Facts

   When a person only knows the Supreme Mathematics they only have access to 1/8th or 12.5% of what they need to know about our culture. If they only know the Supreme Mathematics and the Supreme Alphabet they only have access to 2/8th's or 25% of what they need to know about our culture. That is completely unacceptable. You cannot expect a person with 12.5% or 25% knowledge of our culture to have wisdom and understanding. 
     If a man is the only one that possesses 120 and something happens to that man, those Degrees will die with him also; as we have seen with some of our elders and the widows and children they left behind. It is obvious that these Degrees were that important for him to know and use in his daily life to the point of reciting them word for word. Why then are they not as important for a woman, especially upon his physical death? When a woman knows 120 Degrees her children also have direct access to them, regardless to whom or what. This is important to understand because the Woman is naturally the closest teacher of the child during their formative years.  This period of growth and development is the transition from a child's pre-verbal to verbal years and the manifestation of their mother tongue. As I mentioned in my article Semantic Enigma: How To Speak Five Percenter Language 101, learning our language that is comprised of 120 Degrees, Supreme Mathematics and the Supreme Alphabet "promotes positive cognitive, social, emotional, language and literacy development. Make no mistake about it, a child [or any person] with access to a language that reinforces an identity of power and infinite potentiality has a profound effect on brain architecture and psychological orientation." Whatever a woman knows and understands will be what she will give her children. To deny her access to information, that we as a man deem important enough to live by, is criminal.

     How can a woman knowing 120 Degrees help change the Sex Ratio trajectory and low retention rate of women remaining citizens within our Nation? Women who know 120 Degrees will have an opportunity to be more invested, more empowered and have a greater sense of emplacement within our Nation. This will also serve the purpose of holding women to a higher cultural standard and both of us, men and women, to a fairer degree of accountability concerning our relationships, social norms and resources we provide for our families and communities.  When we are both in the know we have more potential to grow.

Encourage and Support Women Specific Events
     Some brothers are concerned that if women are encouraged or supported to create women specific projects, programs and initiatives that men will be left out. You obviously will be left out if you are not helping out. In all of the numerous projects, programs and initiatives I have organized or been involved in over the years, those Sex Ratios I spoke about earlier are flip flopped; men are in the extreme minority. If it is a guy thing then the guys come out, sometimes in droves. Yet if it is something concerning women and/or children I have never seen the same degree of equal participation. 
     I am not advocating that men abandon projects, programs and initiatives that are specific to our growth and development in order to support women. Naw, that would not be equality. I am saying that we should equally support what we are both doing for the growth and development of our families and communities. Those women who have seen me give all that I have and do all within my power to support them were/are more likely to support what I am doing. I also need to note that there are projects, programs and initiatives some women are advocating that do not have the family and community in mind nor are they working towards a sense of reconciliation or understanding with men. Some of these women are misandrists and I would not encourage men to support them, the same way that I encourage women not to support misogynists. None of them are about family and community; the propagative pillars of our Nation.

City Science, Social Science and the Role of Cultural Capital
City Science and Social Science is the knowledge of inhabited places, its people and their relationships. In considering where we live and how we function as a Nation, there are two unavoidable questions that we must answer for ourselves: 

1.) If what we can offer as a Nation in regards to food, clothing, shelter and other resources is not on par or greater than what the larger society is offering our women and children, why should we expect them to be fully committed to our Nation? 

2.) If we cannot offer women and children protection and security from being abused physically, emotionally, financially and etc., why should we expect them to be fully comfortable within our Nation? 

While these questions do not reflect the status quo within our Nation, they do exist in some places. And like MLK said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
     Without these provisions and protections we are not dependable. When we are not dependable we are not trustworthy. And without trust, there is no way of building solid relationships that establish and maintain families and communities. This requires Cultural Capital; a network of relationships and resources rooted in shared customs, principles and values that mark our way of life. These relationships of reciprocity, trust and the cooperation among citizens of our Nation systematically advances our cultural interests. Cultural Capital is the practical link between City and Social Science. Talk is cheap and the only real value of our culture is its investment in our people and the places where we live. 

     As we continue to embark upon our personal and interpersonal journey of Knowledge of Self, keep in mind that we need each other. No one is better or more important than the other. Culturally speaking, both men and women within our Nation should have equal access and exposure to 120 Degrees, not just our Supreme Mathematics and Supreme Alphabet. When we have unequal access and exposure to this cultural map, and its terrain, it undermines our ability to read/interpret that map and navigate that terrain. Men are not the only ones qualified to teach 120 Degrees to others. When a woman has 120 Degrees she is held to a higher cultural standard and is qualified to teach other women and children. She is also qualified to build with a man who has 120 Degrees, or who is learning his Degrees, and can share her wisdom and understanding with him. Every female that a man teaches 120 Degrees is not automatically his woman. That is ridiculous! There are many young girls, some underage, who are striving to learn and it would be wrong, and in some cases outright criminal, to expect a companionship from them. Our goal is to teach and we should simply expect more teaching in return. 

Peace,
Saladin

Almighty Nation of Original People Changes Name To Universal Nation of Original People

  

   On December 14th, 2019, Born Mastermind, the self-declared Founder and Chief Emperor of the Almighty Nation of Original People [see above] announced that he will no longer move forward with using the unauthorized name and national flag of Allah's Five Percent Nation for his tribal government initiative. This is an initiative that Mastermind unilaterally promoted as a guest on Lord Jamar's Podcast and Saa Neter TV before sharing it with the general body of Allah's Five Percent Nation members at our Universal Parliament to get our input. 

   In a lengthy social media post, which included the new name and flag of his tribal government [see above], Mastermind stated that his small group of supporters have "chosen to design a separate name and flag at the strong suggestion of both those that support, and those that do not." His post went of to state that he had no ill intentions, ulterior motives or hidden agendas with his initiative and "I do not, will not, and  have not ever tried to speak for the 5% as a whole." While I would agree that I did not see his initiative as ill intended or evil, I do not agree that he did not or ever tried to speak for our Nation as a whole. Privately meeting with a handful of supporters to form a tribal government and then publicly declaring the unauthorized use of the name and flag of Allah's Five Percent Nation IS speaking for others. By "others" I mean the general body of Nation members who did not know about Mastermind's initiative, his public appearances and the unauthorized use of our name and flag until after it was promoted. For Mastermind to say that he did not or ever tried to speak for our Nation as a whole is disingenuous; he has been the only identifiable spokesperson of this initiative. According to his active website, Mastermind is the Founder and Chief Emperor of the Almighty Nation of Original People. He then desired to change that name and decided to use the unauthorized name and flag of Allah's Five Percent Nation; which was deemed unacceptable by our general body once this was discovered. It was due to the cultural criticism and social pressure from members of Allah's Five Percent Nation that he then decided to use the separate name and flag of a third entity that he now calls The Universal Nation of Original People. 
   Mastermind concluded his social media post by inviting Five Percent Nation members and any original people who were seeking to exercise their rights to a nationality to join his group.

Robert Walker and Natural Tahuti

   In my last article Should Allah's Five Percent Form a Tribal Government? I shared my assessment of Mastermind's tribal government initiative as not well thought out, grandiose and culturally inconsistent. I still stand by that fair assessment and view his decision to form a separate nation as wise and in the best interest of being successful in his undertakings. I give him credit for finally arriving at that understanding, which is something we can all relate to in some capacity, and learn from. 
   When our Nation formally began in 1964, and over the years, there have always been people among us who grew dissatisfied with our teachings and/or national structure. People such as Robert Walker, Natural Tahuti and others come to mind and they were all given the same sound advice that Born Mastermind was given: go start your own nation. 
     If you would like to learn more, join or donate to his tribal government initiative you can do so at his website Nation Business Builders.

Peace,
Saladin

Sands In The Hourglass

     There are a lot of ideas circulating calling themselves science. In reality they are merely conjecture, because they don't have enough substantial evidence to prove their veracity to principle elements, ideas and concepts to have us considered them true knowledge. 

Among these ideas or theories is the idea that [Supreme] Mathematics is our culture devoid of the history, legacy and acts of Allah and Justice. This is similar to saying that speaking English is English culture, when it is literally just the mouthpiece to express elements and phenomena within what is known as English culture. Language comes from the Latin, "lingua" meaning "tongue." Language is only one of culture's many elements: tradition, chronology or its history, education, science, beliefs and religion, art, literature, social conditions and ideology being some of its other elements.

What we call [Supreme] Mathematics is a spoken language which the Father Allah derived based upon his encounter with the Supreme Wisdom of Alphonzo, as taught to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad by Master Fard of the God tribes of the East. The language of Mathematics describes the concepts, nomenclature and ideology which falls under elements of the culture of Islam [I Self Lord And Master] That is, as a science, not to be confused with culture itself.

For within the culture of Islam there is beliefs, folklore, philosophy and religion and its diversity. With the religion of Islam, like various other religions, there are prejudices towards the beliefs of other religions. Within the science, as with the science of everything in life, one can ill-afford to let personal biases to stand in the way of the search which is the true basic premise of science--which is TO KNOW, and find the truth of things. We scientists welcome the study and analysis of everything, including the terms we use. Mathematics was derived by our Father observing the Supreme Wisdom book, concerning the Science of God or 360° of perfected Knowledge, which by the way was the masterstroke of knowing several languages.

NOMENCLATURE

Nomenclature is NAME, DESIGNATION: the act or process or an instance of naming; a system or set of terms or symbols especially in a particular science, discipline, or art like the nomenclature of inorganic chemistry or an international system of standardized New Latin names used in biology for kinds and groups of kinds of animals and plants. Naming describes and identifies meaning by isolating the principle reason of what a thing or quality exists for. Our language of speaking Mathematics should not be confused with a culture or curriculum of just using Supreme Mathematics solely. Most of us use terms belonging exclusively to Supreme Alphabets and the Twelve Jewels in our analysis of people, places, things and events to define their significance. When a person speaks, one's diction reflects the culture or discipline he or she comes from, it is not their culture solely. The words and terms it contains defines elements within their culture of the people who speak it and transformations that have occurred throughout their chronology. We use our language somewhat as a diagnostic tool; just as our founder [Allah] did when he studied Supreme Wisdom when he was in the Nation of Islam. The Father's choosing of One Hundred and Twenty Lessons [120°] as a primary part of our cultural curriculum is a result of that diagnostic decision-making which determined our destiny and legacy. When a person speaks Mathematics, they speak about ideas and imagery that exist within our cultural references of things which are principal to our specific culture. Its emphasis is on a science and philosophy which deals with the nature of our origin in this world, which is in essence is God; as told from an Eastern perspective.

As I said, Mathematics is a diagnostic tool which allows you articulate your findings within the linguistic aspects. The real culture is within the legacy of the original people which speak it. Without Supreme Alphabets, we would have no roles to fulfill, outside of the ones you read about in the lessons. Those who call this "the culture" do not subscribe to studying. This does not truly make sense since many of the words they use to describe reality does not exist in the Mathematical lexicon but exists as definitions only within 120° itself.

I remember, when I was young in this science many told me to "not to cast my 'pearls-among-swine' because they will only mix it in with their own disgusting mental foods," and now that I am psychically all-grown-up...I see this to be true. In this Western world of social media, like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and etc, you do not have to conform or be socially accepted into esoteric or higher learning societies. You just have to hang around long enough to get the gist of things. You can forego the discipline it takes to conform to their peer group pressure, put together a social media page of stale ideas and build an audience of followers who idolize you with likes and love icons. What this does is adds more splinters to the splinters and weaken our ability to stand as a people, which is just what the enemy wanted. Love is a many splendored thing... but love of a people and it's destiny, is very hard to find.

Peace,

Life

Edited by Saladin

WHAT is the Five Percent Nation's culture?

I’ve written a number of articles in the past concerning WHAT the culture of the Five Percent is. The purpose of those articles have always been to clarify our perspective and how we choose to attend the world. Not just for the outside audience who may live and work in proximity to Five Percenters, I also did that for those for insiders; those who say they are Five Percenters.  I am starting to see online posts and discussions again about whether our culture is God-Centered, Supreme Mathematics, Supreme Alphabet, I Self Lord And Master [I.S.L.A.M.], 120 Degrees or etc. So the question is, what is our culture and what is it not? Is it possible that all of these, and other elements, represent various aspects of our way of life? If so, what is the middle point of our culture that all of its people activities are centralized around? 

As a Nation, and primary to that worldview, is our Universal Flag; the Sun, Moon, Star and Seven. This flag is an emblem of our Nation which means that we share a common culture or people activities such as language, diet, customs, social norms and chronology. The Sun, Moon, Star and Seven on our Universal Flag are all seen from the perspective of the Planet Earth [a woman who has brought forth/bringing forth life]. As a nuclear family, the Sun is symbolic to man, the Moon is symbolic to a woman's Mind and the Star is symbolic to the child. Seven is the number of perfection or divinity which means that Godliness must be central to our family unit. Seven is in the middle of our Universal Flag because its superimposition is a sign of protection, not misogyny or male chauvinism. "I-God" is also used to describe our culture in our National Anthem 'The Enlightener' [Supreme Team Version]. The 8 points are all right [alright] angles that ensure that our cipher [family] is complete: 8 × 45° = 360° [cipher]. The white represents clouds of deception that reminds us of the inner/outer deceit, trickery and treachery that can undermine our ability to be a unified family. As a family we share a common culture or people activities such as language, diet, customs, social norms and chronology. Does our flag accurately express cultural perspectives that are primary to our worldview? I would say yes. 

I've seen some argue that their culture is Supreme Mathematics. Yet when people make this statement they are not referring to the supreme application of various fields of mathematics. They are saying that their entire culture is based upon adding something to something else; 1 + 2 = 3. Supreme Mathematics IS NOT just about simply reducing digits until you reach a single-digit number. That's like only using addition in Arithmetic. 😳

For example, when some folks say Wisdom Understanding borns Power [2 + 3 = 5], they just talk about Power without ever elaborating on HOW Power, in principle, is a composite or synthesis of the individual principles of Wisdom and Understanding. If this were Chemistry, Power would be a Compound and Wisdom and Understanding would be the Elements that are bonded together to create that Compound. As Elements they have their own unique identity and when fused together they forge a new substance called a Compound. Water [H20] is a natural Compound composed of the Elements Hydrogen and Oxygen. Image striving to explain what Water [H20] is without defining how its Elements forged it... What makes our Mathematics Supreme is our ability to demonstrate the higher application of life principles through any field of mathematics, not just simple addition in Arithmetic. 

Mathematics is the operating system of the universe. Supreme Mathematics is a higher order operating system. Consider its application in teaching Prime Numbers. A Prime Number is a whole number greater than 1 that is composed of one set of factors. For example, 3 is a Prime Number because it is composed of the factors 1 x 3; one times itself. 7 [God] is the highest Prime Number in the Arabic Numeral system 1-9 and 0. As a Prime Number, 7 [God] is also composed of one set of factors 1 x 7; one times itself. This means that there is only one set of circumstances [factors] or one primary condition that contribute to the outcome of being 7 [God]. That single condition is self awareness/consciousness; 1 [Knowledge] x itself [7]. Without Knowledge [awareness/consciousness] of self as a primary factor, it is impossible to know how to identify and express the best possible qualities of strength, influence and godliness. In other words, it is impossible to determine what a Prime Number is without first identifying its set of factors [circumstances]. 

Some people claim that our culture is Islam meaning "I Self Lord And Master." The 9^th letter in our Supreme Alphabet is the letter “I” which represents “I or Islam”, Islam being I Self Lord And Master and I Sincerely Love Allah’s Mathematics. The Arabic, yes Arabic numerals 1 through 9 and cipher [0] correspond to our principles of Supreme Mathematics. When you add our use of Arabic words within our language such as Allah, Islam, Koran, Muslim, Musa, Muhammad and etc. it is easy to see what some people would think we are Islamic. The numerical system and alphabet that a Nation of people use are cultural tools that help construct, calculate, quantify, compute and communicate our people activities. Do our Supreme Mathematics and Supreme Alphabet accurately express cultural perspectives that are primary to our worldview? I would say yes.

Then there are those who state that our culture is 120 degrees/lessons. 120 degrees is like 120 landmarks on a map of human geography. Some of these landmarks represent actual people, places, things and events. Some of these landmarks are also symbols of people, places, things or events. Whether these landmarks are actual or symbolic, our exposure to them plays a critical role in how we begin to see, define and navigate this map of human geography. The first lesson or landmark we learn is who the original man [and woman] is. Because I know and have studied this extensively, my view of the world, and how I attend it, is very different than someone who does not know this. If we were both looking at a city landscape, this is one landmark of importance to me that is either unseen or not of equal importance to someone else. This would be no different than a person driving by a gated enclosure they rarely noticed until someone proudly brought it to their attention that several of their family members are buried there going back six generations. What one person drives past, another person makes it a point to stop and visit. Neither is right or wrong, I am simply pointing out how we navigate life and that our GPS [Global Positioning Device] is determined by what’s in our head. So when someone who had or has lessons no longer uses them on this map of human geography, we must ask ourselves what device are they using to globally position themselves? Do 120 degrees accurately express cultural perspectives that are primary to our worldview? I would say yes.

I think one of the problems is that some people are looking for a single palatable soundbite to describe our culture to outsiders. Ask an Irish, Italian, Punjabi, Cuban Cameroonian or other citizen of a Nation, "What is your culture?" and see if they can give you one answer. When they do give you an answer I am sure that it would be a combination of things that are primary to their worldview. This is the same kind of response you will get from Five Percenters. It is a combination of our Universal Flag, Supreme Mathematics, Supreme Alphabet, 120 Degrees and  other elements such as language, diet, customs, social norms and chronology that represent our people activities. Our culture IS NOT just centrally or singularly one of these elements, it is all of those elements and much more! In sharing our worldview it is important to meet people where they are. If I am talking to a person who is health conscious I may discuss the dietary aspects of our culture with them. If a person is coming from a Christian background I may discuss their biblical principles that coincide with our cultural worldview. If someone is invested in the youth I may discuss the youth advocacy and community outreach emphasis of Allah, our Nation's founder. The landmark court cases that our Nation have won in correctional facilities around the country were only possible by meeting the Administration and Government where they are through the use of legalese. The irony to the question, "WHAT is the Five Percent Nation's culture?" is that it is a personal and collective inquiry about the identity, nature, or value of our Nation. That is a question that we individually and collectively answer each and every day by how we are living. The more consistent we are, individually and collectively, about living our culture, the less confusion there will be concerning our identity, nature, or value of our Nation. That is what is the true middle point of our culture.

Peace, 

Saladin

2019 Universal Pre-Kindergarten School Year Ends!!

    On the Summer Solstice, Friday, June 21st 2019, my Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program concluded our school year with a beautiful Graduation Celebration for our parents and guardians. It is always bittersweet for me and I would like to THANK my Executive Director Patricia L. Barone, Director Tomorrow Allen-Collins and all of the Doris W. Jones Family Resource Center Staff for their support in helping make this school year a success! On one hand I look forward to seeing my students grow into their purpose. On the other hand I know that it will be rare that my students will meet another black male teacher in their educational career. However, I am thankful to be entrusted with this opportunity to help set our youth on a trajectory of purpose. 

     Throughout my work in early childhood development one of the most important lessons I’ve learned is meeting youth where they are, striving to understand as opposed to expecting being understood. My teaching styles begins with doing accurate need assessments of my students in order to help me meet their requirements. Because my students come from diverse cultural backgrounds and socioeconomic circumstances, there is not a “one size fits all” methodology that supports their social emotional development and/or provides them with positive guidance. This is something that many teachers, and their core curriculum standards, often overlook and in overlooking the uniqueness of our youth some of them end up falling through educational system cracks.

       In my preschool class I promote intrapersonal development by exploring and teaching my students about what “Self” is through activities and challenging ideas that limit or stereotype one’s identity and ability. There are many components to what makes us who we are and it is important for our children to learn this early. In a social sense, I challenge the word “can’t” and show them ways that they can through the use of scaffolding; the support needed to help students achieve their learning goals. Helping my students recognize that they are infinite potential is vital to developing their sense of awareness, pride and self-confidence to authentically express themselves. It is also an investment in their sense of Antifragility; which enables them to absorb and redistribute the energy from attacks on their identity like Black Panther's bulletproof suit. Effective intrapersonal development sets the stage for interpersonal development because how we relate to Self will influence how we ultimately relate to others. 

     The basis of my Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program is to establish and maintain an early childhood safe-space that fosters optimum health and a positive interactive learning environment that encourages my students to think critically and creatively about the world around them. Below is a video I shared for my parents and guardians featuring some clips of my students school year which also includes some of my Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters Animation Series. 

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

Five Percenter Table Talks Featuring: Justice Hakim Allah

   

   In Episode 54 of Atlantis Build Talk Radio I feature an exclusive build with my Enlightener's Enlightener's Enlightener's Enlightener Justice Hakim Allah! I am of the fifth generation from him teaching this science of life for 46 years and I am proud to share some of his legacy with all of you. In this episode he discusses his journey of gaining KOS [Knowledge Of Self], some Nation chronology, he expounds upon our cultural perspectives, shares his views on religion, The NOI, Freemasonry, leadership and other topics. Check it out below!

  

Peace,
Saladin 

Are 120 Lessons Still Relevant?

   

   Within recent years and with the present day political climate I've been seeing more and more people who consider(ed) themselves Five Percenters publicly denouncing the value and our custom of learning, reciting and teaching 120 lessons. It begs the question, “Is 120 still relevant?”

   Those of you who've been checking out my videos, articles, books, music, radio shows, youth advocacy and community outreach over the years know that the value of 120 is something I've consistently shared throughout these mediums. There are two reasons I've consistently done this: 1.) To show those of us who have 120, or who are learning 120, practical ways to apply it to life and 2.) To encourage those who don't have 120 to consider its practical value. Over twenty years ago when I began studying the lessons through my Educator/Enlightener Raheem, I invested a considerable amount of time striving to show and prove them. I was a sophomore in college and I damn near lived in the library; I studied there for hours and was employed there for work study. As I evolved I also began to seek out people to debate, like a swordsman striving to test the sharpness of his blade and technique of his teachings. Through these philosophical battles and intellectual jousting matches I eventually realized that I was really trying to show and prove this to myself. Internally I really wasn’t sure how full proof these lessons were and I needed to test them.

   When I hear someone who consider(ed) themselves Five Percenters minimize, diminish or disassociate themselves from the lessons I always wonder what they no longer identify with, specifically. Is it the meaning of civilization and/or the duty of a civilized person? What is a real devil? Not believing in the teachings of the 10%? Giving all they have and doing all within their power? If given the opportunity, I think it would be a very insightful discussion to go through each degree with a person like this to see what they actually disagree with and their reasoning behind that disagreement. What I think would be revealed in most cases is this person wasn’t studious and never really researched these lessons and/or the principles and values they did learn in these lessons they simply aren’t committed to. In my journey in this nation I have yet to meet someone who shared a legitimate reason why they personally don’t deal with the lessons. What I have met are people who are often uncomfortable with the peer group pressure that comes along with being expected to know, recite and understand these lessons. Some don’t like being questioned or being expected to respond to people. Although they may not feel this way about their school teachers or employers, they do feel this way about their peers; oftentimes because they think they’re better than them. Whatever their reasoning is, they often strive to find this comfortable niche where they get the acknowledgement, respect and benefits of Five Percenter status without being questioned and held accountable to the group [collective] of Five Percenters. Sometimes instead of moving on to use what they’ve learned from us to be a cyclops in the land of blind, they’ll hang around to be a pop shot critic. Everything someone does they’ll have something negative to say about it and when a Five Percenter responds by questioning them they’ll simply say, “I’m not a Five Percenter.” So now you have a person who can use your system to check/neutralize you but you're unable to hold them to the same standard. I elaborate on games like this, and the way we need to respond to them, in my book GAMES.  

NYC Map with Landmarks

    

   120 lessons are like 120 landmarks on a map of human geography. Some of these landmarks represent actual people, places, things and events. Some of these landmarks are also symbols of people, places, things or events. Whether these landmarks are actual or symbolic, our exposure to them plays a critical role in how we begin to see, define and navigate this map of human geography. The first lesson or landmark we learn is who the original man [and woman] is. Because I know and have studied this extensively, my view of the world, and how I attend it, is very different than someone who does not know this. If we were both looking at a city landscape, this is one landmark of importance to me that is either unseen or not of equal importance to someone else. This would be no different than a person driving by a gated enclosure they rarely noticed until someone proudly brought it to their attention that several of their family members are buried there going back six generations. What one person drives past, another person makes it a point to stop and visit. Neither is right or wrong, I am simply pointing out how we navigate life and that our GPS [Global Positioning Device] is determined by what’s in our head. So when someone who had or has lessons no longer uses them on this map of human geography, we must ask ourselves what device are they using to globally position themselves? I’ve heard some Five Percenters say Supreme Mathematics. Well mathematics don’t tell us anything about ethics, morality or people, places, things and events. Supreme Mathematics tell us who God is yet there is no mention of the Devil. Without the lessons they also don’t know about specific people, places, things and events that expound upon the power dynamics between God and the Devil. For a person to minimize, diminish or disassociate themselves from that information is dangerous, especially in today’s political climate. This doesn’t mean that a person like this can’t show you anything or take you anywhere. I am questioning the starting location their GPS is now set at. If they no longer claim to be a Five Percenter, then what’s their location now? If it’s a just “God”, what kind of God? If it’s a Muslim-God, Goddess, Spiritual Being or etc, what kind? If it is unclear…, then it may not be in your best interest to travel with them because none of you have any idea what the destination is. Yes, just because someone has 120 or because a pilot has flying experience it doesn’t mean they won’t crash the plane. Yet at least you know what this pilot’s credentials are on paper, you have some sense of expectancy of their flight experience and there’s pressure on them in regards to reaching their said destination because they’re a part of company [collective]. Who would you rather take a chance traveling with, them or someone who says they aren’t a pilot anymore, they don’t deal with the flight instructions they learned and they’re not with a company? 
  

   There are times I get frustrated with the state of our nation. Particularly the lack of studiousness, youth advocacy and community outreach I see in different areas. Sometimes it’s the "Conscious Catfishing"; people using social media to make fake persona's as builders when they’re virtually unknown and/or inactive in their own neighborhoods and cities. Just because I don’t dwell on it, comment on it or post about it on social media it doesn’t mean that I don’t see it. My answer to this stagecraft has been what you consistently see me showing and proving in real life.    

Peace,
Saladin