Brother Jesse Blog

I Used to Love Her: My Renewed Affinity for EBONY Magazine

2012-01-29T23:44:00.000-06:00

“I met this girl, when I was 10 years old

And what I loved most, she had so much soul

She was old school, when I was just a shorty…”

--Common, “I Used To Love H.E.R.” lyrics

By Brother Jesse Muhammad

I read my first edition of EBONY back in the 80s when I was in elementary school because my grandmother was, and still is, an avid subscriber. The only thing she had more copies of than EBONY issues around her house were pictures of the white Jesus, JFK and Dr. King.

Reading and collecting EBONY was like a religion. The hallway leading to the bathroom was lined with bookshelves filled with some of the early editions.

I would spend hours flipping through them and admiring the accomplishments of our people from cover to cover. As a little budding artist at the time, my favorite section was the comic strips. They conveyed a serious message in a humorous way about what Black people were experiencing in America. I would secretly trace those comic strips in class when I was supposed to be doing my school work. (Sorry Mrs. Christopher)

Amy DuBois Barnett

My late aunt Flossie owned a beauty salon in the 3rd Ward ‘hood of Houston and the magazines of choice for the waiting room were always Johnson Publications. No White magazines in sight. EBONY was the latest gossip in her beauty shop. As I cleaned the floors and changed the water cooler, I would hear them talking about the cover layout, the story contents and how much they loved seeing the greatness of Black people on display.

We were loyal readers. It was a love affair that the Black community had with this magazine that gave us that “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud” warm and fuzzy feeling.

Then something happened. The times evolved but EBONY was not. By the time I got to high school in the mid-90s, it became a magazine that my friends and I would only skim through at the local grocery store based upon who was on the cover.

By the time I got to college, it became only something I glanced at when I visited my grandmother’s house. Its companion, JET, was only used as a coaster and to see the top music songs. Oh yeah, my homeboys at PVAMU stayed abreast on the Beauty of the Week and created murals in their dorm rooms. Other than that, we considered both of the landmark publications EBONY and JET as boring, non-youth attracting and outdated magazines for old folks. (Please don’t tell my grandmother I said that)

I made up my mind that I probably would never read another edition of either one. Maybe I was wrong for taking that attitude because I was brought into the knowledge of the importance of supporting Black-owned businesses, especially in the media. Johnson Publishing was said to be plummeting in circulations and sales, but I kept my $3.99.

Kierna Mayo

Then it happened. First, former White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers became the CEO. Then I read a press release that Amy DuBois Barnett was being brought in as the new editor-in-chief. Barnett said she had the task of attracting a newer and younger generation of readers and sounded like she was up for the challenge. That got my attention and I decided to buy the September 2010 featuring President Barack Obama. I enjoyed Barnett’s interview with him, her “Personal Space” editorial, and a few of the other articles.

The next thing I know I was back consistently reading it. I started looking forward to reading the editor’s column every month just like Earl Graves’ words of wisdom in Black Enterprise. Each month it was something new and refreshing. A top-to-bottom redesign included a new logo, pages of shorter yet impactful articles on multiple topics, refreshing images and the use of cutting edge technology.

The evolution of EBONY won me back. I was back in love.

And if that wasn’t enough, the new digital wing of the magazine, headed by Kierna Mayo, relaunched the website in January. It was love at first site. (http://www.ebony.com) It’s epic! Not only am I back reading the magazine but I’m on their website every day.Congrats to this powerful team of Black women for putting EBONY on a new course and building upon the legacy of the Johnson Family.

(Brother Jesse Muhammad is a staff writer for The Final Call newspaper, an award-winning blogger and motivational speaker. Follow his boring tweets @BrotherJesse)

Screenshot of the new EBONY.com

Mumia Abu-Jamal transferred to General Prison Population for the first time in 30 years

2012-01-27T11:00:00.004-06:00

This is a victory but the fight is far from over. According to FreeMumia.com, "As of 1/27/12, Mumia Abu-Jamal has officially been transferred to General Prison Population after being held in Administrative Custody (“The Hole” or Solitary Confinement) at SCI Mahanoy, Frackville, PA for seven weeks. This is the first time Mumia has been in General Population since his arrest in 1981.This comes within hours of the of delivery of over 5,500 signed petitions to Department of Corrections headquarters in Camp Hill, PA and a complaint filed with the support of United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Mendez."

The site organizers also posted "that while this is a victory in transferring Mumia out of the torturous Restricted Housing Unit (RHU), we call upon the closure of ALL RHU’s! Furthermore, we call upon the IMMEDIATE RELEASE of Mumia Abu-Jamal and are not disillusioned by this transfer. Free Mumia!"

Everyone can write to Mumia by sending letters to:

Mumia Abu-Jamal

#AM8335

SCI Mahanoy

301 Morea Road

Frackville, PA 17932

Minister Farrakhan speaks on his Caribbean Tour with Cliff Kelley: "Thousands of Haitians are still living in tents."

2012-01-27T10:45:00.001-06:00

In the recent edition of The Final Call newspaper, there is an excerpt of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan's latest interview with Cliff Kelley of Chicago's WVON 1690. In part of the interview Minister Farrakhan discussed his Caribbean tour he made in December that included Jamaica, St. Kitts and Haiti.

"And I wanted to talk to the common people of Haiti. …Two years after such a devastating earthquake, thousands upon thousands of Haitians are still living in tents. Cholera, which is believed to have been brought to the island by the Nepalese members of the United Nations Force through their excrement either being dropped or thrown in the river, and it began to spread. So when Ezili Danto mentioned to me that what they need is clean, pure, drinking water, The Nation of Islam raised $130,000 to send to Haiti a state-of-the-art machine that is solar powered, that can turn out 30,000 gallons of water a day. And through the office of Ezili Danto and the Haitian Muslims [of the Nation of Islam] who went down when the machine came, we placed that water machine among the people of vodou so that those that have been cut off, those that have been marginalized, could have something to offer to the Haitian people that everybody needs and wants, which is water," he said.

"But I said after Saviours’ Day, I wanted to bring another one down and give it to the Muslims, and another one to the Christians, because my aim is to bring the Christian family, the Muslim family, and the family of vodou together, because it’s going to take all working together, by the Grace of God, to free Haiti from Western domination." [READ THE FULL EXCERPT]

The Case of Howard Morgan: Black policeman shot 28 times by four White Chicago cops and lived

2012-01-27T10:13:00.001-06:00

This is crazy! I was informed about this case by Brother Kareem Ali of Memphis who has been supporting the family from the start. How do you get shot 28 times and then end up on trial? According to the YouTube description "Officer Howard Morgan was shot 28 times by four white Chicago District 10 police officers at 19th and Lawndale, Chicago, IL on February 21, 2005. He was accused of going the wrong way on a one-way street. He was charged with 4 counts of first degree attempt murder and three counts of aggravated battery and one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm. Officer Morgan was shackled to his hospital bed for over 6 months. He was taken to Cook County Corrections where he slept on the floor until he was released on a two million dollar bond."

"After his first trial he was found not guilty for firing his weapon and two counts of aggravated battery. Now the court is attempting to RETRY Officer Morgan AGAIN. But how can it be attempted murder if he is found NOT GUILTY for firing HIS GUN? The DOUBLE JEOPARDY LAW APPLIES! The story is trying to be hid from the public eye! We must get the word out!!! Help me STOP this INJUSTICE NOW because if it happen to him it can be easily happen to you!"

Watch the video, repost it and if you're in the Chicago area reach out to this family and show your support.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's book sales skyrocket after pointing finger in President Obama's face

2012-01-26T18:37:00.000-06:00

Some say Republican Arizona Governor Jan Brewer was totally out of line for putting her finger in President Obama's face as they had a conversation on Wednesday, January 25 at her state's airport during the president's post-State of the Union tour stop. Well, the "point heard 'round the world" may have been bad manners, but heck it certainly didn't hurt her books sales. The book she wrote "Scorpions for Breakfast" is said to have aspects inside that Obama is displeased with, thus the heated conversation. According to Amazon.com, Gov. Brewer's book went from being ranked 311,472nd (pre-fingerpointing) to now 14th by late evening Thursday and rising. Who needs a publicist, huh? She even called him "very thin-skinned." Was this really shocking to you at all? Not me. He's been disrespected the second he walked into the Oval Office. If Obama had pointed back I wonder what they would've have said about him. Who knows. Maybe instead of singing Al Green's "Let's Stay Together", the president needs to start harmonizing like Aretha Franklin: R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

The Honorable Dudley Thompson: A life well-lived, a man to remember

2012-01-25T21:02:00.002-06:00

The Honorable Dudley Thompson
January 19, 1917—January 20, 2012

(Source: FinalCall.com) - The passing of Ambassador Dudley Thompson, an ardent Pan-Africanist, lawyer and brilliant thinker offers us a time to reflect on life, gifts and service. At the time of his death, the longtime race man was 95-years-old and still working to realize a lifelong dream of empowering and uniting the sons and daughters of Africa.

He was born in Panama but his work made him a full-fledged son of Jamaica, where he served as an ambassador and a minister of national security, justice and foreign affairs. Ambassador Dudley was known for his keen wit, his oratory and his passion for his people.

It is easy today to recognize the independent nations of Africa and the Caribbean, but without the efforts of heroes like Ambassador Thompson, such liberty would not have been possible. He was among men who took principled and unpopular stands, bristling at colonialism, clear on the need to end Black suffering, burning with spirit of self-determination and clear on the necessity for unity as sustained attacks besiege a once-great but now scattered people.

Dudley Thompson was a man of accomplishment, serving in Britain’s Royal Air Force during World War II and becoming a Rhodes scholar. In England he interacted with such Pan-African greats as Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, who led the West African nation to independence; George Padmore of Trinidad and Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya. These men were visionaries and saw the importance of a United Africa and a United Black Diaspora.

His accomplishments and skills were not handed over to the opponents of Black liberation. After attending Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar, he practiced law in Tanganyika (now Tanzania) and Kenya in the early 1950s. He quickly became involved in the nationalist struggles of both countries and was a close friend of Mr. Kenyatta and Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania. It was Mr. Thompson who discovered the whereabouts of Mr. Kenyatta after the latter’s abduction by the British during Kenya’s Mau Mau revolution. Mr. Thompson assembled the international legal team that came to Mr. Kenyatta’s defense. Mr. Kenyatta himself as president of Kenya, placing his hand on Dudley Thompson sitting next to him said, “this man saved my life.” [READ MORE]

The Work Habits of The Prophets (Part 2): What happens to a person who is constantly "passing the buck"?

2012-01-25T20:32:00.003-06:00

by Willie Muhammad

During the last blog we highlighted the “Two Ps (procrastination and poor planning)”. With this entry we want to look at “Passing the buck.”

One of the meanings of “passing the buck” is "the act of attributing another person or group with responsibility for one's own actions.” This is a terrible habit for one to have; it is counterproductive on so many levels. It shows a lack of accountability and flaws in one’s character.

When I think of this negative habit as it relates to scripture, the Biblical figure Adam comes to mind. God selected Adam to serve as His successor. Adam was given power and dominion second only to God. Duty, responsibility and a mission comes with power. God gave Adam a task to conquer, cultivate and replenish the earth. He also gave Adam some rules to abide by as he worked, which we know he failed to obey.

The scripture clearly shows that Adam was given clear instructions. When God returned, despite the fact that He knew Eve first ate the fruit, God called Adam to the carpet. Instead of Adam stepping up to the plate and accepting his failure to refrain from eating the fruit, when questioned Adam said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate it” Genesis 3:12. He passed the buck for his own failure. Hell, Eve did not put a gun to his head. How many of us attribute our actions to some force or person other than ourselves? If we find ourselves doing so, we have to ask ourselves, “Where and what has it gotten us? Are we closer or further away from accomplishing what we desire?” When we pass the buck we deteriorate our character and diminish the Essence of God that exists within each of us.

Once while at the dinner table with the Hon. Louis Farrakhan after Hurricane Katrina, the subject of mosque and study group buildings in the Nation being properly insured came up. The Hon. Louis Farrakhan went around the table asking the students who were there if their building had insurance. As my turn to respond neared, in my mind I began to think about how our mosque never had insurance and how I inherited this situation. Plus I was relatively new to the post. As I thought about that and contemplated using that as my response, I could not live with lying to the Minister or giving him that as an excuse. I accepted the responsibility to serve in the position so therefore, it was my responsibility to do what was needed. I embarrassingly, told the Hon. Louis Farrakhan we didn’t. He spanked me and those who said they had no insurance in a mild lovingly manner. I felt bad that I didn’t change what had been a tradition, but I felt good about the fact that I told him the truth. IMMEDIATELY, after getting back to the city we got full coverage and still have it today. I sent the Minister copies of the declaration pages (smile). I can only imagine the spanking I would have further gotten if I would have tried to pass the buck.

In closing, I think the 1 Corinthians 10:13 in the New Testament and Sura 2:286 in the Holy Quran can help us to understand that there is never a time we need to pass the buck. We are more than qualified to handle whatever task we are given (Sura 90:4) and if we fall short, we need to remember that we should fear none but God.

(Student Minister Willie Muhammad is the New Orleans representative of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and Nation of Islam. Follow him on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/BroWM46)

Do You Want To Succeed As Bad As You Want To Breathe?

2012-01-23T23:44:00.000-06:00

This is one of the best motivational talks I've watched and heard on YouTube. The speaker's name is Eric Thomas a.k.a. The Hip-Hop Preacher. He shares a phenomenal story that is summed up by the quote "When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful." How bad do we really want it? [Full Video Clip Here]

WTH?! Mumia is Still Being Unjustly Held in “The Hole” at SCI Mahanoy. Sign The Petition!

2012-01-21T11:12:00.000-06:00

This is absurd! I'm so sick of this criminal injustice system. According to FreeMumia.com "Mumia Abu-Jamal is being held in Administrative Custody (“The Hole” or Solitary Confinement) at SCI Mahanoy, Frackville, PA. Mumia’s death sentence has been dropped, and though he is supposed to be in General Population, he has been held in Solitary Confinement – shackled whenever he’s out side his cell (even to the shower), glaring lights 24/7, no regular phone calls, restrictive visits, inadequate commissary, no access to his materials and denied his typewriter."

I just signed the petition that calls for him being released to the General Population. I encourage all of the my blog readers to do the same @ https://www.change.org/petitions/transfer-and-assign-mumia-abu-jamal-to-general-population. The goal is 5,000 signatures. Let's exceed this immediately.

Free Mumia! Free Mumia! Free Mumia!

Farrakhan Speaks on the Enemy's Fear of Caribbean and Latin American Unity

2012-01-20T09:16:00.003-06:00

It has only been a few weeks since The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan returned from his historic and very impactful Caribbean tour. In this video clip Minister Farrakhan discusses the potential power of Caribbean and Latin American unity with radio host Cliff Kelley on WVON 1690AM. He also discusses why the government of the U.S. fears his voice. [Original Clip Link]

Be sure to check out the latest cover story of The Final Call Newspaper and find out what's really going on in Haiti. Minister Farrakhan made a stop there for the first time during his tour. Read the full story.

AllHipHop.com, The League of Young Voters & Rock The Vote To Host “Barack Talk” in D.C.

2012-01-18T21:46:00.000-06:00

(Source: AllHipHop.com News) 2012 is a pivotal year for politics and discussing hot-button issues that affect all Americans.

On Tuesday, January 24, AllHipHop.com will partner with national non-profit organization, The League Of Young Voters Education Fund and Rock The Vote for the second annual #BarackTalk, a State of the Union round table discussion and watch party. The event will broadcast live from Busboys and Poets, one of our capitol’s cultural hotspots, at 5^th and K in Washington, D.C. at 7:30 p.m. EST.

#BarackTalk will kick off with a series of panel discussions about the biggest issues facing Millennial before the 2012 presidential election. The party begins when President Barack Obama starts his fourth State of the Union address, and will conclude with analysis and discussion by some of the best and brightest minds in entertainment and politics.

Panelists include Goldie Taylor, leading news correspondent (TheGrio .com, MSNBC); Chuck Creekmur, influential urban entertainment journalist and co-founder of AllHipH o p .com; Andreas Hale of TheWellVersed.com; rapper Dee-1, and many more.

During the #BarackTalk discussions, participants are encouraged to engage directly with panelists by asking questions via Ustream at www .YoungVoterLive .com and LYVEF’s Twitter handle, @TheLeague 99. Viewers asking questions on Twitter are encouraged to use the hashtag #BarackTalk.

In 2011, the first #BarackTalk State of the Union Event went viral, with the #BarackTalk Twitter hashtag trending locally in Washington, D.C. and New Orleans, LA.

As an ongoing mission, the League of Young Voters Education Fund and AllHipHop .com are working to promote civic engagement among young, urban minorities throughout the 2012 presidential election.

(For more information on the State of the Union viewing event and all details surrounding the President’s address, please visit YoungVoterLive .com.)

From Wikipedia to Google: Stop SOPA Internet Strike and Blackout builds momentum

2012-01-18T13:15:00.000-06:00

It looks as if the Stop SOPA Movement has expanded greatly throughout the globe. Major companies such as Google, Wikipedia, and others have adopted different blackout strategies. on their web sites for one day in protest. Sites like Wikipedia, BoingBoing, and even one of my favorites ConcreteLoop.com shut down completely!

If you're still uninformed about what this is all about: SOPA stands for the Stop Online Piracy Act, legislation making its way through the U.S. House of Representatives. In the Senate, PIPA, or the Protect IP Act, is its counterpart. [Read more here]

According to SOPAstrike.com "January 18th, 2012 is the largest online protest in history, to stop the internet censorship bills, SOPA & PIPA...January 18th is going to be amazing. Sites are striking in all different ways, but they are united by this: do the biggest thing you possibly can, and drive contacts to Congress."

The site also says "On Jan 24th, Congress will vote to pass internet censorship in the Senate, even though the vast majority of Americans are opposed. We need to kill the bill - PIPA in the Senate and SOPA in the House - to protect our rights to free speech, privacy, and prosperity."

Do Your Part!!!

Queen Yonasda to lead "Hip-Hop 4 Pine Ridge" delegation in South Dakota's poorest community

2012-01-17T02:07:00.000-06:00

(Blogger's Note: I am honored that Queen Yonasda, a woman whom I greatly admire, has invited me to be apart of this Hip-Hop 4 Pine Ridge mission. Here is the official press release.)

Hip Hop 4 Pine Ridge in association with the Indigenous Nations Alliance - Millions More Movement and Kings N Queenz LLC is the vision of artist, activist, and Lakota tribe member Queen Yonasda Lonewolf. The project gathers a delegation of influential artists, community leaders, activists, land developers, spiritual leaders, and members of the press on a journey to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota to understand the conditions in which Indigenous Americans, our First Americans are living in.

Hip Hop 4 Pine Ridge will take place in Pine Ridge, South Dakota from January 26-31, 2012. Sponsored by The Hip Hop Caucus, Wiconi Wakan Organization, Oglala Lakota Tribe, Indigenous Nations Alliance - MMM, Boston Anonymous Organization, and the Def Def Boutique, the trip will include visits with the local schools and colleges, community members and the children’s shelter. A warrior tribe, the Lakota people are descendants of Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and Red Cloud and the delegation will visit the battle ground of Wounded Knee and the Crazy Horse monument. The group will also attend a traditional sweat lodge ceremony. In addition, the delegation will meet with tribal government and elders to gain understanding of the specific issues that are plaguing the Lakota tribe and determine solutions and a course of action.

Confirmed participants are hip-hop artist Cormega, Captain Dennis Muhammad and the Peacekeepers, Hakim Green, Malik Yusef, DJ Young Native, Kenny Muhammad “The Human Orchestra”, Jesse Muhammad, Toussaint and Reverend Yearwood’s Hip Hop Caucus.

The entire journey will be filmed for a documentary by Iftii Productions in which a portion of the proceeds will go towards the Hip Hop 4 Pine Ridge project.

Queen Yonasda

Queen Yonasda Lonewolf has made it her mission to bring awareness to the injustices that people of color face, especially indigenous people. After a successful 32 city fundraising event called “Hip Hop 4 Haiti” and participation in Martin Luther King III’s poverty tour to several Native communities, including Pine Ridge, Queen Yonasda began to conceptualize Hip Hop 4 Pine Ridge. When visiting Pine Ridge, MLK III stated that "I been to many poor communities in Africa and Pine Ridge is in a far more worst condition and I can't believe its here in our backyard."

Pine Ridge is one of the poorest communities in the United States with many living below the poverty line. Struggling with 85% unemployment, Pine Ridge does not receive any government aid for basic necessities, because their land is sovereign land outside of the U.S. jurisdiction. Living in dire conditions, our indigenous people are secluded on reservations, far from the eyes of the average American. Hip Hop 4 Pine Ridge aims illuminate their plight and to help find solutions through the cooperative collaboration of the Lakota tribe and the hip-hop community.

“The reason why I'm doing "Rez Tours" is because we must learn how to go back to our Indigenous roots; red, black , yellow, white & brown! Especially in these times, we must learn from Indigenous people how to heal and live on Mother Earth because the same planet we are destroying, will destroy us!!” - Queen Yonasda Lonewolf

(From Queen Yonasda Lonewolf via Marcy S. DePina(917) 664-7948 / msdepina@gmail.com. For more information visit www.indigenousnation.org and / or contact reztours@gmail.com)

R.I.P. to Dr. King’s Dream (1963-2012)? Let's Take Action!

2012-01-16T10:03:00.001-06:00

I don’t really think Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would hardly care about a monument being erected in his honor on the Washington Mall.

He probably would have rather that money be spent helping the poor. And now an insignificant debate is forcing the statue to undergo alterations, after critics complained that the abbreviated “drum major” quote changed the meaning and made Dr. King sound egotistical. Who really cares, right? Shouldn’t the focus be on who is carrying out the meaning of that “drum major” quote? Are we no longer focused on doing the works of Dr. King but rather being skilled quotologists arguing over an inscription? Dr. King wouldn’t approve of this.

He was assassinated 10 years before I was born. As an elementary, middle and high school student, I learned about him once a year through plays, books, lectures and his ever-quoted “I Have a Dream” speech delivered on August 28, 1963 during the March on Washington. However, like many of my classmates at that time, I did not truly understand Dr. King because all we heard was that he was the dreamer, the dreamer, the dreamer. [READ MORE]

"Red Tails" Movie to Honor Tuskegee Airmen; George Lucas Talks About Barriers to Getting all-Black Films in Hollywood

2012-01-15T20:32:00.000-06:00

Let’s be honest: When George Lucas recently appeared on The Daily Show to talk about his new film Red Tails, the challenges he says he faced in getting this movie made in Hollywood is not new revelation. I thought it was the norm.

With an all-Black cast, Red Tails is a project that he personally financed and has been working on for 20 plus years to honor the Tuskegee Airmen. According to the trailer description, "World War II rages and the fate of the free world hangs in the balance. Meanwhile the black pilots of the experimental Tuskegee training program are courageously waging two wars at once -- one against enemies overseas, and the other against discrimination within the military and back home"

Lucas outright said that studios in Hollywood would not back it mainly because “it’s an all-Black movie; There’s no major White roles in it at all,” he said on The Daily Show.

I picked up the February issue of Ebony magazine that features the entire Red Tail cast on the cover. Lucas told Ebony, “Nobody ever done an all-Black action picture. You have Will Smith in a White man’s movie, and that’s OK. That was a big jump to get the lead actor to be Black. But when everybody in the movie is Black, that’s a whole other genre.”

Actor Nate Parker told Ebony that this movie is “unprecedented, in the sense of having a group of Black men who are empowered, make decisions themselves and are the determining factor in the outcome of the film.”

Ebony also unveils a racially charged incident involving several of the cast members while they were dining at a restaurant in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, where filming took place in 2009 for about five months. While shooting in the Czech Republic, the actors underwent a "boot camp" program, during which they lived in similar conditions as the actual Tuskegee Airmen. All hell broke out when some yelled “White Power” at them at the restaurant. Read more about this by supporting Ebony magazine.

Yes, I am planning to go see it because I think a movie like this is important. It hits the theatres on January 20. Here’s the trailer below. Are you planning to go see it? If you do please come back and let me know your thoughts.

[Photos] Speaking at at Masjid Warithuddeen Mohammed’s 3rd Annual Career Day in Houston

2012-01-15T16:32:00.003-06:00

On January 14 I had the honor of being a guest speaker and panelist at Masjid Warithuddeen Mohammed’s 3rd Annual Career Day in Houston. The theme was “Discovering Your Passion: Uncovering Your Potential” and was hosted for middle, high school and college students. Seminars & Activities to Included: Financial Aid 101, Discovering Your Passion, Entrepreneurship, 21st Century Skill Sets, Your 60 Second Commercial, Goal Setting & Achievement, Discovering Mentorship/Internship/Summer Opportunities and several Career Booths. I had the opportunity to speak to several of the students on the keys to developing into a leader. I had an awesome time with them! The daylong event closed out with a panel featuring all of the professionals in attendance. We answered questions from the students for about an hour. Thank you to the organizers of the event! It's National Mentoring Month, what are you doing for a youth today?

National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) lays foundation for targeting political dissenters, activism

2012-01-15T00:50:00.000-06:00

(FinalCall.com) - On January 22, 2009, newly inaugurated President Barack H. Obama proudly issued his first three executive orders, one of them, a directive requiring the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison facility to be closed within one year.

Nearly three years later, Guantanamo Bay remains open with prisoners being held without trial, and a new law enacted with the stroke of his pen could mean more American citizens will be joining them soon.

With people partying worldwide in naïve bliss on New Year’s Eve, December 31, Pres. Obama signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act giving the military extraordinary sweeping powers to detain United States citizens indefinitely without trial. The law has been widely condemned by civil libertarians, activists, and American citizens who see this as further evidence of the erosion human rights, which began post 9/11 under then-President George W. Bush.

“The fact that I support this bill as a whole does not mean I agree with everything in it. In particular, I have signed this bill despite having serious reservations with certain provisions that regulate the detention, interrogation, and prosecution of suspected terrorists,” said Pres. Obama in a statement.

Ironically, when Pres. Obama issued the order to close Guantanamo Bay in 2009, he said he desired to “restore the standards of due process and the core constitutional values that have made this country great even in the midst of war, even in dealing with terrorism.” His signing the NDAA into law does exactly the opposite, and critics believe America has witnessed one of the most tragic reversals of civil liberties in its history.

“President Obama’s action today is a blight on his legacy because he will forever be known as the president who signed indefinite detention without charge or trial into law,” said Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union. “The statute is particularly dangerous because it has no temporal or geographic limitations, and can be used by this and future presidents to militarily detain people captured far from any battlefield.” [READ MORE]

[Photos] Speaking at the Forest Brook Middle School Honor Roll Awards Ceremony

2012-01-14T10:25:00.001-06:00

I spent half of my day on January 13 on the campus of Forest Brook Middle School in Houston and it was very rewarding. The school is a part of North Forest ISD, a district that is slated to be annexed by the state of Texas due to low academic performance. Contrary to popular belief, this district has and can produce great people. I'm a 1997 graduate of Forest Brook Senior High School. So I never turn down the opportunity to speak in my former district. This time I was invited to speak to all 6th, 7th and 8th graders during their separate honor roll programs. I took pictures with the students who won awards! We had a wonderful time and I will be posting the audio from my talks real soon.

President Obama proclaims January as National Mentoring Month, but it is a daily obligation

2012-01-12T21:54:00.000-06:00

When was the last time you mentored a young person in your community? It's a fulfilling obligation and responsibility that we all must accept. That's why I'm looking forward to once again speaking at many schools in 2012 because if we don't help guide our young people then our future is in trouble. Let's all do our part.

According to NationalMentoringMonth.org, President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation designating January as National Mentoring Month, saying, “Every day, mentors help young Americans face the challenges of growing into adulthood. By setting a positive example and sharing their time, knowledge and experience, mentors play an essential role in preparing our Nation's youth for a bright future. During National Mentoring Month, we celebrate the contributions of all those who cultivate a supportive environment for the next generation, and we recommit to expanding mentorship opportunities across our country.”

January 2012 marks the 11th anniversary of National Mentoring Month, an annual media campaign to recruit volunteer mentors for young people. Spearheaded by the Harvard Mentoring Project of the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR and the Corporation for National and Community Service, this year’s campaign tagline is Invest in the Future. Mentor a Child.

Mentors, backed by quality mentoring programs, play a powerful role in preventing substance abuse and youth violence, as well as boosting academic achievement and workforce readiness. Studies have shown a more than 250 percent return on a $1 investment in mentoring and a myriad of quality of life benefits to the mentor, too. Mentors help build young people’s character and confidence, expand their universe and help them navigate pathways to successful adulthood. Despite this proven impact, the gap between the number of mentors and the number of young people who need a mentor is still too large. While three million young people have a mentor, 15 million need a caring adult mentor in their lives.

New Music: Chicago rapper Add-2 releases intense message in video "Cotton Fields"

2012-01-12T20:57:00.001-06:00

I know what you're thinking: Brother Jesse sure is talking about Chicago rappers alot these days. First, I did a blog about this Common vs Drake beef/battle (depending on who you ask) and then I posted Avian Nalej's video "LORD KNOWS Freestyle."

Well, Brother Abel Muhammad, who resides in the Windy City, sent me this video "Cotton Fields" via Facebook. The rapper's name is Add-2 and yes he's from Chicago as well. After watching it I had to post it because....you gotta see it for yourself! Also, I went and listened to a few of his other songs on his website and I'm impressed with his skills. Looks like I'm late finding out about him! I will be on the look out for his album "Save Our Souls" when it drops. Until then, much respect to him for this video. I plan to show it to some boys that I mentor and see what they think about it.

Two Years After Haiti Earthquake: "Today" video by Candice Anitra delivers stirring lyrics and images

2012-01-12T00:29:00.000-06:00

Today marks the second anniversary of the devastating earthquake that rocked Haiti. The rebuilding is far from over. Reportedly, only half of the billions of dollars raised has actually made it there and thousands upon thousands still living in tents.

The following video was sent to me from my friend Fiona Bloom of The Bloom Effect. I really like the vocals and the photos will make you speechless. Philly born/Brooklyn based singer/songwriter Candice Anitra was inspired by the devastating earthquake in Haiti. The song “Today” marks two years later and addresses mother nature, emotion and our vulnerability. Soon after the earthquake shook Haiti on January 12, 2010, a photograph of a mountain of dead bodies gripped Candice Anitra. The shared humanity screamed out, and raw emotion compelled Anitra to compose a song as a reminder that we are all connected and vulnerable, living on one shared earth, and responsible for supporting one another.

Candice is releasing the track "Today" in order to raise still-much-needed funds to improve lives in Haiti.The video pairs images from Nadia Shira Cohen's post-quake Haiti photo-essay, "Exodus" (Harper's, May 2010), with footage of Candice's performing the driving, melodic, pleading track, while editors Karim Lopez and Simon Doolittle have enhanced the piece with a retro-film aesthetic and a motion to the images that conveys the lyrics - "the way you shook this place, this rock in space." Let's not forget Haiti!

Taking it to the Airwaves: Liberated Sisters on Fact, Fiction and Myths about Black Women's Images

2012-01-11T23:20:00.000-06:00

My fellow Final Call Newspaper writer, Sister Charlene Muhammad of L.A, is still getting great feedback about the cover story she wrote a few weeks ago regarding the facts, fiction and myths about the images of black women.

In part, she wrote in the article "Black women are devoted wives, mothers, educators, attorneys, doctors, authors, airplane pilots and astronauts. But they cannot escape negative myths surrounding their images, and facts-turned-fiction that impact their status, influence, challenges and future....The words Black female empowerment often invoke mental images of First Lady Michelle Obama or Oprah Winfrey, the daytime talk television legend. But while Black women seem to enjoy more power, influence, and status, perhaps greater than in any period during their sojourn in America, a sobering reality boils at the surface." [Full Article]

So she decided to take the conversation to the airwaves! Along with Dedon Kamathi, they will carry the topic on their shows, Liberated Sisters and Freedom Now! at 90.7 FM KPFK, this Saturday, January 14 from 1-3 PM PST.KPFK will broadcast live (www.kpfk.org) from the AFIBA Center (5730 Crenshaw Blvd) and their guests will be local activists and artists.

Part II of the topic is slated to run on Liberated Sisters on January 28 and the show will feature several of the sisters featured in that Final Call article. Both hosts hope to see you Saturday and that you will weigh in on the topic at the AFIBA Center because they will be taking audience questions and comments.Out of the area or just can't make it? Please tune in and get your questions ready for the phone lines during Part 2.

Liberated Sisters with Sister Charlene Muhammad is a forum to highlight and seek solutions to critical issues impacting Black women and their communities; highlight their connection to and collaboration with the global struggle for social, educational and economic justice; and to lift positive images of Black women in media.

Blue Ivy Carter inspires her pops Jay-Z to hit the studio for "Glory"

2012-01-11T22:40:00.003-06:00

Motherhood and fatherhood is a joyous feeling. This blog is not breaking news, because by now you already know that Beyonce gave birth to their first child Blue Ivy Carter. Congrats to her and Jay-Z. And congrats to everyone else who recently brought new life into the world, working on bringing new life into the world (smile), or had complication and decided to adopt children. Either way, may your families be blessed in 2012 and beyond.

I'm not much for blogging celebrity-type news, but I came across the song "Glory" that Jay-Z recorded after their daughter came forth. It made me reflect on the day when my little princess came forth. I think it is a great song. Listen and let me know what you think! Remember, the number one thing that our children will forever remember is not the THINGS we give them but the TIME we give them. On that note, let me log off and head to the park :-)

Glory - Jay-Z feat. Blue Ivy Carter by Warhol2011

What Would Elijah Do? Minister Louis Farrakhan Warns Obama & Government regarding NDAA Act!

2012-01-11T12:27:00.002-06:00

(The Honorable Elijah Muhammad being arrested in 1942 by the FBI)

In his January 9 appearance on The Cliff Kelley Show on Chicago's WVON radio station, The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan once again didn't shy away from speaking truth to power. The two hour interview ended with The Minister taking callers and one woman asked about his thoughts on the the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) signed by President Barack Obama.

“That act signed into law by our president is an act that is destined to stop those of us who speak truth to power,” said Minister Farrakhan, who just returned from a Caribbean tour that included Jamaica, Haiti and St. Kitts. He went further into warning the president and the government on what would happen if they decide to come after him. Watch the clip below to hear his statement.

His teacher, The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, was arrested in 1942 during a time when America was going to war. They wanted to get him off the streets because of the truth he was spreading to the masses. In his book "Message to the Blackman" on page 179, The Hon. Elijah Muhammad writes "The next time I was arrested was May 8, 1942, in Washington, D.C., by the F.B.I. for not registering for the draft. When the call was made for all males between 18 and 44, I refused (NOT EVADING) on the grounds that, first, I was a Muslim and would not take part in war and especially not on the side with the infidels. Second, I was 45 years of age and was NOT according to the law required to register."

Will they have to get Minister Farrakhan and others off the street and the Internet if they go to war with Iran? With the use of books, DVDs, CDs, webcasts, Twitter, Facebook, The Final Call Newspaper, YouTube and more, Minister Farrakhan's message continues to spread. Let's see what America will do with him (us) as he continues to fearlessly speak truth. It's written in the volume of the scriptures. This is chess, not checkers and as The Minister has said, God is the Master of the entire "chessboard." What move will we make? Will we stand up or be cowards? Time will tell.

“The Mis-Education of Our Youth”: Portland’s 6th Annual Youth Summit to feature Jasiri X as keynote speaker

2012-01-10T11:55:00.000-06:00

(Summit founder and organizer Imani Muhammad (center) along with Professor Griff and others in 2010)

It's about to be on once again in Portland! Youth Organized and United to Help (Y.O.U.th) will celebrate Portland’s 6th Annual Youth Summit on theweekend of February 10 & 11, 2012 at Portland State Univeristy-University Studies Department. (PSU). Inpartnership with PSU, Oregon Universal, The Skanner, Multnomah County Health Department, FreedomPaper Company and community members, the Summit will look to address concerns and issues of our youthand families by taking on the theme of “The Mis-Education of Our Youth.” Youth who attended over theyears have expressed life changing experiences from attending the Summit. I had the honor of speaking at this summit in 2010 and I had an awesome adventure!

The Summit weekend will kick off Friday, February 10, 2012 with the annual talent showcase “Free Ya Mindand Your Swag will Follow,”at Portland State University in Smith Hall on the 1st floor. The showcase willfeature young upcoming talent from across Oregon, performing in various categories, dance, spoken word,lyricist, and vocals. The event will be hosted by Rip City Kingz, Portland’s very own Krump dance crew.The showcase will include youth, local and national artist serving as judges. The grand prize is a professionalphoto shoot with local photographer Adrian Adel (www.adrianadel.com).

On Saturday February 11, 2012 in Smith Hall on the 2nd floor, the Summit will convene with all day work-shops, networking, and an overall positive atmosphere for the entire family. The keynote speaker is NationalActivist and Recording Artist Jasiri X from Pittsburgh, PA. He has written and produced conscious andelevating music videos exposing current events and news stories that otherwise go unheard.(www.jasirix.com)

Jasiri X

The parent workshops topics include: How to talk about sex with your child, bullying, theeconomic crisis and solutions and parenting your teenager. Youth workshops topics include, African origin ofMartial Arts, creative media, How to succeed in Hip Hop without selling your soul, healthy relationships,graffiti drawing, discovering self through writing.

Vendors will be available for both days providing resources, merchandise, information and connections to allparticipants. Organizations will include Freedom Paper Company-an financial economic freedom companyusing a standard household item, Groundwork Portland, Recruiter Watch PDX, Positive Upgrade, Mutl-nomah County A6 and Boys and Girls Aid. For those interested in participating in the workshops pre-register online at www.portlandyouthsummit.org. For a complete listing of workshops and presenters go towww.youthsummit09.blogspot.com. Contact: Imani Muhammad 503-781-5313, info@portlandyouthsummit.org.

The Work Habits of The Prophets (Part 1): The Battle with Poor Planning and Procrastination

2012-01-10T07:59:00.000-06:00

by Willie Muhammad

Part 1

If we asked a group of, let's say ten people to name some people they would observe to learn about effective work habits, out of that ten how many of them do you think would mention any of the Prophets of God? Based upon the numerous articles, books and seminars on work habits, I have seen and conversations I have had about this subject, I think it would be fair to say that none of that ten would probably mention any of them, in my opinion.

An analysis of the lives of the Prophets would show there is a lot we can learn from the Prophets work habits that could help us with our own. Prophets have jobs and a boss as well. They have the Boss of all bosses, God Himself. So in this first entry we want to look at what I call the "Two Ps", poor planning and procrastination.How many of us battle with poor planning and procrastination?

These are two of the greatest threats to success and effective work habits. These two forces feed and breed one another. As I reflected on what Prophet we could study, Noah came to mind. After being given a task by God, he began to organize and plan on how he would accomplish what God asked him to do. He did not procrastinate, despite the fact that he was working in an environment that encouraged procrastination. It had not rained in - not days, weeks, months or a year or two. But decades! Plus while he was working the people were partying and enjoying their lives and also working to cast doubt in the mind of Noah. He remained on task and focused. As a result of not falling victim to the "Two Ps", he saved his life and the life of his family.

When we plan and defeat procrastination, we save our career, our business and increase our rate of success. Poor planning and failing to plan is against the very nature of the human being. Allah (God) in the Bible and Holy Qur’an says that He made us in His Image and Likeness. All throughout the Holy Qur’an, Allah is referred to as, "The Best of Planners." If He is and why aren't we, when we are from Him?

Lastly, as it relates to procrastination, the parable Jesus taught about the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25:1-13) also comes to mind. This parable is a great example to show how dangerous procrastination is and the benefits of proper planning. Don't procrastinate, go and read it yourself (smile) and learn the many lessons that parable offers.

God willing, in the next blog, we will look at the bad habit of passing the buck when it comes to us not doing something we were given the responsibility to do.

(Student Minister Willie Muhammad is the New Orleans representative of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and Nation of Islam. Follow him on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/BroWM46)

Making the headlines of AllHipHop.com with Common vs Drake beef article....I mean battle (smile)

2012-01-10T06:58:00.003-06:00

It looks as if the "Hip-Hop Gods" have a few choice words for me in regards to my blog "Common vs Drake: Hip-Hop beef needs a funeral and a proper burial." A huge thank you to AllHipHop.com, one of the few websites that I read daily, for posting the article in their headlines on Monday. It sparked an interesting dialogue about the difference between beef and a rap battle. I don't agree that this is a true Hip-Hop battle but I won't get back on my soapbox! But check out these comments @ http://allhiphop.com/2012/01/09/common-vs-drake-hip-hop-beef-needs-a-funeral-and-a-proper-burial/

Also, a huge thank you to legendary Hip-Hop journalist Davey D for posting it on his site (link) as well as GlobalGrind.com (link). I don't take things for granted and I know they didn't have to post it. Much respect.

Advertisement

Dallas Activists: Time to close disrespectful businesses and create Do for Self opportunity in Black neighborhoods

2012-01-07T21:41:00.002-06:00

(Photos courtesy of the Don't Stop Don't Shop Facebook Page)

This is exactly the type of action the Black community needs to take in 2012. Let's eliminate all disrespectful businesses in our communities and open up our own! Protest has begun in front of a South Dallas convenient store and gas station on MLK Blvd with the intent of putting that store, along with the overall South Dallas business community, on notice that their community will no longer be disrespected.

According to The Final Call Newspaper report:

There is a movement brewing here to close businesses that disrespect, mistreat and price gouge the Black community as organizers use equal energy to pool resources and launch new businesses under an effort called “Stop Don’t Shop.”

The spark that ignited the effort and spawned a united front among religious, community and political leaders was an early December incident involving Jeffery Muhammad, the Dallas representative of the Nation of Islam. The student minister of Muhammad Mosque No. 48 said he was told “go back to Africa,” called a “monkey,” “slave,” and a “broke a-- n----r by an Asian gas store owner, following a confrontation that began with questions about minimum purchase requirements imposed by the station owner.

Noting the gas station’s prices were about 30 cent higher per gallon than stations outside the Black community, Mr. Muhammad wanted to make a small purchase. Questioning the owner ignited a confrontation that included insults and threats, Mr. Muhammad said.Within days came a tidal wave of support and community mobilization angered by the actions of operators of the Diamond Shamrock gas station in South Dallas. The NAACP, city officials, Christian clergy, Pan Africanists, community leaders, and ordinary people gathered for a Dec. 21 press conference near the station. [Read The Full Article]

How can you help? Please donate some of your time by joining them on the front lines at the Diamond Shamrock/Kwik Stop located at 1909 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Dallas, Texas 75215 Monday – Saturday from 10am to 6pm. Become a fan of the Facebook page!

If you live in the Dallas area, join this movement! In the words of Public Enemy "Shut'em Down!"

You Gotta Be Kidding! FEMA requesting money back from Hurricane Katrina victims???

2012-01-07T19:03:00.000-06:00

This August will mark the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and survivors still can’t seem to get a break.At the close of 2011, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reportedly mailed out tens of thousands of notices to victims of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma in an effort to recoup more than $385 million it says was mistakenly sent out due to employee errors. Okay, what's wrong with this picture? Hurricane Katrina was my first ever cover assignment, so writing about this has been dear to me these past years. I had to ask a few people their thoughts about this one.

“I don’t see how they could dare say people owe them when they still owe us so much for what was done to us. We were never fully compensated for all that we lost nor have people been made whole since 2005. This is immoral,” said Dr. Mtangulizi Sanyika, a retired Dillard University professor. His family is now residing in Houston.

The combination of Katrina and Rita caused billions in damages in the Gulf Coast in August and September 2005. Victims from Louisiana still remain scattered throughout more than 5,000 U.S. cities. In October of that year, Wilma caused billions in damages in Mexico, Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and the state of Florida.

Dr. Sanyika and his wife were forced from their home in New Orleans East and lost everything after floodwaters ripped through the city. For the next five years he had to commute from Houston to New Orleans to maintain his position at Dillard. He says his family was mentally distraught and in a constant bout with red tape of the FEMA system.

“They have the nerve to say the victims owe them? Most of us literally left with what was on our backs or in our cars. We lost homes, lost jobs, got displaced from relatives and some of us lost relatives because of the storm. I doubt if FEMA gets anything back from the people,” said Dr. Sanyika.

"I think FEMA’s delayed rescue response, shelter issues, FEMA trailers and now this issue of seeking repayment for funds that were more than likely spent on legitimate needs of people after these disasters, shows that the government was not as prepared as it has portrayed itself,” said Student Minister Willie Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque No. 46, which is located on Downman Street in New Orleans.

“The so-called debt should be forgiven for those who can show that the funds were properly spent and were not fraudulent,” said Mr. Muhammad.

"No one in government has ever pursued those that truly profited off of the disaster that came post-Katrina. Corporations like Ashbritt and Halliburton and Blackwater made hundreds of millions of dollars by exploiting people's suffering for their own profits,” said New Orleans author and activist Jordan Flaherty.

“Just as Wall Street has never been held accountable for what they did to the U.S. economy, and foreclosures continue around the U.S., the same is true on the Gulf Coast: the poor are made to suffer while the rich look forward to the next disaster they can exploit,” said Mr. Flaherty.

Wes Johnson, who is also an activist in the Crescent City, said “It is unfortunate that FEMA is allowed to go after the victims who are still suffering mentally from Katrina. But the real thieves, such as those running who have run the Louisiana Road Home program, have not been criminally investigated.”

In mid-December, U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., announced that Congress passed year-end federal funding legislation, signed by President Obama, to ensure fairness for disaster survivors who are facing recoupment of assistance payments due to government error.“Many families facing recoupment are honest disaster survivors who experienced great tragedy and who never intended to misuse funds or take anything to which they were not entitled. It is simply unfair to make families pay large sums of money back to the government for someone else’s mistake,” Sen. Landrieu said in a statement on her website.

What do you think?

(All photos by Brother Jesse Muhammad taken August 2010 in New Orleans)

New Music: Chicago's Avian Nalej "LORD KNOWS" Freestyle

2012-01-07T13:07:00.000-06:00

"If you want instant gratification, then forget about success." --Avian Nalej via Twitter

You all know I don't highlight many music artists on my blog, however, I would like to present someone that I will be keeping my eye on for the next few years. If, ahem, when he blows up, remember you read about him here on Brother Jesse Blog. (smile)

Chicago native Joshua Muhammad a.k.a Avian Nalej (A-VEE-IN Knowledge) is said to be an emcee representing the new generation of Hip-Hop among artists like Kendrick Lamar, Wale, J. Cole, B.O.B., and Lupe Fiasco. His name means "Higher Learning" and represents the desire to have a higher level of thinking and lifestyle. If you read my latest blog on Hip-Hop beef, then you will agree that the genre definitely needs some more elevation.

Avian is focused on making music that is socially conscious and culturally appealing. A few weeks ago I saw him perform live at Mosque Maryam in the Windy City via the weekly Sunday webcast and I was impressed. I recently received his latest video "LORD KNOWS" Freestyle. He is definitely one to watch in 2012. Check out the video below and keep up with his progression @ www.aviannalejsocial.com.

Ways To Conquer Your Fear of Public Speaking in 2012

2012-01-06T03:00:00.000-06:00

The moment has arrived. You are petrified. Your palms are sweaty. Your knees are trembling. You can't seem to remember the speech. You're thinking about all of the mistakes you can make. You're about to freeze like a deer in headlights. You say to yourself "I can't do this".....and then.

STOP! Let's go no further down that line because if you have a fear of public speaking you may be getting nervous just from reading the opening words of this blog. (smile) That's not my purpose.

This is about how to master those fears you have that are holding you back from becoming the phenomenal speaker you have the potential to be. Fear restricts and it will never allow you to be your true self so it must be conquered or you will continue to succumb to its power.

What is fear? According to Webster it is defined as " a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid".

Did you read that?....whether real or imagined! So that means some of us formulate so many worst case scenarios up in our minds that we scare ourselves to death before even attempting to move out on something. Speaking is no different.

You are not alone. Studies have shown that a lot of people rate their fear of public speaking as more severe than the fear of death.

Here are a few tips to start breaking down your fear barriers in 2012:

1. Stop imagining yourself failing: Imagery is powerful, so if you continuously see yourself as a poor speaker in your mind then of course it will manifest itself in your performance. Visualize yourself performing with perfection, poise and precision. See yourself in the room, the people are looking at you, they're hanging on your every word as you're speaking, and you are delivering strong. Do you see it? Good.

2. Be prepared: There are some people who can speak without notes for days but when you're trying to get your "legs under you", writing out your speech builds confidence. Create yourself a clear and simple outline to follow during your talk. Arrive early where ever your speaking engagement is because rushing can cause unnecessary anxiety that can impede performance as well. Be sure your dress attire is sharp as well.

3. Fire Side Chat: When you mount the podium don't see yourself as this distant outer space being that is detached from your audience. Rather handle it like you're having a conversation with friends you know. Don't talk down or at people, but talk to them. This posture will help you relax more. Make eye contact so people will absorb you.

4. Experiences can bring ease: I was always taught that no man or woman should speak beyond their knowledge. Why? It begins to complicate their message and they will lose their audience because people can tell when you are not being real with them. Don't fake it it till you make it. Why not stick to your "guns"? Meaning, you can ease some of your speaking fears by speaking from your personal experiences or a certain field that you have become an expert in. Speak on something that you are so passionate about that you can talk about it for hours. Even if you had a bad experience growing up, I'm sure there is someone who can relate. Don't hide your light.

5. Stick to the Point: Okay let's be honest: Do you remember anything the speaker at your high school graduation said? I don't either. I remember last year I was at a graduation ceremony where a speaker tried to cram 30 years of research into a 45 minute speech. So after his introduction the students stopped listening. Rambling is a turn off and soon your audience will give you the cold shoulder and some droopy-eyed action. Don't cram your message. You won't be able to get it all out in one day. Give them just enough to want you back for more. Leave them on the edge. Set one theme for it and have about four supporting details to go along with it. Stick to your points. Your audience will thank you for it and your confidence will soar.

(Be sure to follow Brother Jesse Muhammad's boring tweets @BrotherJesse)

DASH Diet Wins 'Best Diet' By US News? Nick Cannon Hospitalized? I cast my vote for "How to Eat to Live"

2012-01-06T00:07:00.000-06:00

I'm sure many people made New Year's resolutions for improving their diets or exercising habits. Our health is very important and its disturbing to me to hear the likes of Nick Cannon being hospitalized due to a reported "mild kidney failure." We're only two years apart in age but it's becoming a trend. More and more reports stream across the net about ailments plaguing the younger generation--including celebrities, athletes and rap artists. What is going on? What are we going to do about it?

Well, U.S. News just released its 2011 Top Rated Diets results and coming in first place is the DASH diet. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The rest of the Top Ten is rounded out by the TLC Diet, Mayo Clinic Diet, Mediterranean Diet, Weight Watchers Diet, Volumetrics Diet, Jenny Craig Diet, Biggest Loser Diet, Ornish Diet, and the Vegetarian Diet.

The ranking system is obviously not based upon what works for the people because if you look at the link to their list they are polling people with the question "Did this diet work for you?" And from the looks of things, the vegetarian diet had the best success rate out of the top ten picks.Which diet gets your vote?

Well, ladies and gentlemen when it comes to successful diets I am biased. In 1993, I first read the book "How to Eat to Live" Volumes 1 & 2 by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. The biggest difference between these two books and these diets listed above is that He is presenting Divine guidance from God in Person and what Jesus came to give us: "Life and life more abundantly." I admit, when I first heard that the members of the Nation of Islam ate one meal a day between 4pm and 6pm, I thought that was crazy.

"Eating three or four times a day is to your stomach as dripping water is to a stone or iron. The dripping water will eventually wear a stone and iron away. But, just to look at the water, it does not appear powerful enough in its dripping to wear the stone and iron away. It is the same with food; we continuously put it into our stomachs to be digested and eventually it will destroy the stomach. If we let our stomachs rest a while and gain strength, they will last longer in doing a job of digesting food for us," writes the Hon. Elijah Muhammad in Volume 1.

Throughout the books he breaks down the science of why eating one meal a day is the best diet, what vegetables to avoid, the power of the navy bean, the proper way to cook your bread, and the benefits of fasting. He goes in on why we should steer away from things such as pork, corn bread, soy beans, nuts, sweet potatoes, and all others types of "soul food" that the slavemaster fed the slaves on plantations.

He further writes, "Many are advertising what to eat, and what medicines to take to make you eat or stop you from eating. Many books are written and sold on good and bad foods, as well as on reducing the weight and on how to increase the weight, introducing the many chemicals used to bring about the desired result. But Allah, in the Person of Master Fard Muhammad, to Whom praises are due forever, has given us a better and safer way to do these things"

Since 1997, I've been striving to follow the diet of one meal a day and guess what: I'm still alive to type this blog. If you're looking to truly change your health for the better and not with another quick gimmick, why not try "How to Eat to Live" by the Hon. Elijah Muhammad? Give it a try in 2012 and let us know your results. You can get your copy by clicking @ Final Call Online Store!

P.S.--The image above is a poster child from the new controversial Stop Childhood Obesity ad campaign in Georgia led by Strong 4 Life. I wonder if First Lady Michelle Obama is down with their strategy. (smile)

(If you want to be bored to death, follow Brother Jesse Muhammad on Twitter @BrotherJesse)

Common vs Drake? Hip-Hop beef needs a funeral and a proper burial

2012-01-05T22:03:00.001-06:00

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to pay our last respects to a 'friend' that has been dear to many musical artists, fans and readers....that 'friend' is HIP-HOP BEEF.”

What forward-moving purpose does Hip-Hop beef serve? Can someone please educate me?I was a little thrown aback by the recent beef that spread quickly throughout the Internet and radio shows involving Common and Drake. Frankly, I found it pretty weak for Common, an artist I respect, to engage in such nonsense.

He supposedly took shots at Drake in his song “Sweet” from his newly released album The Dreamer, The Believer. I wasn’t impressed with the song; too much cursing. I wasn’t that impressed with the album either (I’m still listening to it though to see if my opinion will change).

No, I’m not siding with Drake. I don’t even listen to him much at all. I got his album along with Nikki Minaj’s just to see what all the hype was about. They didn’t move me. I just think they are doing an excellent job of mastering their moment.

Getting back to the eulogy for Hip-Hop Beef: I love Hip-Hop culture and trust me I've enjoyed true lyrical battles in our history but this mudslinging, name-calling, backbiting, buffoonery and randomly picking out other artists just for the heck of it has outlived its usefulness and has become a destructive force. The new trend now is grown men and women using Twitter to take shots instead of sitting down in person to solve our problems. I even read where Young Jeezy said one of his friends was killed due to an exchange of words on Twitter.

When it comes to Hip-Hop, I always sit and wonder who calculates when a beef should start? Who should be targeted? How long it should last? What dirt should be unveiled?Do some artists start beef to make up for poor record sales? Are they thirsting that bad for publicity? Is their marketing and lyrical engine that weak that they need to start a beef to save their careers? If an artist has millions already, why waste time attacking people? Is it out of greed? Is there really a winner in a beef?

Nobody in Hip-Hop can deny that The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has been the most critical in putting an end to a lot of the beef in the genre. Back in 1997, Min. Farrakhan gathered a group of Hip-Hop artists at his home in Chicago to call a truce between East Coast and West Coast rappers. In attendance included Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Common (his name was Common Sense then), Tha Dogg Pound, Willie D, Fat Joe and more.

In 2001, Min. Farrakhan was the keynote speaker at the Hip-Hop Summit in New York hosted by Russell Simmons."Every time you use your rap song against another rapper and the magazines publish your words, the people that love you then turn on the people that you have spoken against. Then, the one you spoke against speaks back against you and his group becomes inflamed against you. When you are a rapper and you understand your leadership role, you must understand that, with leadership comes responsibility. You did not ask for it. It is imposed on you, but you now have to accept responsibility that you have never accepted," Min. Farrakhan said to the packed room.

He added, "Your potential to change reality is so great that, if you learned the skill of words and how to use words; if you learned how to say what it is you want to say, but say it in a way that gains universal respect, then the rap would evolve to an art form that will never be replaced. It will evolve to be that form that will set the stage for the next phase of its evolution."

In 2003, Min. Farrakhan sat down with Ja Rule in the midst of his heated feud with 50 Cent. In his conversation with Ja Rule, that aired on MTV and BET, Min. Farrakhan told Ja Rule not to give in to the pressure of his listeners who wanted him to keep dissing 50 Cent but rather "teach them that there's more to life than beef.

"A war is about to come down on the rap community. When you and 50 throw down, it goes all the way down into the streets. The media takes the beef between you and 50 and they play it, they jam it, they keep it going. Why would they keep something going that could produce bloodshed? There is a bigger plot here, Ja, and this is what I want you and 50 and our hip-hop brothers and sisters to see," said Min. Farrakhan.

Where would Hip-Hop be if they had fully implemented the guidance of this wise man? As for the beef, let's throw some dirt on the coffin and pay our last respects.

(If you want to be bored to death, follow Brother Jesse Muhammad on Twitter @BrotherJesse)

Information warfare: Freeing the minds of the masses

2012-01-04T10:37:00.001-06:00

by Jesse Muhammad for FinalCall.com

With the widespread use of small video cameras, sophisticated smartphones and popular social networking sites like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, injustices are being exposed, global movements are growing and the people are expected to continuing rising up in 2012.

“Social media enables us to connect directly to like-minded people and get our message out quickly and without censorship. It enabled us to expose and reveal many facts that have been kept from us, and once people get the truth they demand change,” said Jasiri X, a popular hip-hop artist based in Pittsburgh, told The Final Call.

These digital tools have become weapons in the hands of the people, also called citizen journalists, seeking to spread relevant information instead the last celebrity gossip.Coupled with on the grounds mobilizations in 2011, Twitter and Facebook served as go-to vehicles by which people stayed abreast of, supported and disseminated updates on major headlines such as the Arab Spring uprisings, Occupy Wall Street, brutal military crackdowns on protesters in foreign nations, the execution of former Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis, rioting in London, police brutality in U.S. cities, earthquakes and more.

“Social media has been invaluable because mainstream media has been co-opted and is bought and paid for by corporations intent on maintaining the status quo. People in power use the information or the lack of it to control the masses,” said Jasiri X, who uses his music to address social justice issues via his YouTube page that has garnered over one million upload views.

“First and foremost, information must be viewed from a different perspective in the modern context. As the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has stated, “We are at war” and the greatest weapon in this battle is information—it is truly a battle in the sky,” said Traci C. Muhammad, a library director for a liberal arts college in Arizona, told The Final Call.“When viewed from that stand point, then one can see that information is a strategic resource that enables the holder to remain in a position of optimum tactical advantage. It's no longer about the haves and have-nots from a wealth perspective, it is the haves and have-nots from a strategic resource management perspective,” she said.

[Read The Full Article]

(If you want to be bored to death, follow Brother Jesse Muhammad on Twitter @BrotherJesse)

Nicki Minaj, Dr. Ava Muhammad, Rihanna, Michelle Obama, Oprah: Who Defines Black Woman?

2012-01-03T20:01:00.002-06:00

Nicki Minaj on the cover of The Final Call

It's no mystery that Nicki Minaj, Rihanna and Beyonce are extremely popular with the present generation of young music lovers. From their dance moves to their dress attire, young girls are mimicking them, but is this a good thing?

In this week's edition of The Final Call Newspaper, National Correspondent Charlene Muhammad penned the cover article that asks the question "Who Defines Black Women?" The article is powerful and packed with analysis from Dr. Ava Muhammad, Dr. Joy DeGruy, Tonja Styles, Ebony S. Muhammad, Audrey Muhammad,Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Akilah Nehanda Muhammad and more.

In part, Charlene Muhammad write:"Black women are devoted wives, mothers, educators, attorneys, doctors, authors, airplane pilots and astronauts. But they cannot escape negative myths surrounding their images, and facts-turned-fiction that impact their status, influence, challenges and future.

"The words Black female empowerment often invoke mental images of First Lady Michelle Obama or Oprah Winfrey, the daytime talk television legend. But while Black women seem to enjoy more power, influence, and status, perhaps greater than in any period during their sojourn in America, a sobering reality boils at the surface." [Read The Full Article]

Related Blogs
Jasmine Mans' message wasn't just for Nicki Minaj
One-on-one with Hip Hop legend Wise Intelligent: "Activism is the most important element of the Hip Hop epistemology"
The Psychology of Exploitation: Black Women In Entertainment

How To Get Yourself Booked As A Motivational Speaker in 2012

2012-01-01T21:00:00.002-06:00

The year 2011 was wonderful! I had the opportunity to speak in many cities and be interviewed on so many shows. One thing I did differently this past year was actually focus on speaking more in my own city. In 2010 and 2009 I spent most of my time speaking outside the city so I felt the need to cultivate more relationships locally inside rehab centers, middle/high schools, universities, and businesses. The plan worked! Along with doing my weekly news commentary on Sound of Soul Radio on KPFT, I focused on sharpening my skills as an analyst and interviewee on different shows as well. The plan worked! And from the looks of these requests I am getting already, 2012 is going to be another busy year in servicing audiences with my gifts and talents. What about you? Are you ready?

This year I would like to help more people like you do the same thing. I get a lot of emails requesting advice on how I have been successful at getting booked. It's no secret formula. It takes work to establish yourself but once you get the opportunity to show what got--make sure you deliver! I learned alot by attending speaking bootcamps, reading books, but nothing beats practicing. Since then I've spoken somewhere just about every month the past few years--paid and non-paid.

What did I do starting out? Most critical thing was I had to decide "WHY" I wanted to start speaking because that would determine my longevity. Motive is super important. Next, I wrote out what themes, areas and markets I wanted to cover when I spoke. Once I got those things down on paper, this is some of things I did to get rolling in the schools in my city, state and eventually the country.

1) I live in Houston so I first found a site for Texas that has a listing of all of the school districts in the state with email contacts and phone numbers.

2) I formulated a professional email to send to all of them. My letter offered my services rather than me trying to beg them to book me.

3) I followed up with a phone call the next week to make sure they received it and to see if they needed my services.

4) Once I got booked, I sent them a contract whether it was paid or non-paid. Why? Documentation beats conversation any day! I made sure I requested from the school that I needed a letterhead from the administration telling how much they enjoyed my talk. Plus I was cleared to take pics and to video.

5) Once I got to the school, I exceeded their expectations no matter if it was five or five hundred in the audience. You can't rob people of your best because you never know how that one talk can lead to more bookings. So I prepared to give the best.

6) Made sure to follow up with the administration to get the testimonies on letterhead for my portfolio and left my contact information with them just in case they needed me again or wanted to refer me.

Bonus: I started out doing a lot of speaking engagements for free but by collecting all of that content (i.e. letter, video, pics) I now had things I could leverage via my blog to get paid speaking engagements. I'm still striving to master the business side of it all but it has been rewarding. Next step? Take Action! Start speaking!

In the next post I will discuss the art of getting booked for radio and television interviews. Happy New Year!

(Follow Brother Jesse's boring Tweets at @BrotherJesse)

It's 2012! Happy Productive, Healthy and Powerful New Year from Brother Jesse Blog

2012-01-01T08:34:00.002-06:00

On behalf of everyone who has contributed this year to Brother Jesse Blog, we pray that you have a Happy, Productive, Healthy and Powerful New Year!

Words are inadequate to express our heartfelt thanks for all of your support throughout 2011. We've featured alot of great people, shared some motivational tips, kept you informed on some hard-hitting news stories and even made you laugh!

The above photo is titled "The Greatest Obstacle." We sometimes waste away our year talking about who is stopping us when in truth the greatest obstacle we have is self. Guess what? The best is yet to come! Is it possible we could be better? We all owe it to ourselves to spend the next 365 days finding out.

See you at the top spot!

Peace & Blessings,
Brother Jesse
"Mediocrity is Not in Your D.N.A"

Interview with author Sonya Jah Muhammad on her latest anti-bullying book "The Adventures of Zolie “Miss Chit Chat” Zi"

2011-12-29T21:26:00.000-06:00

(Blogger's Note: Sonya Jah Muhammad of Dallas struggled with low self-esteem as a child/young adult and decided to write her first book “Learning to Love Me: Self-Esteem for Children” released in 2006 to inspire tween/teens to love and accept themselves for who they are. Her newest book is called “The Adventures of Zolie “Miss Chit Chat” Zi" and she is excited about sharing Zolie’s adventures with the children of the world. This is our one-on-one about her experience with bullying, solutions to the serious trend and the purpose of her new book.)

Brother Jesse Muhammad: What have been your two most painful experiences with being bullied? How did you overcome it?

Sonya Jah Muhammad (SM): I was teased about having a wide nose and big lips. I can remember being told that my lips were so big that I could pull them over my head and make a skull cap or that I could flip my lips inside out and make a float. I think the worst of the big lips jokes that impacted me the worse was the one where a boy told me I looked like a clown and shouldn’t wear lipstick. Believe it or not I have never worn lipstick because somehow that has always been a theme in my head when I look at myself with it on.I don’t think I ever really overcame it. I just grew out of it and stopped paying so much attention to the fact that my lips were big. I just accepted the fact that my lips are the way they are supposed to be and I am not changing them for no one. So if someone doesn’t like them then my suggestion to them would be “look the other way.”

BJ: Bullying has been around for a long time. Why do you think all of a sudden it has become a trending topic?

SM: Yes, bullying is nothing new and has always been an issue in all communities all over the world. I think it’s a trending topic because it is becoming the new thing to do for children who feel like they have no one to talk to or turn to about what’s happening to them at home or school. Some children even feel that if they tell someone, nothing will be done to stop the torment or tormentors. Bullycide has become a norm for our children to escape their tormenters and that is not acceptable. I think that parents, teachers, all school staff, and city officials are now being forced to take a more urgent approach to bullying. We all have the responsibility to put our heads together to come up with ways and solutions to end this bullying crisis that is spawning out of control with our tween/teens.

BJ: You released an anti-bullying children’s book titled Adventures of Zolie “Miss Chit Chat” Zi. What gave birth to these characters and this concept?

SM: I wrote the book for my niece Sariah Martin who is the face of Zolie Zi. Sariah has a very strong lisp and I got the notion that at some point she would have to face bullies because of her speech impediment. I wanted to address the problem she may face with any bully through Zolie Zi’s book. My hope is that Zolie’s book would provide Sariah with the necessary tools to face her bullies in the correct manner.The other characters just came from ideas that I had in my head of what I wanted Zolie’s friends to be like and their facial features are taken from my other nieces and my little cousin J’Sunn.

BJ: What unique perspective and advice is your book giving to young readers on how to deal with bullying?

SM: The unique perspective is the perception of tattling being a bad thing. Zolie has to discover that tattling is not a bad thing especially when you are being bullied. Zolie wants children to understand that there is power in their voice and that silence is NEVER an option. Children get to see how Zolie finally discovers just how powerful her own voice is when she decides to tell someone that she is being bullied.

BJ: What solutions do you offer parents and schools in defusing the impact of bullying?

SM: Well, I really don’t think there is just one particular solution to stop children from bullying other children. I think the first step would be helping our children understand what a bully is by definition. Once they understand what a bully is then they can know how to identify it if they are in fact being bullied or even if they are a bully.I can think of a starter solution for schools like making mandatory courses available on bullying prevention and ways to recognize if a student is being bullied to parents, faculty and staff including the principal. This type of training would be of some assistance to them should they start to recognize outrageous behavior patterns in the students in the classroom or on playgrounds. Another thought would be surveying the students to ask them of signs that teachers, parents and trusted adults could easily identify as bullying areas and signs of bullying for their particular school.

BJ: A lot of young people have started committing suicide due to bullying. Do you think that’s the best way to handle the pressure?

SM: Bullycide is a horrible exit strategy for children but unfortunately for some it is the only option. Bullying for a lot of children doesn’t just happen at school but it also happens at home with parents or even siblings and so it seems there is no escape from it. As you know, everyone handles pressures in different ways. It’s like a hot pot on the stove with the wrong size lid on it, it blows off. I think that if children had a better way to handle pressure like someone to talk to or an outlet to voice their concerns and fears then they wouldn’t have to handle their pressure in the way they have been handling it. I don’t think anyone just wants to commit bullycide willingly. Bullycide seems to become the only option for some when they feel there is no escape from their tormentors and that is truly sad.

BJ: I read that you’re a motivational speaker. When you are standing before young audiences, what is the essence of your message?

SM: The essence of my message to tweens/teens is to know, understand and believe that there is POWER in their voice. I want them to understand that all it takes is one choice and one thought to change their whole life around to stop anything that they thought they had no power or control over. Everything starts and Stops with you. “You have the power. Your voice counts!!” is the overall message that I want them to embed within their minds when they walk away from hearing me speak with them.

BJ: Thank You!

(To get a copy of "The Adventures of Zolie "Miss Chit Chat" Zi" visit the official website http://www.zoliezi.com/. Follow on Twitter @ZolieZi)

The Lost Principles of Kwanzaa: Why are we still stuck on rituals?

2011-12-29T13:52:00.003-06:00

by Brother Jesse Muhammad for HoustonBelief.com

All rituals have a principle that is to be extracted and applied, but sometimes the principles get lost, overlooked or outright ignored in the midst of us celebrating our respective “holidays” in the various religious sects. Being overly ritualistic does not make us more enlightened nor will it improve our depleted morality.

Plainly: If we’re not practicing what we’re preaching or living in accords with the essence of the rituals, then it’s all in vain; merely a feel good moment resulting in a hollow existence. Kwanzaa is no different.

When I first started attending Kwanzaa events back in high school, someone always expressed the importance of us practicing the Seven Principles the other 51 weeks of the year. They also stressed the importance of us not allowing the spirit and sense of family, community and culture die on the morning of January 2.

I believe these are principles we all strive for in some way no matter if we’re Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Atheists, Buddhists, or Non-Denominational.Lastly, when you’re headed down the highway to a destination you come across many signs telling you that your exit is a certain amount of miles or exits away. Do you stop at the sign? No, you keep going until you get to where the sign is pointing you ultimately to, right?Why are we still stuck on rituals? [Read the Full Blog]

First Lady Michelle Obama graces the cover of The Final Call newspaper

2011-12-29T13:38:00.000-06:00

The recent edition of The Final Call newspaper is out and filled with our year in review coverage from 2011 with a look ahead into what could be in store for 2012.

One very impressive feature is the recap of the non-stop works and warnings of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan throughout the year.

Ashahed M. Muhammad, Final Call Assistant Editor, had the blessed honor of having his byline on just about all of those stories plus he traveled with the Minister alot! He had an epic year of writing and that's why he gets my vote for Writer of the Year. Read his recap here.

On the cover is the intelligent and powerful U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama. Despite her great efforts in attacking childhood obesity and so many other issues during her husband's first term, she has endured some ugly, racist and vicious attacks. In this report, Starla Muhammad, Final Call staffer, writes in part:

While some pundits still contend having a Black family as the first family of the United States the past three years points to a “post-racial” society, 2011 ends pointing out even the president and first lady cannot escape the racial animus that continues to permeate the very fabric of the world’s most powerful nation.

Congressman Jim Stensenbrener (R-Wisc.) was recently overheard making inappropriate remarks about First Lady Michelle Obama’s backside, harkening back to the days when White slavemasters commented on the physique of Black slaves as they stood on the auction block prior to being sold off.

In a separate incident, former Tea Party political candidate Jules Manson was visited by the Secret Service after reportedly calling for the assassination of President Obama and his “monkey children” on his Facebook page as reported by the New York Daily News.

Incidents like these show racism is still a virus in society even in 2011 Rev. Marcia L. Dyson told The Final Call. “I think we haven’t come as far in race relationships. Electing a Black man for president is about choosing one Black man but it has nothing to do with how they really may think about African Americans in general,” says the ordained minister and lecturer.

“Obviously if a non-Black said it, they still have a fixation on the Black female body, something that they can no longer have as chattel. So since you can’t lock it down in iron you can try to throw straws at it. But Michelle Obama is a fierce Black woman from the South Side of Chicago and has more grace to even be insulted by the ignorance of a few in America,” says Rev. Dyson when asked about the comments made by Rep. Stensenbrener.

[READ MORE]

Photo: White House Flickr

Interview with budding rodeo star Naeemah Muhammad: "Handling horses is like handling people, each one is different"

2011-12-24T22:11:00.000-06:00

(Blogger's Note: I don't know any Black women competing in professional horse riding. Do you? Well, now we both will! Meet Naeemah Muhammad of Houston. She's a budding rodeo star. I recently went one-on-one with her about her college major, the science of rearing a horse and much more.)

Brother Jesse Muhammad (BJ): What are you presently studying in college and what do you plan to do with your degree upon graduation?

Naeemah Muhammad (NM): I am currently attending Houston Community College and in May 2012 I will obtain an associate in science. Following that I am looking forward to going to Prairie View A&M University to attain a bachelor in animal science with the intentions of pursuing a doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University.

BJ: In November, you had the opportunity to play a key role with the Nation of Islam Student Association in organizing the Prairie View A&M University S.P.I.T. Knowledge event featuring the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. What did you learn in terms of organizing skills leading up to that event?

NM: Being able to be a part of such a historical event was phenomenal. It was an experience I will never forget. I learned that you must have more than one game plan because if something goes wrong you’ll still have a few more tricks under your sleeve. Regardless of what you want to happen, things don’t always go according to plan but you need to set a goal and work like everything depends on you but have faith and pray like everything depends on Allah (God).

Overall I think Minister Louis Farrakhan’s lecture had a very positive impact on the students. Unfortunately the educational system is not what it should be and our people are suffering from it but with the statistics and facts the Minister spoke of, I highly doubt that the students that were able to hear that powerful message will ever be the same.

BJ: I have to be honest, I've never been on one horse in my lifetime. (smile) How in the world did you get into competing in horseback riding?

NM: Well, when I was 15 my father told me that I had been asking for a horse ever since I was 5 years old, of course I don’t remember that but what I do remember was my first riding lesson when I was 12 years old, it was the most invigorating experience that I had ever had. I fell in love! (smiles) I would take lessons in both English and Western disciplines as much as I could, but it wasn’t that often. With the help of my mother I was able to volunteer at different ranches and riding stables, two of which included Southern Breeze Equestrian and Molly Stevenson’s Ranch. Mrs. Stevenson then referred us to the now late Mr. Smitty Johnson who held youth rodeos in Fresno, Texas. It was then that I met Mr. Hatfield, my first barrel racing trainer. Initially, I went there only with the intentions of riding horses just for the fun of it. I never thought about competing, although I had seen barrel racing on television before. I never dreamed that would be me one day.

BJ: What is the name of your horse and how much work did it take to train it to fit your style of riding?

NM: I am currently riding Molly, she is a 10 year old quarter horse and I have been riding her for a little over a year. It took one year of 4-5 hour practices, 4-5 times a week to get to where I am now and it was not easy, but with the help of my current trainer, Mr. Carl Mills, we are coming along. Mr. Carl is teaching me not only how to ride horses but the science behind it; basically he is teaching me how to master a horse. Molly wasn’t necessarily trained to fit my style of riding, because I didn’t know how to ride. Initially, I was being trained to fit the horse’s style. The way I ride Molly isn’t the same way I ride my other two horses (Star and Skyline) because each horse has their own style. For example, Molly needs to be handled a lot more than my three year old, Star. Since Star is just starting out I do not have to handle her too much because if I do it would confuse her, which would lead to a nonresponsive horse since she does not understand and does not need the extra handle I usually use on Molly. It’s like sending both of your children to their room when one was innocent in their actions. The one that is innocent is wondering why they are being handled as though they were the one that was in the wrong. Horses don’t think quite like that but the concept is still the same. Handling horses is like handling people, each one is different and you have to handle them accordingly.

BJ: When was your first competition and how did you do? Were you nervous?

NM: My first competition was June 2010, in Fairfield, Texas and I was very nervous. I was so nervous that I got sick but I was able to pull myself together and was still able compete. At the time I had only been practicing barrel racing for three months. Looking back on it, that was too soon for me to start competing and I say that because barrel racing is not just about making a horse go around the barrels to get a fast time, you have to have your foundation first and that was a key component that I lacked. I had to learn how to be patient with myself and the horse because it takes time to become a winner, it doesn’t happen overnight. Although everything was new to me I expected a lot from myself even though at the time I didn’t have the knowledge to do so. I had to understand the basics of how a horse thinks, why a horse responds the way it responds, what my role is and what the horse’s role is. Most importantly, I had to exercise control. When I say control, I not only mean control of the horse but I had to learn to control myself because there are times when I get frustrated and I just want to say forget it but that’s where perseverance and the love of the sport comes in. Saying all of that to say, I did not do well at my first rodeo at all. The horse did something out of the ordinary and I was not prepared for it but in my mind it was my fault and I could’ve done better. Needless to say, I was highly upset. It was my first rodeo and I didn’t make the cut but I didn’t let that stop me, I kept going and kept learning and I can honestly say that there is no end in sight.

BJ: Since your first competition, what other rodeos have you competed in? How did you place?

NM: Since my first rodeo, I have competed in many rodeos, too many to count, but it has been over 20 rodeos. Some of which included the All American Youth Rodeo Series (AAYRA) in Fresno, Texas, Gulf Coast Barrel Racing Association Series (GCBRA), and many more. The AAYRA hosts rodeos every year from June to December with 2-3 rodeos a month on Friday’s. The GCBRA holds jackpots every year from January to October with 3-4 jackpots each month. A jackpot is a competition where there are only one or two events, for example, GCBRA has barrel racing and pole bending events. AAYRA is a rodeo that includes all of the events, bull riding, pole bending, barrel racing, roping, etc. I compete in rodeos but I mainly do jackpots. The most recent jackpot I went to was December 17, 2011 in Liberty, Texas. I rode a horse by the name of Miss, which is my trainer’s horse, Carl Mills. That was her 3rd competition, so she is very new to the sport of barrel racing, but she did very well and I won 2nd place with a time of 17.133 seconds. Unfortunately, I did not do as good on Molly but fortunately I walked away with a great learning experience.

BJ: How do you prepare yourself mentally and physically before a competition?

NM: Before a competition I always listen to music while I think about how I will make my run, it helps get me in the zone. Although what you plan to do doesn’t always go according to plan it keeps me focused and keeps my head in the game. It does not take much for me to get focused on a competition because I am very competitive. I get it from my father. I don’t necessarily compete with the other girls even though it does feel good to win but for the most part I compete against myself. I always push myself to do better than I did the last time. As far as the physical part of barrel racing, I practice 3-4 times a week for about 3-4 hours sometimes even 5 hours, the time is divided up between 2-3 horses. Even though barrel racing is a workout within itself I must stay in tip top shape just like the horses do. I do cardio, leg strengthening, ab workouts, and pushups for the arms.

BJ: Do you see a lot of Black women competing in these rodeos? Is it a lucrative career?

NM: On the professional level, I do not see any black women at the rodeos or jackpots. The only ones that I have seen stay at the black rodeos, they don’t venture out to other big rodeos or jackpots that just so happens to be 100% white. When I go to the different jackpots I am literally the only black person that competes with them. I have no idea why that is but I don’t worry about it because I know what my goal is and I know what I have to do to get it and that is exactly what I’m going to do. Barrel racing is a very rewarding sport. At the professional level you are able to win anywhere from $10,000-$50,000 depending on where you place and if it’s a rodeo or a jackpot. The rodeos can only have so many competitors because of the other events they hold, but jackpots can have as many as 1,000 competitors maybe even more, not all jackpots are that big though. I have competed with as many as 1,000 plus competitors and as few as 6 competitors. At the local jackpots that have about 100-400 competitors you can win $50-$500 depending on how many people compete and how many places are paid.

BJ: I've watched some of the footage of you riding and I always tend to hear your mother's voice cheering you on. How important is parental support to a child when they are pursuing their dreams?

NM: It is critical to have a good support system when pursuing your dreams. I would like to thank Allah (God) for blessing my father with the means to take care of the household, which allows my mother to be there with me every step of the way. She has helped me a lot in finding my passion by supporting me, spending hours on end at practice, taking me to the veterinary hospitals that I volunteered at, the ranches, and so much more. My father is also very supportive, he travels a lot so he isn’t always able to make it but I appreciate everything he is doing and has done for the family. I remember last year when I was competing in Waco, Texas he drove three hours from Missouri City, Texas just to see me ride for 16 seconds and went back home because he had work to do. That is unconditional love at its finest.

BJ: What are your goals for 2012? Big plans?

NM: I plan to do it big in 2012! Starting January 7th I will begin the GCBRA jackpot series, hopefully with my upcoming barrel racing horse, Star along with Molly and Miss. In May, I will graduate from Houston Community College with an associates in science and the week after that I will travel to Oklahoma to compete in a jackpot over the course of three days. I am very excited for next year and after that I am in this for the long haul. Please visit my website www.naeemahzaakirah.com

BJ: Thank you!

(Follow Naeemah Muhammad on Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/SistaClassified)

Who Dat? Why I think Dee-1 should be head of the XXL Magazine Freshman Class

2011-12-22T21:58:00.001-06:00

by Brother Jesse Muhammad

It has been over a year since I first highlighted New Orleans' own Dee-1 on my blog. The first song I heard by him was "Jay, 50, and Weezy" and I was immediately impressed by not only his style but his message. Let's be honest. The rap game is overly saturated with people who should give up the mic and go get a job at the nearest Burger King. No offense to anyone who works at a Burger King tho.(smile)

Too many artists lack substance, an evolving style or a message moving the masses to uplifting thought and to transition them from "march mentality" to "movement mentality." What will the "conscious rapper" look and sound like in 2012 and beyond? In fact, the term "conscious rapper" needs to be totally redefined and new standards set for those seeking to fit into that category. It is obvious that we have many out there who usurp that title every year when in truth their lyrics, off-the-mic actions, and poor business models only places their fans deeper into the abyss of unconsciousness, unawareness and inaction. I have rarely highlighted rappers on my blog for this very reason. It's a waste of blog space, a waste of 140 characters and a waste of a Facebook post to keep recycling nonsense. Will the real conscious rappers please stand up in 2012? Where y'all at? The true conscious rapper is now coming from whence we knew not.

On that note: I'm down with the music, message and activism of Dee-1. He's about the music and the community. Earlier this year he released the mixtape "I Hope They Hear Me" Vol. 2 and months later I am STILL listening to it. No cursing, no degrading women, no frontin' about shooting cats in the streets or even bragging about "making it rain." Just good music. Don't believe me? Download it here. (http://dee1music.com/)

Okay, I'm not the type of blogger to call someone "The Next Rap Messiah", "The Next Jay-Z or Nas", or even "The Second Coming of the Hip-Hop Saviour." Nah, that's all superficial. At the end of the day, I respect an artist that is focused on being their best self, instead of chasing to be the next best second-rated version of someone else.

Dee-1 is focused on being Dee-1. It's the O.M.A.R. (One Man Army Rebel) mentality; the one where its You vs You. I believe Dee-1 will stay true to himself and not allow the "machine" of the industry to suck him in. In April, he won the Myspace Russell Simmons’ “Rush Hip-Pop Challenge” and a free mentoring session with the Hip-Hop mogul. Congrats again brother.

Well, I just got the word that for the 5th annual "Freshmen Class" cover, XXL Magazine will be selecting nine of the Freshmen and the public will vote in an online poll to determine who gets the 10th slot--the People's Choice. Dee-1 was selected among this 50 most mentioned names for Freshmen 2012 candidacy according to XXL. You can vote from your PC once a day and voting ends January 1, 2012. I just voted the past three days and hope you will do the same.

I can't vouch for the other 49, but in my book Dee-1 deserves to head this Freshman Class. Go to http://www.xxlmag.com/XXL-freshmen-2012/

Who Dat?

'Appalled, but Not Surprised' by Congressional NDAA Vote and Administration’s Veto Threat Withdrawal, Says Amnesty International

2011-12-22T10:44:00.000-06:00

Photo: White House Flickr

You might want to bypass the gossip for a moment and pay attention to this. Have you heard of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)? It is a bill passed by Congress earlier this month. Why should you care? Well, it has some "interesting" provisions in it. Check this out: If this bill becomes law the military could arrest and detain YOU if they even suspect that you're involved in any terror-related activities--EVEN IF IT'S NOT TRUE! I think this is awful and those who call themselves patriots should be voicing their disgust with this. President Barack Obama should not sign this. What message will this send to the American people?

In an op-ed titled "Three myths about the detention bill," columnist Glenn Greenwald writes:

"It simply cannot be any clearer within the confines of the English language that this bill codifies the power of indefinite detention. It expressly empowers the President — with regard to anyone accused of the acts in section (b) – to detain them “without trial until the end of the hostilities.” That is the very definition of “indefinite detention,” and the statute could not be clearer that it vests this power. Anyone claiming this bill does not codify indefinite detention should be forced to explain how they can claim that in light of this crystal clear provision."

In a press release sent out by Amnesty International USA, Tom Parker, policy director (counter) terrorism and human rights, issued the following statement:

"The NDAA enshrines the war paradigm that has eroded the United States’ human rights record and served it so poorly over the past decade as the country’s primary counterterrorism tool.In doing so, the NDAA provides a framework for 'normalizing' indefinite detention and making Guantanamo a permanent feature of American life.

"This legislation establishes a two-track system of justice by distinguishing between U.S. persons (citizens and resident aliens) and foreign nationals - a betrayal of the most fundamental principle of justice and equality before the law."

"This bill also creates a tangle of competing counterterrorism jurisdictions that no one in Washington seems to understand. Law enforcement agencies have a strong record countering terrorism since the 9/11 attacks and this new legislation will inevitably hobble their efforts."By withdrawing his threat to veto the NDAA, President Obama has abandoned yet another principled position with little or nothing to show for it. Amnesty International is appalled – but regrettably not surprised."

Want to do something? Go to Amnesty's website and sign this petition plus spread the word via Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc. This is important.

Classic Repost: Seek and Destroy All Lazy Men. Where is our sense of purpose?

2011-12-21T22:20:00.004-06:00

The thin-skinned men please be advised before reading this.But the more I talk to former classmates, close friends, business associates and women, the more I find that the disease of LAZINESS has crippled us as men on this planet like never before. Where is our sense of purpose?

I had a man recently tell me that he spends most of his days playing video games and watching TV while his wife is working to pay the bills. He brags about being able to beat everyone in NBA Live or Call To Duty. What?

I had another one tell me that over these last 12 years since we've been out of high school, he has worked only at fast-food joints because he didn't want to finish college although he had a full scholarship. Plus he says there is no pressure to improve at his present job. What?

I had a female classmate tell me that she has had three children by a man who has a good paying job but he refuses to take care of his children. Instead he spends most of his money on taking trips, spending lavishly on others, and making sure he looks good in his Lexus. She works two jobs to pay for daycare. What?

Then there was a brother who told me he wants to own his own business one day, yet does not feel like putting in the work to build it up--so he chooses to go to his unhappy cubicle everyday at his corporate job. Plus he admitted that he is afraid of failing so he spends his spare time just going to night clubs when it could be used to fulfill his ideas. What?

Oh yeah and let me not forget my former co-worker who is 35-years-old and still stays with his single mother because she has a soft spot for him and won't kick him out although he's unemployed right now. He doesn't help her with the bills, uses her car until there is no gas in it, and won't even get up in the morning to take out the trash. What?

What about the community issues? We now think that all of a sudden our problems have been solved because we have a Black President, so many of us as men no longer want to operate youth programs, build institutions, stop sexual predators, stand up against injustices, lead an organization, support a cause or rid our 'hoods of crime.Instead we have become intellectual experts who only want to be skilled at 'barbershop sciencing' on what the problems are but yet won't put our hands to the plow to BE the change....we have even fell in love with gossip.

Where is our sense of purpose as men? Many of us fluently speak the language of 'swagger', 'grinding', 'hustling', or 'stacking paper', but at the end of the day many of us are not putting in real work to help ourselves and others.

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad advises us in the book 'Message to the Blackman in America' that there is a refuge prayer that we should all recite at least seven times a day. Part of that prayer says 'Oh Allah (God) I seek Thy refuge from lack of strength and laziness'.

I have been reciting that prayer since I was a freshman in high school and I am now understanding why we have to seek refuge from laziness. It aborts one's ability to be a reflection of God (Who is not lazy) and the ability to exercise the innate powers that are within all of us. God says 'Be and It Is' and we can also. But 'Be and It Is' is not by chance but with mathematics...cause and effect.

So when I say 'Seek and Destroy All Lazy Men', I mean set fire to that mindset by acknowledging those men that are being a good example, executing plans, taking care of their responsibilities, encouraging one another, and leaving their mark by being men of purpose.

Sisters you can help in this process as well by not taking care of lazy men and mothers PLEASE kick that lazy grown son out of your home. He will thank you later for it. Trust me. The elephants do it all the time.

Let's Eliminate Excuses.

(This blog by Brother Jesse Muhammad originally appeared on GlobalGrind.com)

Losing Your Focus? Get Back to the Basics to Get the Knockout

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

In 2011 did you ever feel off your game? Sure, we all do sometimes but that doesn't mean we give up. The other day I was watching this footage of Mike Tyson training back in the day and it motivated this blog about the importance of not resting on our laurels once we reach a certain level of success in our chosen fields.

No matter how good we are right now there is always another level to reach. In this video you get to see what truly made Mike who he was: Hard Work, Constant Training, Focus and of course Self-Confidence. If you've stopped training, you might be headed down the road of stagnation. If so, make a "YOU-turn" now before you go into 2012. Stay sharp. Stay focused. Stay in the "ring" of life. Plateaus should only exist in history books....keep going!

Caribbean Tour Watch: Minister Farrakhan inspiring people in Jamaica, Haiti and Saint Kitts

2011-12-20T22:24:00.002-06:00

I just finished watching the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan's interview with ZIZ Television in Saint Kitts. The program was broadcasted live over the internet by The Final Call tech team. As we have done during every live speech and interview he has done in 2011, many of us tweeted as much of his words as possible. He said so much, but his words to/about the youth of the Caribbeans stood out the most. "Young people: You're the best generation we have ever produced. All you need is right guidance," he said. "How can our young people move forward if our elders are still mentally enslaved to our former slavemaster?"

The replay of this interview will be posted on FinalCall.com soon. The day before, on Dec. 19, Minister Farrakhan appeared on St. Kitts' Freedom FM radio station. [Click here to watch the replay] The one statement he made in that interview that had Twitter buzzing earlier was the fact that he said "Unfortunately, he (President Obama) has become an extension of George W. Bush."

In the latest edition of The Final Call Newspaper, we have extensive coverage of Minister Farrakhan's Caribbean tour along with some dynamic exclusive photos such as the one taken in Haiti by Bro. Hassan Muhammad. Read the front page story and more by clicking the cover below. Support the Black-owned Media!

Interview with songstress Akilah Nehanda Muhammad: "If you organize your thoughts you can accomplish anything"

2011-12-20T01:48:00.001-06:00

(Blogger's Note: A few weeks ago I premiered Akilah Nehanda Muhammad's first music video "Best in the World" on my blog. It has received thousands of views on YouTube and has quickly become popular. I recently went one-on-one with the Howard University student about her major, the making of the video, what's ahead in 2012 and more.)

Brother Jesse Muhammad (BJ): At what age did you fully realize that you were blessed with a singing voice?

Akilah Nehanda Muhammad (AM): I've been singing since I can remember. However, the earliest video tape I've seen of me singing was for my third birthday.

BJ: What has helped you to develop your voice over the years? Have you ever received some form of musical coaching?

AM: First, my mother used to sing to me when I was a baby and I could always remember there being music around me. Over the years, just by listening to great artists like Mahalia Jackson, Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Marvin Gaye, Gospel, etc and singing to their music, my voice has developed. I attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas, for musical theatre and our instructor Mr. Mertz taught us the basics of vocal techniques while we were there all four years as a class. And throughout my childhood my aunt, Allana Muhammad, who is also a recording artist and a classically trained singer, would teach me some things about singing whenever we were around each other.

BJ: You're a senior at Howard University set to graduate in 2012. What are you majoring in and what do you plan to do with your degree?

AM: I am a film production major with a minor in fashion. I plan to use my directing, editing, and cinematography skills that I've acquired here at Howard to direct and edit my own music videos like I was blessed to do for "Best in the World." I also plan to make films that will have a positive impact on the world and that inspire women to be true to the Queen within. By this I mean, bringing modesty, dignity, and love of self, family, and God back into mainstream through this media outlet.

BJ: Let's talk about your first music video you just released "Best in the World." Fans like me can take for granted the behind-the-scenes work it takes to put together a video like that. Tell me about the process it took to get it done. Was it harder than you imagined? Was it a major team effort?

AM: There was a lot of spiritual preparation involved during this summer leading up to my recording this song in November. I prayed and read a lot. But once I get started on a project that I'm passionate about I'm the type of person that moves very quickly. I chose the beat online and I wrote the lyrics to it November 9th and 10th. Going back and forth to record the song took me about three days because I had a certain amount of time each day to record as I was working around people's schedules. By November 15th the song was recorded and I already had in mind how I wanted most of the video to go. I knew I had to move quickly because I also wanted to release the video within the same month! The good thing about being a film major is that I have access to Howard University's equipment and access to classmates who are willing to help with projects.

I assumed that mixing and mastering the track wouldn't take hardly any time and so I asked Moon, a producer, to mix and master the song. That Monday, November 13, I asked the tech center in the film department if I could use their speakers because I knew that in order to have great energy on the yard they would need to hear the music as loud as possible. My friend Tyrome made a flyer that said "Meet Me at the Yard" for Friday November 18 because I knew I wanted one of the scenes to depict campus life. It turned out that that day was perfect because all of the fraternities were in their paraphernalia. Once I got it approved to shoot on the yard that Wednesday morning, which is a long story because at first they didn't approve of it, Tyrome finished the flyer and I dropped it on Facebook that night.

The longest part of this process wasn't the music video but it was mixing and mastering the track. Moon was able to give me a mix that Thursday night, a day before the shoot, so that I at least had something to play for everyone on the yard and so I could record the video the rest of the weekend. However, we truly didn't finish mixing and mastering until the very day I dropped the music video, November 30.When you have a vision and you believe in it, trust that it will be done, because I didn't even have a camera team for the video until the day before we shot it but I knew that if I put everything in place that would come, because I know too many people who have that skill. I just made sure that I told my friends (the sisters walking with me in the park) when and where I wanted them to be on Sunday and what time and to wear bright colors.

With this project everything was very time sensitive and there was no room for doubt. I put all my trust in God and worked very hard to prioritize and plan. If you organize your thoughts you can accomplish anything in the amount of time that you desire even if it appears chaotic; it's organized chaos. On Friday for the yard scene, the different fraternities were at their trees at 12pm (which is why I planned the shoot to be at that time) and so we asked them to be a part of the video. Believe it or not, it was hardest to convince the Omegas to participate. (Laughs) The photographer on set, Torrance Hill, who also agreed to film my close up shots in the pink outfit, went to the band room and got a lot of the students you see in the video. Torrence Roundtree was the man behind the camera for the yard scene and Sehiya Boyd was the camera woman for the yoga scene. Sister Nailah is a great friend and she wrote her verse in like 10 minutes and recorded it the same day because I had to leave for the studio immediately. She's that good.Shooting the video was the easiest part believe it or not. This project was 90% planning.

BJ: It is filmed on a college campus but I don't see young girls half-naked and doing vulgar dance moves. Also, I see everyone having fun in a dignified manner. Why is that? What message are you trying to send with the lyrics and the way you coordinated this video?

AM: I wanted this to show good wholesome fun. I want people to realize that you can have a great time without drugs, inappropriate behavior, or immodest attire. Real fun is when you're just loving life and being a natural beautiful you. There is not enough of that being portrayed in music videos these days. If you’re not popping bottles, throwing up money, or surrounded by half dressed women in your music video these days then you’re a rare case, but I enjoy being different and showing the world that it is okay to do so.

BJ: You're a member of the Nation of Islam and being trained in the MGT-GCC Vanguard Class for women. How important is keeping your Islamic foundation intact as you pursue a career in the music industry?

AM: Islam is my armor in this industry. Without my being trained as an MGT Vanguard, having a mother as an excellent example, and believing in the teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad I would not be who I am today. Islam gives me the dignity and pride that makes me want to not only love, respect, and take care of myself as a young woman but to encourage other sisters to do the same. It is vital to keep my Islamic foundation intact because that’s the only thing that is keeping me sane in this time of mass confusion. It gives me peace now and I know my peace will be sustained while I'm in the industry because the music industry is extremely tough. Tough is actually an understatement. However, I refuse to compromise my faith because once that happens I will no longer be original, because too many people compromise.

BJ: What is playing in your i-Pod as you walk the yard to class?

AM: I actually don't have an i-Pod. (Laughs) But I listen to songs online and I used to download songs onto my phone. I enjoy reggae, classical, old school hip hop, 90's R&B, and gospel.

BJ: I see the Internet is already buzzing over this video. What should your supporters look forward to from you in 2012?

AM: In 2012, God willing, I will have my first album ready for y'all! I also want to have a few collabs. I would love to do a song with Lauryn Hill. I would also love to do a song with Kanye! Did I mention that I want a Grammy?! Time will tell what 2012 has in store. I'm always inspired to do something new so truly whatever comes to mind is what I will do! Thank you for the interview!

BJ: Thank you! I'm proud of you niece.

(For more information on Akilah Nehanda Muhammad follow her on Twitter @OfficialNehanda, Become a fan on Facebook and ReverbNation)

***BONUS: View Sister Akilah's latest short film "The Revolutionary's Revelation"***

Back from Pittsburgh! New Media Academy awards all-star students; panel discusses taking control of our images.

2011-12-18T12:20:00.001-06:00

I'm back from Pittsburgh! I had the honor of being a panelist at the Dec. 15 closing ceremony for the New Media Academy for African American Males. One Hood Media, established by Jasiri X and Paradise “The Arkitech” Gray, in conjunction with August Wilson Center for African American Culture and a generous donation provided by the Heinz Endowments, started the New Media Academy in June. New Media Academy is a tool to help African American young men critically analyze media messages, broaden their experience of media, and develop the creative skills needed in creating their own media. Why? All too often the young African American male is either underrepresented or misrepresented in media. The mission of the academy is to improve self image, dispel stereotypes, and provide a positive forum of self expression.

The program was offered to young African-American men, ages 14-19, and included the art of blogging, video production, and social media. Despite the rain, people packed the August Wilson Center to witness the New Media Academy All-Stars receive their certificates of completion and also we watched footage of their various works. Jasiri X also led the young men in a panel discussion on what they plan to do with the things they learned in the academy. Congrats to the all-stars!

Following that wonderful presentation, our panel zeroed in on the topic "Taking Control of Our Own Image." Fellow panelists included Wise Intelligent, Davey D, Che "Rhymefest" Smith, Malik Rhasaan (Occupy the Hood), and Bakari Kitwana. The panel was moderated by Jasiri X and Dr. Kimberly "Dr. Goddess" Ellis. We hit on mainstream media, the power of social media, ways to control the images of the Black male, reality shows, the Occupy Movement, hip-hop, Black love, and more. Once I get footage I will be sure to post it. Thank you to Jasiri X and Paradise Gray for the invite.

(Brother Jesse Muhammad is an award-winning blogger and a staff writer for The Final Call Newspaper. Follow Brother Jesse on Twitter @BrotherJesse)

How To Create Your Own Vision Board For 2012 and Start Winning!

2011-12-18T11:05:00.000-06:00

This past year, one of the main topics I spoke about inside various schools was regarding the importance of creating a personal vision board.

It is a board that depicts your goals for the week, month or year. This is a picture (left) of me leaving Woodson Leadership Academy in Houston after speaking to students and showing them an example of how to create one. We had a lot of fun! Are you looking to create a vision board for 2012? Here's the steps:

1) Pull out old or new magazines you don't mind destroying. Search and cut out pictures or words that represent what you would like to attain. There are no limits except the ones you accept.

2) Get a poster board. Start gluing or taping those images all over your board however you like. Remember this is not for anyone else, this is for YOU.

3) Hang the vision board in a place where it is most visible and where you know you will see it EVERYDAY. I don't know about you, but it is very easy to forget about things when you don't have a visual blueprint. Look at it daily.

4) Take action! Don't do this just to look good to others who may stop by your home, but do it for the sake of achieving your goals. At the end of every day ask yourself "What did I do today to get me one inch closer to achieving one of my goals?"

It's your time. 2012 here we come.

(Brother Jesse Muhammad is an award-winning blogger and a staff writer for The Final Call Newspaper. Follow Brother Jesse on Twitter @BrotherJesse)

Caribbean Tour Watch: Minister Louis Farrakhan arrives in St. Kitts, birthplace of his mother

2011-12-18T00:55:00.000-06:00

According to a report posted by the Office of the Prime Minister of St. Kitts & Nevis, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and his delegation arrived there safely on Friday, December 16. St. Kitts is the birthplace of his mother. Minister Farrakhan will reportedly co-host a Youth Rally on Monday, Dec. 19 with Prime Minister Douglas at Warner Park. Click above to watch the arrival footage and interview they conducted with Minister Farrakhan. This visit to St. Kitts comes on the heels of a tour in Jamaica and Haiti the past few weeks.

“All-American Muslim”: Boycott against Lowe’s brewing in the Tweets and Streets

2011-12-18T00:11:00.001-06:00

by Brother Jesse Muhammad

It seems like Florida is good for giving birth to Islamic haters. First, we had Pastor Terry Jones who wanted to barbecue the Holy Qur’an and now the Florida Family Association is in the business of strong arming corporations into pulling ads from the show “All-American Muslim.”

Lowe's, the home improvement corporation, removed its ads after the Florida Family Association got their members to flood the inbox of the show’s advertisers. In a letter posted on their website, Dave Caton, executive director of the Florida Family Association, claims “We have NOTHING against Muslims. We just want to make sure that only American laws are enforced in America and that Islamic code or Sharia law does NOT change our way of life or diminish our liberty.” He further states “More people need to wake up to the fact that Islam and those who practice some of its deviant rules have been doing so for thousands of years and are a threat world wide including America.”

The show “All-American Muslim” is about five families from Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb in Detroit. The family association believes that “All-American Muslim” only portrays Muslims who are ordinary people and excludes Islamic extremists with the Sharia agendas.

This is nothing more than outright bigotry, hate and Islamophobia 101 at its finest.

Well, the boycott against Lowe’s has started. Hundreds reportedly gathered on December 17 outside one of the locations in Allen Park, Michigan to let their voices be heard. One of those present was Dawud Walid, spokesperson for CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) of Michigan.

In a recent blog regarding the issue, Walid wrote “The attack upon the TLC reality show “All-American Muslim” by anti-Muslims bigots is but part of an ongoing cultural war with the objective of marginalizing Muslims from popular culture relevance among our nation’s status quo, baby-boomer White Christians and their children.”

“If we sit back and allow the likes of [Pamella] Geller and the Florida Family Association to banish us from positive discussion within mainstream America, we’ll all be the losers, whether you like “All-American Muslim” or not. Watch the show, and encourage others to do the same is one way of pushing back against bigotry,” he said.

Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons has been blowing up his Twitter timeline with his disgust over the issue. “If we sit back and let corporations make hateful statements our 1st amendment rights will soon be at risk monday we join boycott," he tweeted. "families, politicians and community leaders boycotting you #Lowes? Simply do the right thing and apologize honestly to American Muslims."

Simmons and his Rush Card also bought out all of the remaining ad spots for “All-American Muslim” for the past week. Supporters are being asked to join in the campaign against Lowe's and any other advertiser who pulls their money from "All-American Muslims". An online petition has been launched as well.

Will Lowe's apologize? Let's see.

(Brother Jesse Muhammad is an award-winning blogger and a staff writer for The Final Call Newspaper. Follow Brother Jesse on Twitter @BrotherJesse)

Nation of Islam's historic Salaam Restaurant reopening in 2012 in Chicago

2011-12-17T12:38:00.002-06:00

by Brother Jesse Muhammad

I was in high school when the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan had the grand opening of the Salaam Restaurant on the Southside of Chicago. I remember the members of the NOI in Houston being so excited about it. I heard stories about the beautiful architecture inside the restaurant and the excellent food. I experienced it for myself in 1997 during my first ever trip to the Windy City and it lived up to its reputation.

While driving up 79th Street, you could see the towering rotating star and crescent blocks away. The lines were so long just to get seated that the only thing I could do was get a quick fish sandwich in the Blue Seas bakery area of the establishment.

However, the decor was the most amazing thing I had ever seen in my life at that time--especially Black-owned. The restrooms were so clean that you would've felt comfortable eating a sandwich off the floor. (Well, that's not good hygiene but you get the point) From that point on I would eat at the Salaam on many occasions while attending our annual Saviours' Day Convention. Standing in the long line was well worth it. Why? Because we were supporting our own.

Due to certain undisclosed issues, the Salaam Restaurant closed down I believe over 10 years ago. Now, it is on the way back! According to information I received, the reopening is slated for February 2012 during our Saviours' Day Convention weekend. In a recent email, officials said:

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, for if it was not for him, Salaam Restaurant would not be possible. We also would like to thank all those who have contributed and continue to contribute their monies toward the opening of Salaam Restaurant, Bakery/Coffee Shop. If you have not yet contributed towards the opening of Salaam Restaurant, then we would like to take this opportunity in inviting you to share in this historic endeavor to reopen Salaam Restaurant and to know that you played an important role in making this opening a reality for you and the entire Chicago South Side Community; a Salaam Restaurant for the People by the People!" (You can donate by going online or visiting your local NOI Mosque or Study Group)

They released the following beautiful renditions of the what the Salaam will look like in certain parts:

A lot of work is being done in preparation for this reopening that is being spearheaded by Student National Secretary Berve Muhammad along with a team of non-stop workers and skilled experts. Check out footage below of some of the work:

I made my donation and I am extremely excited about this reopening! We all have an opportunity to make the Salaam Restaurant our own and help bring the vision of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan to life, today! The donation drive ends December 25, so click here and donate today or visit your local NOI Mosque or Study Group. The Salaam is coming back and you have any opportunity to help make it possible! In the words of Brother Berve, "Wouldn't it be nice?"

(Brother Jesse Muhammad is an award-winning blogger and a staff writer for The Final Call Newspaper. Follow Brother Jesse on Twitter @BrotherJesse)

Photos: Haitian President Michel Martelly welcomes Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam delegation

2011-12-14T15:14:00.004-06:00

I know what you're saying, "Man, Brother Jesse Blog is 'All-Farrakhan-Everything' these days." LOL! Well, if you've been an avid reader of my blog for the past years you already know I (we) love Farrakhan. Plus the recent trip he's taking RIGHT NOW in Haiti is so important in the post-earthquake rebuilding efforts. I didn't know until now that this is Minister Farrakhan's first time there and it's right on time. As soon as he landed he shared the purpose of his trip in a press conference at the airport. I also read that Oprah Winfrey, Bill Stiller, and Kim Kardashian were also in Haiti this past week on their own separate trips.

In searching Facebook, we found photos posted by Pres. Martelly of his meeting with Min. Farrakhan and Nation of Islam delegation. In the photos you can see Haitian-born music star Wyclef Jean was present as well as the hard working Joshua Farrakhan, NOI Student Supreme Captain Mustapha Farrakhan, and NOI International Rep. Akbar Muhammad. What was discussed at this meeting? I have no idea but I'm sure it was productive. To view all of the photos on Pres. Martelly's Facebook page go to CLICK HERE.

Related Blogs:

>Minister Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam to bring more water purification machines to Haiti

>Minister Louis Farrakhan arrives in Haiti during Caribbean Tour; Anniversary of 2010 earthquake nears

>Minister Louis Farrakhan says on "Smile Jamaica" TV Show: "President Obama will win again, but at a great cost."

Minister Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam to bring more water purification machines to Haiti

2011-12-14T11:30:00.000-06:00

Media turned out for a major press conference at Toussaint L'Ouverture Airport in Port-au-Prince when the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan arrived in Haiti this past Sunday. "I am more than honored to be here in Haiti. I came to listen, to learn and to share with the people of Haiti what I have been taught by a Messenger of God, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad," he said. Minister Farrakhan also pledged that the Nation of Islam will be bringing two more water purification machines to the people of Haiti, one for the Christians and the other one for the Muslims. Watch the full press conference above.

According to a recent online report by The Final Call, "Prior to his visit, the Minister and the Nation of Islam donated a $150,000 water purification system to Haiti in August, on the 200th anniversary of the gathering that led to the Haitian Revolution. The 30,000 gallon-a-day system, which is solar powered, was installed in partnership with activist Ezili Danto and her Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network. The installation included a weeklong training on the system and a delegation of Nation of Islam Muslims primarily of Haitian descent. The water will be distributed to different communities in Port-au-Prince. Cholera, a waterborne disease, has killed hundreds and injured thousands in Haiti, and the system was part of an effort by Min. Farrakhan to directly help the poorest and most vulnerable Haitians. Cholera is widely believed to have been introduced by unsanitary practices of a contingent of UN peacekeepers."

[Revolutionary Music] "Film the Police" serving as a call to action for the digitized media movement

2011-12-13T21:21:00.001-06:00

I usually don't post music with cursing in it, but this song and video is a must see! One of my favorite rappers, Jaisir X, hit me up once again with a new revolutionary banger that he's a part of. This time he's featured on B. Dolan's "Film the Police" which pays tribute to N.W.A.'s infamous song.This song is serving as a call to action for the digitized media movement while responding to the recent explosion of police brutality all across the world. According to the summary on YouTube, "With the Occupy Movement bringing various forms of injustice to the forefront of people's consciousness, "Film the Police" is a reminder that cops have been a continued and increasingly militarized presence in public streets. Thanks to the widespread use of smartphones and video cameras, along with the popularity of social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, the power of the media has been put back into the people's hands as they document the injustices perpetrated by those who have sworn to serve and protect them." Click above to watch it or click @ http://youtu.be/hyT1buoyTnY

Minister Louis Farrakhan arrives in Haiti during Caribbean Tour; Anniversary of 2010 earthquake nears

2011-12-12T00:16:00.000-06:00

According to news reports, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and his delegation arrived in Haiti on December 11 to start a five-day visit to the country that is still trying to rebuild nearly two years after it was rocked by a major earthquake. This trip comes right after Minister Farrakhan spent four days in Jamaica. That trip to the hometown of his parents concluded, according to tweets I read, with a live public speaking engagement at a hotel ballroom on Saturday Dec. 10. The message was aired live over the radio by Power 106-Jamaica. He also did an interview with "Smile Jamaica" on Television Jamaica on Dec. 7.

I don't know the details of his itinerary, but I'm sure Minister Farrakhan will be looking to see how the Nation of Islam can further assist the people. Under his direction, the Nation of Islam purchased a $120,000 Mobile Max Pure solar generator that purifies water in an effort to help our Haitian brothers and sisters gain access to clean water. Earlier this year, a NOI delegation went to Haiti to ensure that the system was installed and working properly. It is pumping and purifying an average of 30,000 gallons each day at a cost of less than one penny per gallon, according to the manufacturer.

Interestingly, fellow Chicago-based celebrity Oprah Winfrey arrived in Haiti the same day as Minister Farrakhan. She's reportedly on a separate trip for the next two days. In the past I've tweeted about how I find it strange that Oprah has interviewed just about everybody EXCEPT Minister Farrakhan. Well, maybe she will run into him in Haiti and talk to him about how they can work together to help our people there.

Will blog more about Minister Farrakhan's Caribbean Tour trip once I receive more information!

Majoring in 'Minor' Things: Why do Black students avoid studying agriculture?

2011-12-10T20:12:00.001-06:00

by Jesse Muhammad

HOUSTON (FinalCall.com) - When reviewing lists of the “most popular” majors selected by incoming college students throughout America, agriculture is hardly mentioned or pursued by this generation.Omari Muhammad, a college sophomore, is determined to help change the aversion his peers have towards this field that is necessary for the survival of all people.

“I believe most young people don’t have a true understanding of the importance of agriculture. Plus most of us run away from something that involves getting our hands dirty yet the things we eat come from the land,” said Omari Muhammad, who is majoring in animal science at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), a HBCU located 45 miles west of Houston.

Omari Muhammad developed an affinity for agriculture while working on a farm every summer owned by his grandparents. He decided to pursue it in college and is presently taking courses such as agriculture marketing management.

“I don’t see a lot of young people flocking to this major versus other majors. We need more of our experienced Black farmers to go into the middle schools and high schools to teach us early about why we can’t survive without farming. This may help to increase the number of college students pursuing it,” opined Omari Muhammad, who also serves as president of the PVAMU chapter of the Nation of Islam Student Association.

For the past few months, the importance of land ownership has been an on-going theme in recent messages and radio interviews by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. In his appearance at PVAMU on Nov. 9 he even suggested that anyone majoring in sociology or psychology should change their major right away.

Janice Henderson, who is majoring in psychology at a local community college, was in the audience when he said that. She got slightly offended but understood his point.“I will admit he has me thinking about why I even chose psychology as a major and what direction I’m going to take once I graduate. He’s right in that there aren’t a lot of opportunities out there in my major but I’m just not a land type of person,” Ms. Henderson said with a smile.

[READ MORE]

Muslim School Elevating Young Minds to Help Build a Nation

2011-12-10T19:48:00.001-06:00

by Jesse Muhammad for The Final Call Newspaper

MISSOURI CITY, Texas - If you drive down Cliffdale Street to the cul-de-sac, you will see a humble two-story home to your left. From the outside it appears to be just a normal family residence but inside it’s an entirely different story.

It is the location of the Muslim-owned private school called The Elevated Places.Small bedrooms, a living room and dining area have been turned into classrooms, giving birth to some impressive accomplishments by the staff and students—all rooted in the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad as taught by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.

“We always focus on making sure we’re in line with what the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan is teaching and do our best job to educate our students,” said Wakiti Muhammad, school administrator.

How did it all begin? Wakiti Muhammad and her family lost everything in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. While dealing with the emotional pain of that experience, she was very concerned about the education of her children. With so many Nation of Islam women in the area already homeschooling their children, she decided to network and unite with them in July 2006, with a school in mind.

One of those parents was Melva Muhammad, a mother of eight children. She and her husband Isaiah Muhammad owned the home and were willing to make the sacrifice to turn it into a full-fledged institution—especially since they were anti-public school.For seven months, while waiting for the completion of their present new residence, Melva Muhammad and her family slept at night in the house on Cliffdale and woke up every morning to move mattresses to make room for classes in the day time.

“We didn’t have a choice. We couldn’t wait to get a building. The need was so great, we were willing to make that sacrifice for the education of our children,” said Melva Muhammad, who has homeschooled all of her children and is also an experienced school administrator.

When deciding upon a name for the school, it was Melva Muhammad who opened to the 7th Surah of the Holy Qur’an titled “The Elevated Places” and the school was officially founded in 2007 with approximately 35 students.

[READ MORE]

Minister Louis Farrakhan says on "Smile Jamaica" TV Show: "President Obama will win again, but at a great cost."

2011-12-09T10:47:00.001-06:00

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan was Smile Jamaica's live morning guest on Television Jamaica, Wednesday, December 7. Minister Farrakhan responded to several questions on a variety of subjects. Click here to watch the full video replay.

When asked if he thinks President Barack Obama will be re-elected in 2012, he said "I believe he will win again, but at a great cost. I hate to say what I really see. Because they hate him so much now that a Black man, and a beautiful Black woman and two beautiful little girls are the First Family of racist America. They can't take it." Click here to watch the video replay.

Did you know Minister Farrakhan is tweeting? Since I have been on Twitter, the past three years, countless people kept asking, “When is Farrakhan going to get on Twitter?” The wait is over. Read about why he launched a Twitter page in the latest edition of The Final Call newspaper.

Update (12/9/11 7:20pm CST): The Final Call Team released an exclusive report of Minister Farrakhan first day in Jamaica. Click below to view some behind the scenes footage!

Jasiri X interviews Dr. Marc Lamont Hill about new book with Mumia Abu Jamal

2011-12-09T10:06:00.001-06:00

Jasiri X Interviews Dr. Marc Lamont Hill about the new book he wrote with Mumia Abu-Jamal "The Classroom And The Cell." Footage directed by Paradise Gray for 1Hood Media. (Filmed at the The University Of Pittsburgh's "Evolving the Image Summit")

Reflecting on the life of Martina Correia; Memorial Services to take place in Savannah

2011-12-08T18:29:00.001-06:00

Martina Davis-Correia, sister of Troy Davis, made her transition on last week. I first read the news via Twitter. I then received confirmation from their sister Kimberly when I called Martina's phone. This was and is very sad news. I built a tight working relationship with her via phone over the past three plus years during many interviews about her brother's case for The Final Call Newspaper. We finally met in person for the first time at Troy Davis' memorial services in September. It was a moment I will never forget because she was a woman I truly admired. The last time I spoke to her was in November and she told me "Get ready to get back writing Brother Jesse. We're about to crank it back up and work to clear my brother's name." I told her "I'm ready!" She also told me how her health wasn't getting better but she said she would continue to fight on. Despite battling breast cancer for years, Martina NEVER stopped fighting for her brother. What a warrior she was. Martina will be missed. Prayers go out to her son De'Juan and the entire family.

I spoke with Kim and she told me the services for Martina in Savannah, GA will be: Memorial Services Friday, December 9 at New Life Apostolic Church (2120 West Bay Street) from 6-8:00PM. The Homegoing Celebration will be Saturday, December 10 at Temple of Glory (1105 Stiles Avenue at 11:00AM.

Mumia's Death Sentence Dropped! Desmond Tutu Demands his Release

2011-12-07T18:45:00.001-06:00

(Blogger's Note: The following is reposted from the FreeMumia.com website as it relates to the news that Mumia Abu Jamal has been taken off deathrow and given life in prison. Please visit the official website to stay informed on developments related to his case. Free Mumia!)

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Calls for Mumia Abu-Jamal’s Release

“Now that it is clear that Mumia should never have been on death row in the first place, justice will not be served by relegating him to prison for the rest of his life—yet another form of death sentence. Based on even a minimal following of international human rights standards, Mumia must now be released. I therefore join the call, and ask others to follow, asking District Attorney Seth Williams to rise to the challenge of reconciliation, human rights, and justice: drop this case now, and allow Mumia Abu-Jamal to be immediately released, with full time served.”

The news that the DA’s Office of Philadelphia is no longer seeking the death penalty for Mumia is no news to supporters of the nearly 30 year Pennsylvania Death Row prisoner. However, because Mumia has for thirty years been subjected to torture on death row and because he is innocent, justice for Mumia will not be served by life imprisonment, but by his release from prison.

Mumia’s case is like thousands of other cases in Philadelphia in which the prosecutor, the judge, and the police conspired to obtain a conviction. One of the most important and least known facts of this case is the existence of a fourth person at the crime scene, Kenneth Freeman. Within hours of the shooting, a driver’s license application found in Officer Faulkner’s shirt pocket led the police to Freeman, who was identified as the shooter in a line-up. Yet Freeman’s presence at the scene was concealed, first by Inspector Alfonso Giordano and later, at trial, by Prosecutor Joe McGill. Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice asserted that withholding evidence of innocence by the prosecutor warrants the overturning of a conviction.

The police investigation that led to Mumia’s conviction was also riddled with corruption and tampering with evidence. The recently discovered Polokoff photographs that were taken at the crime scene, reveal that officer James Forbes, who testified in court that he had properly handled the guns allegedly retrieved at the crime scene, appears holding the guns with his bare hands. The photos also discredit cabdriver Robert Chobert as a witness; his taxi, contrary to his testimony, is pictured facing away from the fallen officer’s car. This evidence hasn’t been reviewed by any court.

Our call to Seth Williams is that he honor DA Lynn Abraham’s 1995 promise to the city of Philadelphia that she would discard any cases where evidence surfaces that even one of the officers involved in an investigation lied in court or in written reports.The D.A. may think that the case can be laid to rest by sending Mumia off to life in prison. But an aroused public, with the Supreme Court ruling the death sentence to be unconstitutional, is ready to challenge anew the entire trial. The same judge, jury, and DA that were involved in the unlawful sentencing process committed equally egregious violations in the conviction. This is not an ending, it is a new beginning for the movement supporting Abu-Jamal’s quest for release.

The December 9 forum at the National Constitutional Center, featuring Prof. Cornel West, will be preceded by an 11:30 a.m. Press Conference, at the American Friends Service Committee building, 1501 Cherry Street. Then the following day there will be a full-day of organizing and fundraising activities, Saturday December 10, at the Germantown Event Center, 5245 Germantown Avenue, beginning at 12 Noon.

Final Call Newspaper Report: "NBA lockout ends, but is the future brighter?"

2011-12-07T09:21:00.001-06:00

by Jesse Muhammad for The Final Call Newspaper

(FinalCall.com) - There were five months of war between billionaire and millionaire owners and players in the National Basketball Association but it looks as if basketball fans worldwide will get to see their favorite stars return to the hardwood on highly commercialized Christmas day. The lockout is ending.

“It seems that the owners planned to start the season on Christmas all along and dragged the players through this lockout to get more money out of the deal. It was a business strategy. This is a game of money,” Exavier Pope, a Chicago-based sports and entertainment attorney, told The Final Call.

At one point it looked as if the entire 2011-2012 season would be completely cancelled. Some sports analysts even hinted that this was the end of the league.

NBA Commissioner David Stern even gave the players a “take it or leave it” message but the players’ association, directed by Atty. Billy Hunter, refused to back down. As parties agree on final terms, the season looks to have a schedule missing 16 games from a normal 82-game regular season.Who will ultimately be the winner? Owners? Players? Fans?Although the final details of the agreement were in line for inking and approval at Final Call press time, according to Mr. Pope, players could ultimately lose as much as eight percent of NBA basketball related income to owners, amounting to about $2.5 billion. The deal will also help some teams in struggling markets and the league will now be in a position to take advantage of millions in holiday advertising dollars.

“Christmas time is usually when everyone starts truly paying attention to the NBA anyway and that’s why Christmas is the largest day for NBA advertisers and generates major revenue. That will help the league make up for money they lost. It’s all strategy and the owners know that,” said Mr. Pope, who is also a legal analyst and blogger.

[CLICK TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE]

Education Summit Inspires Young Black Males to Overpower Negativity with Positivity

2011-12-06T12:44:00.001-06:00

by Brother Jesse

It is hard enough to get young Black boys to getup on time for school let alone up early on a Saturday morning. Throw somethingeducational in the mix instead of entertainment and your chances may get evenslimmer.

Hold up. Wait a minute. That's a stereotypical pandemic that we assume has infected the entire population of the minds of ouryoungsters. For the record: It’s not totally true.

Evidence of this happened this past Saturday onDecember 3 when noted community servant Deric Muhammad partnered with Lone StarCollege once again to host the 2^nd Annual SMART’N UP Black MaleSummit on Education at the Lone Star College Victory Center in the Acres Homesarea. Alicia Jackson, a brilliant mother of two set of twins, assisted greatlyto ensure the entire day flowed smoothly from 9am – 2pm.

Just like last year, the young attendees forsooktheir beds, window shopping at the mall, cartoons and Wii systems to arm theirmost important weapon: The Mind.

Deric Muhammad kicked the morning off with amessage about the importance of the putting the right information in the mind. “Anything you put in yourmind you will become. If you want to get different results in your life youhave to put different information in your mind,” he said.

Itwas during last year’s summit that Brother Deric announced that he would beleading by example and enrolling at Lone Star College. He has made his wordbond by taking classes online and on campus. I personally witnessed him once crammingto take an online Spanish test at our mother’s home. He has also shared with mehow he has enjoyed certain discussions in a class. Proud of you big brother!

Ok,back to the summit. He went deeper into how we all can get knocked down bynegativity and trials, but we all have the choice to “punch back.” Since he’s ahuge fan of boxing, he put on the gloves to drive the point home. With the helpof boxing trainer Juan Muhammad, he threw several punches and even broke a little sweat.(smile)

“Whatdo you do after you "get hit"? You punch back!...Depending on how youlook at the situation will determine if it is negative or positive. You can bea master at it if you put the right information in your mind,” he said. Nextthe boys attended three consecutive workshops by Durce Muhammad, Robert Moore,and some guy named Brother Jesse.

Durce Muhammad’s PowerPoint on the true power and purposeof education provoked deep thought and moments of laughter due to his excellentability to connect to his audience. He closed out by giving a scenario showingwhat would happen if people with certain skills were stranded on an islandtogether. One island had people on it such as a doctor, architect, carpenter,engineer and the other island had a rapper, pimp and a star athlete. His point:Which one would be able to build something up to sustain their lives on theisland?

Robert Moore is one of the top laptop distributorsin the city and said when he desired to step out on his vision, he had manydoubters. He also walked everyone through the bad decisions he survived tobecome the successful entrepreneur he is today. “Never let anyone take youoff course when God has given you a vision,” he said.

Inmy session, I spoke on “Information Warfare: Taking Control of the Black MaleImage.” It was based on the principle taught by the Most Honorable ElijahMuhammad: You don’t have to condemn a dirty glass. Just set a clean glass upnext to it. I shared strategies on how we can take control of our images bycreating our own media, using available online tools to promote the positivethings being done by the Black community and eliminating excuses. I closed bysaying that one definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Well, it would be insane to keep expecting theWhite corporate-controlled media and Hollywood to portray us in a positivelight. We have to do it.

Afterthe workshops, everyone enjoyed lunch and further dialogue. What a great way tospend a Saturday morning. Let’scontinue to SMART’N UP!

Speaking Tour Update: Woodson Leadership Academy's Pearling & Tie Ceremony

2011-12-06T02:13:00.001-06:00

These young brothers looking sharp! On December 2, I had the honor of speaking at the Pearls & Ties Ceremony hosted at Woodson K-8 Leadership Academy in Houston. The purpose of this ceremony was to induct these young boys and girls into the Brilliant Scholars Society. Each honoree was presented with a pearl necklace (girls) and a necktie (boys). In my brief talk I touched on why mediocrity is not tailor-made for them. I'm happy I was able to donate the neckties. Congrats to all of the students! Job well done! Thank you to Principal Fullmighter, Co-sponsor Erika Edmond, Co-sponsor Kristy Love, and Ms. Odutayo for inviting me to be apart of the event.

One-on-one with Twitter giant Ramel: "The purpose of life is to be useful."

2011-12-03T17:37:00.001-06:00

(Blogger's Note: I met educator and singer Ramel Werner via Twitter over a year ago and his timeline is consistently positive. He recently won the 2011 Golden Twit Award in the music category. The Golden Twits is an annual award that aims to celebrate the most active and respected twitter users. Here's our one-on-one interview.)

Brother Jesse Muhammad (BJ): Growing up, what did you dream to become?

Ramel Werner (RW): Growing up, I dreamed of being a professional basketball player, then later I thought of becoming an accountant, and then a singer. I got into teaching by accident. While studying for my CPA exam, I would substitute teach in the Chicago Public Schools. I was assigned to a school that required me to be with children challenged with behavior problems. I was intrigued by their “unrestricted honesty” and because of the quiet day they had with me, the principal asked if I could come back. I’ve been teaching at that same school for 16 years now.

BJ: Do you think you're living a purpose-driven life?

RW: I got to admit that sometimes I don't like to think about the purpose of life. It can be too overwhelming at times. It puts the pressure on, making me wonder, "What am I doing? Am I really living the life I'm supposed to be living?" But since you’ve got me thinking about it now I’d say from my readings and studying of affirmations I do think the purpose of life is to be useful, responsible, honorable, and compassionate. In those terms, I’d say that’s what I strive for and what drives me on a continuous basis… On and off twitter!

BJ: What motivates you everyday?

RW: A passionate desire for something pleasing, coupled with the avoidance of hurt creates the strongest motivation. These desires I speak of start with an alarm clock waking me up every morning and my goals toward them are what get me out of bed.

BJ: At what point did you recognize you had the gift of singing? What do you want your listeners to take away from your music?

RW: I blame my family for being a lover of music, but it was my 8th grade graduation solo that sealed the deal. I would describe my music as my biography. I hope listeners take away the feeling that they are not alone in love, romance, and everyday life. Hopefully, I voiced a feeling they've had and maybe never were able to verbalize.

BJ: In your Twitter bio, you call yourself the "Mayor of Positivity." What is your aim when tweeting to your followers?

RW: They say awareness changes everything, and only when you become aware can you change anything. My aim is to share things that are for the most part enlightening… Sharing these small pieces of positive information with large amounts of people has been a powerful opportunity and to my delight has afforded me the opportunity to meet like-minded people such as you. The Mayor part of it is just a play on the fact that I like the combination of foursquare and twitter.

BJ: What quote do you tweet that could sum up how you live your life?

RW: It’s actually a RT from @revrunwisdom that says “Imagine if all your words for the past 24 hours had been recorded, would you be proud? What comes out of your mouth reveals who you are.” – Joyce Meyers.

BJ: Thank you and continued success to you!

(Follow Ramel on Twitter @ItsRamel)

[Video Premiere] Songstress Akilah Nehanda Muhammad releases "Best in the World"

2011-12-01T09:00:00.001-06:00

Pay attention because this could be the next Grammy nominated music artist in the coming years. She has a beautiful voice, a magnetic personality and a smile that will win you over within seconds. She is focused. She is determined to be the best. Her name is Akilah Nehanda Muhammad and she’s a Muslim songstress striving to set a new standard in the music industry.“Best in the World” is her first music video and it’s sure to be a hit. In one part of the song she says "Truth is what we need/How else will we ever grow?/It's not about how you look/It's really about what you know."

Filmed at Howard University, the school where Akilah is a senior, the video is packaged with great vocals, a grooving beat, modesty, unity on the yard and just plain fun!I will be doing an extensive one-on-one interview with Akilah soon but until then, click below to watch the premiere of “Best in the World.” Congrats Akilah! I’m proud of you niece.

Link: http://youtu.be/8rrRNvkcNfY

Taking Things For Granted: A Recent Valuable Dinner Experience

2011-11-28T22:08:00.001-06:00

by Jesse Muhammad for HoustonBelief.com

This past week I had the opportunity to have dinner with a special group of individuals. The couple that hosted us is one that I have had great love, respect and admiration for over the past several years. Their service made us all feel like royalty and the wife cooked a meal that almost had me laid out on their couch for the rest of the evening. (smile) However, the food wasn’t the best part of the night. It was the fellowship and conversation.

One gentleman at the table was visiting from out of town along with his wife. He’d dare not say it of himself, but this man is one of the most brilliant and insightful individuals you would ever want to meet. For years all of us sitting at the table have held him in great esteem, whether it has been through his deeply spiritual writings, his no nonsense passion for what he believes in, his work ethic or his countless talks. He’s been speaking so long that most of us still listen to him on audio cassette tapes.

In the past, we would all be hanging on his every word, because we felt he was sincere in giving us all a greater insight into truths that we’re all seeking a greater understanding of. This time was no different, yet it was.

By the Grace of Allah (God), this man has survived several ‘near-death experiences.’ He presently “suffers” from Aphasia, a disorder resulting from a severe stroke he had a few years back. The Aphasia has impaired the part of his brain that controls speech and effects his ability to speak clearly at times to the point that his wife, who is so in tune with him, had to somewhat translate to us what he was attempting to communicate.

[CLICK TO READ MORE]

Documenting Our History: Talking with Minister Emeritus Abdul Rahman Muhammad

2011-11-28T17:47:00.001-06:00

On Sunday, November 27, I had the honor of doing an on camera interview with Nation of Islam Pioneer and Minister Emeritus Abdul Rahman Muhammad. The idea to do this interview was the brainchild of Houston NOI Student Minister Robert Muhammad who desired to filmed this as part of a NOI documentary. If we don't tell our story, who will? During the interview we covered many topics such as Bro. Rahman's life growing up, his first time hearing the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, his service in various posts under the leadership of the Hon. Elijah Muhammad, his untold relationship with Muhammad Ali, the truth about Malcolm X's break from the NOI, his love for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and so much more. This was truly a blessed experience. Look out for the documentary once its released!

Read-A-Holics Stand Up! What will you be reading this month before 2012?

2011-11-27T18:00:00.001-06:00

Read-a-holics stand up! Ha! Yes, 2011 has been a wonderful year for me in starting and finishing books. For the past couple of years I’ve left too many books undone but not this year and I’m very proud of that. I admit that by being sooooo, ahem, addicted to this computer that at times my attention span was impacted when it came to reading hardbacks. I started zooming through kindles in a few days but it started taking me longer than normal to complete hardbacks. I didn’t like that feeling because although I’m a techie, I still love the “old fashioned” feel of a book and/or newspaper in my hand. Don’t you?

I dedicated myself to changing that “hardback drought” this year and I’ve been successful. So, what have I read this year? The better question is what have I APPLIED from what I’ve read this year? At the close of the year I will unveil my entire reading list of 2011 but for now I wanted to mention a few books I will be reading for the month of December before the clock strikes 2012.

Books and writings by the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan: Why? I can never get enough of their wisdom so I strive to read some aspect of their writings just about every day. You can get copies of their writings at store.finalcall.com

The Holy Qur’an and Bible: Why? Uhm, why not? These two books stay in heavy rotation in the spiritual i-Pod.

How White Folks Got So Rich: The Untold Story of American White Supremacy by the Nation of Islam Historical Research Dept. Why? It’s only 96 pages but it is packed with some knowledge that I didn’t get in school and I KNOW you didn’t either. I actually read it this month but I have to study it this go ‘round. There is a difference between reading and studying. Oh yeah, you should check out their site: www.blacksandjews.com. (Don’t be scurrrred)

No High Honor by Condoleezza Rice: Why? When she was Secretary of State, I read some very interesting things about her upbringing. I don’t have to agree with someone’s politics to read their book. I even read “Bushes: Portrait of a Dynasty”..LOL!…nuff said.

Steve Jobs Biography by Walter Isaacson: I still get teased pretty often by my peers that I have yet to convert over to the “Mac-ism” world. Yes, I’m still rocking this HP laptop. However, I’ve been following the works of Jobs for a while so I’m looking forward to knocking this one out. Should be interesting.

GABBY by Alison Hanson, Mark Kelly, Jeffrey Zaslow and Gabrielle Giffords: Why? First, I think it’s nothing short of a miracle that she is still living. But what moved me the most to read this book was reading excerpts from it in the USA Today a few weeks ago. I was sold. I think it’s going to be pretty good.

I have a few more I will be going back to re-read paragraphs from related to goals I have but these are the primary ones I plan to finish. Can it be done? Sure! What about you? What book(s) have you read this year and what’s on your reading list for December? Please share.

Episode 4: Muhammad University of Islam Students Producing Weekly News Broadcasts

2011-11-24T21:03:00.001-06:00

The students of Muhammad University of Islam in Chicago are back with their 4th episode, delivering more news, updates and information. This week they focus on Occupy Wall Street, Proton Light Therapy, the Honda ASIMO robot, recent natural disasters and more. This is the power of independent education!! Students at Muhammad University of Islam started producing their own news broadcasts. According to one of the staff members, these very bright and intelligent students work hard each week to bring a very youthful and relevant news program. I loved it! When you view the news program, please leave a comment of encouragement for our children. We need a new crop of journalists unafraid to report the truth. Click above, watch and share! If you missed Episode 3, click here.

The Occupy Movement: The Beautiful Side of Ugly

2011-11-24T19:34:00.001-06:00

by Jesse Muhammad for HoustonBelief.com

It looks as if America's patience with the Occupy Wall Street movement is growing thinner by the day as police officers are being ordered to dismantle their occupy camps on all coasts.

It has been a beautiful sight to watch people taking a stand but it may be on the verge of turning completely ugly. Why? Because the American people are fed up and these young protesters don't have 'backing down' in their game plan. And neither do the Mayors of these various cities. The city officials may seem like they are cooperating with this beautiful display of the people’s constitutional right, but it may just be a mask covering the ugly disgust they have with the cause itself. This may become an all-out war.

The Occupy movement is so serious that even rapper Jay-Z came under fire for seemingly exploiting the movement by releasing his own line of "Occupy All Streets" t-shirts being sold on his Roca wear site. After the outrage, the shirts were reportedly removed from the site but magically reappeared the next day.

One of the lead organizers for Occupy Wall Street told reporters "Jay-Z, as talented as he is, has the political sensibility of a hood rat...To attempt to profit off the first important social moment of 50 years with an overpriced piece of cotton is an insult to the fight for economic civil rights known as #occupywallstreet." The 99% got many problems, but Jay-Z is not the biggest one.

Reportedly, hundreds of police officers, clothed in riot gear, stormed Zuccotti Park in New York in an effort to serve a final eviction notice to New York protesters. A New York Supreme Court Judge ordered that the city allow the protesters back into the park. How long will that order be upheld? New York is the birthplace of this movement that has caught fire across seas as thousands protest corporate greed, economic injustice, and other issues.

You remember the saying "What goes around, comes around", right? I can't help but think about how for so many years America's leaders spoke boldly when they told so-called dictators not to "harm their own people" and that people should be given the "freedom to protest." U.S. Presidents have called for "change" in foreign nations yet when it comes to the plight of the American people it seems to be placed on the back burner. Hypocrisy perhaps?

Photo:White House Flickr

In the midst of the Egyptian uprising, President Obama sided with the people and his administration warned Egypt's leaders that they should “not expect those protests to go away until they respond appropriately; at issue are deep concerns over repression, poverty and corruption." (Source)

Well, Mr. President looks like you have a similar problem on your hands, huh?

The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad warned us for decades that the things that we see across seas would soon be at the doorstep of America. And the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan has continued to deliver this same message. During an October 25 interview on Chicago's WVON, Minister Farrakhan discussed the Occupy Wall Street movement. The following was printed in The Final Call:

Returning to the Occupy Wall Street movement, when asked by a member of the press how he would advise Pres. Obama to keep the protests over the economic crisis here in America from becoming violent, the Minister said the president will “probably instruct the police to be very, very careful,” with the young protesters.
“People are hurting and these young people are expressing themselves. At first in New York the police were very hard on them, and this is not the best approach,” said the Minister warning that if the law enforcement officials grow tired of the protesters and any of them are killed, it could take them over the tipping point ushering in a violent escalation.
“If it gets to the point where America gets tired of the protest of these young people and something happens—like what happened at Kent State, and young Americans are killed—I tell you, militias in this country that have been training for war against their own government will come out in the streets to protect these children and it's on,” he said.
“I told you before that what you saw overseas was coming to your door! And now it is here! And it will get worse! I pray that you will tell your police to be full of restraint. But when they are not, then be careful,” he warned.

Will the Occupy movement turn into the Un-Occupy massacre? We shall see...

(Follow Brother Jesse Muhammad on Twitter @BrotherJesse)

Will Reginald Clemons be the next Troy Davis?

2011-11-24T09:38:00.001-06:00

by Jesse Muhammad, Staff Writer

Reginald Clemons has been on death row in the state of Missouri for 17 years for a crime he and his supporters say he didn't commit.

On March 5, 2012, the 40-year-old Black inmate may finally get his day in court.

At the scheduled hearing, Judge Michael Manners, the special master appointed to review the case by the Missouri Supreme Court, is expected to either decide to give Mr. Clemons a new trial, set a new execution date or recommend his immediate release.

Despite no physical evidence linking him to the crime, Mr. Clemons was convicted and sentenced to death in connection with the 1991 deaths of two White siblings, Robin and Julie Kerry, who drowned after falling from the Chain of the Rocks Bridge into the Mississippi River.

In a letter from the Missouri Attorney General's office sent last March, Judge Manners was asked to consider some evidence that had been held in cold storage at the police department's crime lab.

According to a letter from the AG's office to the judge “the state has discovered three laboratory reports and certain physical evidence, including what is commonly referred to as a rape kit. The evidence had not been previously disclosed as part of the state's case against Mr. Clemons,” the letter said.

The hearing has been rescheduled three times but St. Louis activist Jamala Rogers says Mr. Clemons is remaining determined and optimistic.

“When I last spoke with Reggie he said the attorneys want to make sure they have everything lined to present the best case possible. Also, to make sure there is enough time to get the DNA results from the rape kit evidence,” Ms. Roger told The Final Call.

Missouri is one of 34 states actively using the death penalty. By state, Missouri ranks fifth among executions carried out since 1976 with a total of 68 according to the Death Penalty Information Center. The state presently has 50 people on death row.

Ms. Rogers serves as the lead coordinator of the “Justice for Reggie” campaign. She and others have worked alongside Vera Thomas, Mr. Clemons' mother, and the legal defense team the past several years in fighting for his complete freedom.

Since the Sept. 21 execution of Troy Davis in Georgia, Mr. Clemons’ plight has drawn even more attention globally.

“There certainly has been more awareness surrounding Reggie’s case since the murder of Troy Davis. According to Reggie, a sad feeling swept throughout the prison he is in because they were following Troy Davis’ case,” said Ms. Rogers.

“There is a ‘Troy Davis’ in every state that has the death penalty. Reggie is our ‘Troy Davis’ and if we all look in our own backyards we will find similar cases in our own states,” said Ms. Rogers.

A case of reasonable doubt

According to Mr. Clemons' lawyers and supporters, the two White victims in the case went missing after visiting the Chain of Rocks Bridge on April 4, 1991 with their White male cousin Tom Cummins. The bridge had become a popular hangout spot for teenagers.

Mr. Cummins reportedly told police that the girls had been raped and pushed from the bridge, while he was robbed and ordered to jump by an unknown assailant, and that he survived the nearly 80-foot fall into the water with no injuries and dry hair. He even confessed to being responsible for the crime but was never arrested.

Instead, a then 19-year-old Mr. Clemons was apprehended by the police along with three others who were also hanging out on the bridge that night. The three Black males received a death sentence. The fourth young male, who is White, received a 30-year sentence and is presently on parole.

Mr. Clemons testified to Internal Affairs that he was forced into confessing to raping the victims because of brutal beatings by two detectives during interrogation. Mr. Clemons said his head was slammed repeatedly against the walls of the interrogation room which paralleled the documented stories of co-defendant Marlin Gray. Officers denied the claims.

In February 1993, Mr. Clemons was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.

In 2005, Mr. Gray was convicted and put to death by lethal injection. Co-defendant Antonio Richardson is now serving a life sentence and the lone White co-defendant in the case, Daniel Winfrey, was released on parole in 2007.

Both Mr. Clemons and Mr. Gray were given death sentences by the state under the law of “accomplice liability.” There has been no physical evidence, fingerprints, DNA or hair samples linking Mr. Clemons to the crime.

Mr. Cummins would later retract his confession and the city courts awarded him $150,000 after he charged that St. Louis officers beat the confession out of him.

Mr. Clemons has maintained his innocence and has stated that he gave coerced confessions after suffering multiple beatings at the hands of St. Louis Metropolitan police detectives. On June 17, 2009, Mr. Clemons was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit granted a stay. Amnesty International, the human rights group that galvanized over one million signed petitions in an effort to save Troy Davis, is making Mr. Clemons' case a focal point in its 50^th anniversary regional conference in Kansas City.

“We’re working with Amnesty, NAACP, ACLU and others. We have to keep the momentum going and stay energized. Troy Davis’ last words were that we can’t stop and we don’t intend to. We will be using all avenues possible to keep fighting for Reggie and all others,” said Ms. Rogers.

“It’s not just about these individual cases. It’s about fighting this entire system and ending the death penalty. We don’t have to run across the country looking for someone to fight for. Start where you are,” she advised.

(The story originally appeared in The Final Call Newspaper in Vol 31 No. 5 dated November 8, 2011)

Minister Farrakhan gives analysis of national, world affairs during Houston radio interview

2011-11-23T20:31:00.001-06:00

(FinalCall.com) - Brother Robert Muhammad, host of “Connect the Dots” radio show on 90.1 KPFT FM in Houston interviewed The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan for one hour on Wednesday, November 23. Minister Farrakhan delivered analysis of national and international affairs in light of history, scripture, and prophecy for the radio listeners and those tuning in nationwide via internet.

Click Here To Listen to the Internet replay

A League of Our Own! Are Black Athletes and Executives Qualified?

2011-11-22T01:51:00.001-06:00

by Deric Muhammad

Lebron James is one of the finest athletes that the Black community has ever produced. He's also a budding businessman who keeps company with the likes of Warren Buffet and Jay-Z. He and other young, gifted and Black ballplayers appear to be looking forward to winning not only dunking contests, but winning thinking contests, as well. This thinking contest is critical to any professional athlete's future; personally, professionally and financially. While the vast majority of ball handlers end up broke, directionless and unprepared for life "after the game," this year's NBA lockout could very well be a sign of a potential paradigm shift for the embattled Black athlete in American sports.

The dispute between owners, players and the reputed ego-maniacal Commissioner David Stern has become such a "spectacle of disrespect," that veteran sports journalist Bryant Gumbel, known for the " safeness" of his opinion, accused the commissioner of acting like a modern day plantation owner. From his critically acclaimed HBO show "Real Sports," Gumbel accused Stern of talking to NBA players like they were his "boys." During negotiations, Stern has been documented as having put his finger in the faces of certain players, acting unnecessarily aggressively towards men who are clearly, physically, his superior. Gumbel's statement, to many, was like Clarence Thomas wearing an "I AM TROY DAVIS" t-shirt. When Bryant Gumbel makes a statement like that, it must be high time for change.

But, what will this change look like for Black NBA players and Black athletes, in general? Will it mean more money, benefits and less risks in THEIR league? Should we take a closer look at the term "owner" and why Stern's attitude is the way it is towards players? We all witnessed what happened when James opted to pursue what he believed was in his own best interest by leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers and joining the Miami Heat. While Cleveland spent millions courting him to stay, the moment he made his decision they showed how they truly felt about him all along. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert derided him as a coward while the very fans who once professed their undying love for him threatened him and burned his jersey in the streets. If this happened to Lebron, any player who thinks it can't happen to them is two fries short of a "happy meal." In the NBA, you're only as good as your last bucket. [READ MORE]

EGO ALERT: "I am the Problem, We are the Solution"

2011-11-20T18:37:00.001-06:00

by Robert Muhammad

The problems within the Black community are solvable. The first step to solving our problems is to take a good look in the mirror. When you do, you will realize like I did, that I am the problem. No, I am not saying that I am the sole source of abberative behavior in the Black community. What I am saying is that I, my and me in my vocabulary is the problem. Selfish, self centered, egotistical leadership is the problem. Too much "I, my and me" in our conversations; not enough "us, our and we."

"The I has subordinated the we" the Honorable Minister Farrakhan told me this past week. "Our differences have subordinated the cause" he added. Unless we think, speak and act for the whole, our leadership is nothing but vanity. Until we settle our differences, the cause or our permanent interest will never be addressed and we will continue to suffer.

Today, we must begin to think, speak and act for the whole. No individual can rise above the condition of his people. There must be men or groups of men advocating one common cause. We didn't get to America because one individual decided to enslave African for 310 years. Nor was the Native American's land stolen from them by one or two persons - it was men or a group of men advocating one common cause.

It is time to do for self. Leadership must stop using I, my and me but rather think, act and speak for us, our and we. Like Jesus, we must say "I can of myself do nothing." Submission to Allah our Creator and unity will turn you and I to the We. When that happens, then it will be Allah (God) acting through the We.

(Robert Muhammad serves as the Student Southwest Regional Minister of the Nation of Islam. He is also an Urban Planner, and the host of Connect the Dots Radio show which airs Every Wednesday from 3-4pm CST on KPFT 90.1FM. Follow him on Twitter @DotsConnector)

My school Prairie View A&M University makes the cover of The Final Call Newspaper

2011-11-17T09:02:00.001-06:00

(All photos by Terry Muhammad)

(Blogger's Note: I have had a love affair with The Final Call Newspaper even before I became a staff writer. I received my first copy back in 1993 as a freshman in high school and I've enjoyed reading every edition that I've picked up. But this edition is VERY dear to me because it features my school on the cover with special reports on the recent visit by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan to Prairie View A&M University. Here are links to the coverage. Congrats PVAMU!)

Farrakhan challenges students to seek knowledge, serve the people and solve problems
by Ashahed M. Muhammad

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (FinalCall.com) - The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan told students November 9 they must use knowledge they are gaining to free Black people from dependence on their enemies through becoming producers and leaders in providing needed services.

“The Honorable Elijah Muhammad taught me that if a man won’t treat you right, what would make you think that he would teach you right?” asked Minister Farrakhan. “The same people that enslaved us will never send you a teacher that will free you from their grip.”

“The person that has knowledge has potential power to remove any impediment in the pathway of our progress,” he added.

Speaking at Prairie View A&M University for the first time since December 1988, Minister Farrakhan addressed nearly 4,000 students in the William “Billy” Nicks arena with words of wisdom, encouragement and guidance. The audience sat and listened attentively for nearly two hours as the Minister in his unique way, gave instruction from the Bible, the Holy Qur’an and historical anecdotes, to prepare the minds of the next generation of Black leaders. Prairie View A&M offered him a $5,000 honorarium to appear, however, he turned it down and asked them to give a scholarship instead.

Prior to his arrival, the campus was buzzing with excitement and there was electricity in the air of the arena. Even though many of the Black fraternities, sororities and other organizations were preparing for various events related to its approaching homecoming celebration, this particular Wednesday night event was a time for serious reflection and sober-minded thinking.

In his remarks, the Minister challenged the “bourgeoisie” thinking that often infects the minds of the Black community’s educated class.

“What is the purpose of education? Are we just in school to get an education so that we can go out and get a job and make some money, ride in a car, live in a nice home, abandon the ghetto and leave your brothers and sisters behind and think that we’ve made progress in the world? Is this what God intended when he asked us to go after knowledge from the cradle to the grave?” he asked the audience.

Hosted by the members of Students Participating in Transcendent Knowledge (S.P.I.T. Knowledge) and the Nation of Islam Student Association, the arena was filled with students from Prairie View A&M as well as Texas Southern University, whose students chartered a bus and made the hour-long road trip to hear his message. Lines stretched down the street in front of the arena as waves of young college students flowed through turnstiles until the arena reached capacity. [READ MORE]

Additional Links:

Why Does UConn's Student Government Have a Problem with Free Speech?

2011-11-15T17:33:00.001-06:00

(Blogger's Note: Last week I posted a blog about the incident involving Jasiri X and UConn. In the latest developments, UConn removed the organizer of the show from his position. Here is Jasiri's response)

by Jasiri X

After all of the media attention around my decision to perform my song "Occupy (We the 99)" at the University of Connecticut despite the objections of the student government; they still haven't gotten the point! At first, they were saying all the right things. According to the CT News Junkie USG President Sam Tracy said, "I do regret if we crossed the line into any kind of censorship,” and USG Comptroller Daniel Hanley, who sent me the revised contract asking me not to perform "Occupy (We the 99), said his explanation of the contract was “inaccurate” and “poorly written.” They also said I would be compensated for my performance. However, a few days later I received an email from the event organizer, Multicultural and Diversity Subcommittee Chairman Colin Neary, saying he had been dismissed from his position by Student Affairs Chairman Stephen Petkiss because according to the University of Connecticut's Daily Campus, Petkiss said Neary, "inappropriately expressed his opinions and misrepresented the organization".

So what was Colin Neary's unforgivable crime? He made a comment on the on the ACLU's Facebook page in an attempt to get the student government to pay me for my performance. Colin reached out to the ACLU on my behalf, but also to save the student government of the embarrassment that eventually came when their inappropriate behavior was exposed. After Colin was dismissed, Bryan Flanaghan, 5th-semester political science and economics major and Busby Suites senator, resigned from his position as Residential Affairs Subcommittee Chair. According to the Daily Campus, he said he was nervous about how easily a chair can be removed from his position. "I didn't feel I could properly work as Residential Affairs Chair if I was fearful of what I post on Facebook…could remove me from my job," Flanaghan said. "At this moment I felt it would be a poor choice to stay in my position."

In my humble opinion Colin Neary was the only person I interacted with that properly represented UConn's student government. When Colin emailed me saying members of the USG were concerned about my song he stated clearly and directly that he would not censor my performance and if I performed "Occupy (We the 99)" he would back me 100%. Consider that David Haseltine, a USG Senator and promotions manager at WHUS, UConn’s radio station to the CT News Junkie , "I have worked at WHUS for years in a position where I regularly book artists to perform at student fee funded concerts and I have never once heard of anyone try to control any aspect of the artist’s performance with a contract." That contract wasn't sent to me by Colin Neary it was sent by USG Comptroller Daniel Hanley, who by his own admission acted inappropriately, yet has been able to retain his position.

However the bigger issue is why does the University of Connecticut student government leadership have a problem with free speech? Why do they feel it's OK to ignore the US constitution? Why is their first reaction to speech they don't agree with is to censure the speaker? Why haven't they learned that denying individuals the right to free speech won't make the problem go away it will just make it worse? Do we want these individuals running our government?

I cannot in good conscious accept payment from the University of Connecticut student government for my performance on November 4th. The UConn students and alumni should take a very close look at the USG leadership and decide if they are acting inappropriately and misrepresenting the University.

A Smile is Powerful Weapon of Mass Upliftment....Unleash Yours Today!

2011-11-15T08:38:00.001-06:00

(Photo: White House Flickr)

You have a lot to smile about today so why are you frowned up? You woke up this morning blessed with another 86,400 seconds. Sure we all have problems but that's what life is all about--overcoming difficulties. Despite it all, there is still a ray of hope. Put on a smile today. A smile makes us attractive, alters our mood, can become contagious, helps us stay positive in the face of negativity, decreases stress and can even boost our immune system according to scientific research! A smile is a powerful weapon of mass upliftment! So, SMILE!

P.S.--Jam this Kirk Franklin song one time to get the corners of your mouth moving up (smile)

First Heady D Dies Now Eric Sermon Suffers A Heart Attack?! Sigh....

2011-11-13T13:12:00.001-06:00

According to my friend and fellow blogger Kim of "The Anti Blog", Hip-Hop legend Eric Sermon of EPMD suffered a heart attack on November 11. Kim is very close to the noted rap artists and wrote:

I just got off the phone with E and he said the Doctor told him his blood pressure was so high he was minutes from death. He wanted me to let everyone know he’s okay. He’s recuperating in a Long Island hospital and will be there for a few days to have tests done. He also told me to tell people to GET THEIR HEALTH CHECKED! Too many people are losing their lives and Black people are notorious for not getting regular checkups, please do so because your lives depend on it!

We're happy that Eric Sermon is okay. This all coming a few days after popular 44-year old artist Heavy D was pronounced dead; which shocked the entire world especially since he was just performing at the BET Hip-Hop awards a few weeks before. (video below) Prayers for the family of Heavy D and those he touched with his musical genius. His funeral will be held on November 18 at 11a.m. at Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, New York. "The Overweight Lover In The Houwwwse!"

And here is one of my favorite Heavy D songs "Somebody For Me"

Minister Louis Farrakhan ‘SPITs Knowledge’ at Prairie View A & M University

2011-11-13T11:46:00.001-06:00

by Nakia Cooper

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan served as guest lecturer at Prairie View A & M University Wednesday, November 9, 2011. Farrakhan’s appearance was part of the Students Participating in Transcendent Knowledge, or S.P.I.T Knowledge, an unconventional platform which offers a diverse genre of speakers to the students and community in a method that is not usually given in a traditional classroom setting.

People of all ages, races and walks of life attended the event to hear Farrakhan’s message of education and empowerment.

"We are honored to be at Prairie View tonight. I am grateful to the students who invited me to come," said Farrakhan, who had not been to the campus in 23 years.

Farrakhan remarked how his appearance was something unexpected—and may not have been welcomed – on other college campuses.

"Education should prepare you to listen to anyone and judge them for yourself as to whether they are worthy to be listened to," he said. "The person that has knowledge has potential power to remove any impediment in the pathway of our progress."

Security was tight at the event, which was free to the public, and attendees went through TSA-style pat-downs before entering PV’s William "Billy" J. Nicks building, also known as "The Baby Dome."
In the dome, the crowd was treated to various uplifting performances including spoken-word poetry, singing and rapping from Houston artist K-Rino.

Inspiring words were spoken by Texas rap legend and Rice University professor, Bun B of UGK, who impressed upon the youth the importance of the minister’s visit.

"This is history. It is importance that we acknowledge that we are in the presence of history; the presence of greatness," Bun B said, telling the students they need to take heed to the minister’s message and take charge of their lives. "They don’t believe you guys are willing to stand together, fight for what’s yours or you care."
Houston City Councilmember Jarvis Johnson also paid homage to the man he called great, hailing Farrakhan for advocating leadership and unity. He encouraged the attendees to "take the message in, not take the message out."

The minister was also presented the key to the city by Prairie View Mayor Frank Jackson.

S.P.I.T. Knowledge selects presenters who have an enormous ability to communicate with the younger "hip-hop" generation and have a message to share, while challenging the opinions and ideas of students.

[CLICK TO READ THE FULL REPORT]

Deric Muhammad graces the November Cover of Hurt 2 Healing: "How to Fight Injustice"

2011-11-12T01:34:00.001-06:00

I've been knowing Deric Muhammad for about, uhm, my entire life. Yes, he's my brother from the same mother. Many people still don't know that, including many in our own Nation of Islam. It's funny to witness their expressions when they find out we're related. I've learned so much from him since he fished me into the NOI and he helped to train me into the organizer I have been blessed to become and is becoming.

We're both budding products of the tree of the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad as Taught by His star student the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. And shaped by God in the same womb of Mavis Celeste Jackson. (Hey mama)

This month, Brother Deric bears the cover of Hurt 2 Healing magazine, founded by Ebony S. Muhammad of Houston. Interestingly, this magazine was born out of a march against domestic violence that Brother Deric and I organized in 2006 in Houston during the Essence Festival.

We are proud that Sister Ebony has remained consistent in keeping the H2H message alive and thriving. I had the honor of being on the cover in June 2010. And now Brother Deric makes his debut. My brother is looking sharp and the interview is awesome. Here's an excerpt below. Click the link afterwards, purchase hundreds of copies and check out the facelift that Sister Ebony's website has received. TIGHT!..

Ebony S. Muhammad (EM): Let’s begin your journey through activism, specifically your fight for justice, by revisiting the very first moment you were introduced to injustice.

DM: I was about 11 years old. We were living in the projects off of Mesa Road. They called those projects “The Hole”, because there was one way in and one way out. I remember being outside playing with some friends, and I saw one man being chased by some other men. They got into a tussle, and two of the men ran off leaving the other man lying on the ground. I saw that he was bleeding, and I immediately recognized the man as one of my mother’s friends. He was in our home a couple of days earlier fellowshipping with my mother; they had been drinking that day. I went to tell my mom, “That man who was in our house the other day is outside lying on the ground bleeding. I think he got stabbed”. By the time I got back, a huge crowd had gathered around him. Some of the people were his family members, some were his neighbors and some were just concerned people from the community.

People were doing what they knew how to do to revive him, however, it was to no avail. I just remember everybody became distraught. People started crying, grieving and weeping. I remember hearing people say, “He’s dying, he’s dying!” It was probably a good 20-25 minutes before the ambulance arrived. I remember when the ambulance got there the entire community was upset, because the paramedics came so late. Everybody truly believed had they come earlier this man probably could have survived his knife wound. I remember that very, very vividly.

I remember saying to myself how unjust it was that they took as long as they took and that man died. That was the first time that I ever saw somebody die in my entire life. I felt that it was senseless. Later on we found out he was stabbed over some small amount of money; something very, very minute and of course nothing to take a life over. I believe that his life could have been saved had that ambulance come sooner, and it infuriated me as an 11-year-old. To this day how I felt as an 11-year-old having seen that kind of injustice, is the same way I see it today.

[CLICK HERE TO READ MORE AND GET A COPY]

An unforgettable evening with Minister Farrakhan at Prairie View A&M University

2011-11-12T00:37:00.001-06:00

PRAIRIE VIEW, TX (Source: FinalCall.com) - The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan told those gathered at Prairie View A&M University to hear him speak on Nov. 9 that Black people must become producers and as students, they should be the leaders in providing service to their people.

Hosted by the members of Students Participating in Transcendent Knowledge (S.P.I.T. Knowledge) and the Nation of Islam Student Association, the arena was filled with students from Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern University, whose students chartered a bus to see the speech.

Nearly 4,000 students filled the William "Billy" Nicks arena, also called the "baby dome" to hear words of wisdom, encouragement and guidance from Minister Farrakhan in his first appearance at the school since December 1988. They sat attentively for nearly two-hours as the Minister in his unique way, gave instruction from the Bible, the Holy Qur'an and history, to prepare the minds of the next generation of Black leaders.

Click here for additional video and/or for MP3,CD, DVD

No Compromise! Jasiri X Responds to UConn's Suppression of Free Speech

2011-11-08T08:06:00.004-06:00

This is outrageous but not surprising. I received an email the other day from one of my favorite Hip-Hop artists Jasiri X. He was informing me about what happened recently during one of his performances on the campus of the University of Connecticut. Apparently, the school was attempting to strip him of his right to free speech but Jasiri refused to back down.

He released a video of his response to UCONN and wrote in an email:

I was recently invited to perform at the University of Connecticut on November 4th as the principal performer for a “Political Awareness Rally”. About a week before the event I got an email from the organizer, who ironically I met at Occupy Wall St, saying people were concerned about my performance, particularly the song “Occupy (We the 99).” I thought this was very strange because this is supposed to be an institution of higher learning that welcomes all types of ideas, plus the event was a rally for political awareness. The organizer said he would not censor me, but if I performed it I might not get paid. Then I received an email from the comptroller of the Undergraduate Student Government saying specifically I could not perform “Occupy (We the 99).”

I initially agreed to perform only a set of songs the University of Connecticut deemed “not political” because the event had already been advertised around campus and didn’t want to disappoint my fans by not showing up. I also didn’t want to let down the organizers who did a lot of hard work in putting the event together. But when I arrived at the University of Connecticut I had a change of heart.

As I looked around the crowd I began to think of all the people around the world occupying for a better tomorrow, being arrested and brutalized by police, sleeping in the cold and rain, sacrificing comfort for freedom. I knew at that moment I had to perform the song, “Occupy (We the 99)” as well as other “political” songs like “Real Gangstas” (about the Wall St bankers), even if it meant I would not get paid. At some point in this movement all of us are going to have to make sacrifices, if we truly want to see real change. The 1% control the 99% with promises of money, access, and comfort; we have to put our own souls above all three.

****

Occupy (We the 99) Official Video http://youtube.com/watch?v=Oxv9kIFJh5Y

Good Music Downloads: Dee-1 Presents "Uncle Tom!" [Official Video]; Immortal Technique Unleashes "The Martyr"

2011-11-04T20:29:00.002-05:00

Early this year, Dee-1 of New Orleans dropped his mixtape "I Hope They Hear Me" (Vol. 2) and I'm honestly still listening to it in my i-pod. This is one of the few "new school" artists I even consider to be dropping relevant music. I'm no music critic or expert but it takes a lot to impress me. Hence, Dee-1 has been on my blog because I enjoy his music and his message. This is the official video from one of my favorite songs called "Uncle Tom." It's funny, but has a lot of truth in it. Check it out and download the entire mixtape here.

Here's another piece of advice. Go and download Immortal Technique's latest release "The Martyr." It's free for downloading and its one of the BEST and most IMPORTANT revolutionary albums of the year. I'm really feeling the song "Civil War" featuring Brother Ali, Chuck D and Killer Mike. Check out that song and download the entire album by visiting www.ViperRecords.com. Immortal Technique is also on tour. Check the schedule. Thank you brother for your music and message!

Occupy Oakland shuts down the Port of Oakland; Police Not Too Happy, Huh?

2011-11-03T11:22:00.001-05:00

On November 2, I was following the live tweets of noted journalist and activist Davey D as he delivered up-to-the-minute updates about the huge General Strike that took place in Oakland, California. From what he and others reported, the port was officially shut down. Yes, one of the busiest ports in the country was shut down by Occupy Oakland. Unfortunately, the peaceful protest soon turned into a violent clash with police officers according to some news reports.

What caused this strike in the first place? According to a blog by Davey D he says, "What we’re dealing with is systemic and we should never lose sight of that..We should always remember, the that change we seek comes only when those at the bottom of the economic totem pole get economic parity. Anything less is a band-aid that’ll will eventually unravel and put us back on square one. It’s important as we seek change that we not become as heartless and unforgiving in our outlook and approach as the people and institutions we are protesting. Let our actions at today’s General Strike reflect a desire for long-lasting systemic change rooted in the love we have for our community and people. Also lets not forget this Saturday November 5th is Bank Transfer Day.. We taking our money out of these big banks and reinvesting it elsewhere.."

Interestingly, the violent actions by Oakland police comes on the heels of an interview that Minister Farrakhan did on October 25 on the Cliff Kelley Show. During a portion of that interview, Minister Farrakhan spoke about the Occupy Wall Street movement that has spread throughout the globe.

“People are hurting and these young people are expressing themselves. At first in New York the police were very hard on them, and this is not the best approach," said Minister Farrakhan. "If it gets to the point where America gets tired of the protest of these young people and something happens—like what happened at Kent State, and young Americans are killed—I tell you, militias in this country that have been training for war against their own government will come out in the streets to protect these children and it's on."

“I told you before that what you saw overseas was coming to your door! And now it is here! And it will get worse! I pray that you will tell your police to be full of restraint. But when they are not, then be careful,” he warned.

Let's see that happens....

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