HARLEM, N.Y. (FinalCall.com)–The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan Sept. 14 challenged a group of youth leaders to think about their future.
“What is your purpose in life?” Minister Farrakhan asked the leadership gathering. “What is your purpose on this earth? Allah creates nothing without an aim and a purpose. Everything in creation has a purpose and we who are considered by divine order, the crown of God’s creation–the Glory of God–had to have a purpose.”
The National Leadership Alliance (NLA) hosted the Nation of Islam leader, who delivered a mid-afternoon address at the Ancestral Ballroom of the National Black Theater between his rounds in Washington, D.C., at the Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Weekend conference.
The NLA, a group of Black organizations and individuals, used the invitation- only conference to launch their national campaign for the effective use of Black political and economic strength. The group’s co-chairs are activists Bob Law and James L. Muhammad.
›Min. Farrakhan told the diverse, yet exclusive group, that in the beginning the Black man and woman ruled. “And we have come to the end of this world’s life and therefore what is demanded of the Black people of America and the world is that we shake the dust and the shackles and return to that high place that our fathers once held. This is our destiny,” he said.
Among those present and acknowledged by Min. Farrakhan were historians Yosef Ben-Jochannan (Dr. Ben.), Dr. Leonard Jeffries and Dr. Maulana Karenga; Dr. Camille Yarbrough, Sister Viola Plummer and Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. The Minister also acknowledged Nation of Islam Ministers Abdul Akbar Muhammad, Abdul Karriem Muhammad and Mosque No. 7 Min. Kevin Muhammad.
The NLA, a group of Black organizations and individuals, used the confab to launch their national campaign for the effective use of Black political and economic strength.
“Education is not a privilege. Education is a divine right. Anyone who deprives you of knowledge, deprives you of that which lifts you above the lower creatures and makes you a master of what God created,” Min. Farrakhan said.
He added that the Black man and woman are a “mathematical creation,” and are potentially excellent. Mediocrity, he said, has no place with the Creator.
“The bee is excellent. The ant is excellent. The bird is excellent. How then can we be made in the image and likeness of God and not be excellent?” he asked.
“You are unique. Each one of you has never been before and each one of you will never be again. Each one of you is unique and matchless,” he said.
“This is our time. This is our space. We have a responsibility to make our time a productive time, but every generation from us, it seems like we start from scratch. Something is wrong,” he said.
The Minister explained the nature of imperialism and how it has affected organized religion, explaining that the histories of the early Muslims, Christians and Jews show they “had no imperialist design on their faith. They just believed and they wanted others to know [God]; not to rule them or to master them but to bring them to a master,” he said.
According to organizers, the summit lived up to its immediate goals and they are now pressing forward to advance the strategies gleaned from their daylong working sessions as well as the nurturing sendoff message from Min. Farrakhan.
“In an earlier conversation with Minister Farrakhan, I asked him if he’d be willing to come and speak to young people who have not been responding to the Hip Hop Summit or the Gang Summit or the Male Only meetings; young people who might have felt intimidated by that process. He (Min. Farrakhan) is saying young things to young people that are powerful, nurturing and empowering,” said Mr. Law.
The long-time activist, radio personality and co-chair of both the historic Million Man March of 1995, the Million Family March of 2000 and a part of the Millions for Reparations campaign in Washington, D.C., last August, told the audience that he invited the Minister to speak to the exclusive group of young people, mentors and organizers to expand the community dialogue of Blacks beyond the degrading conversations.
“Part of my concern is that there is a dialogue in the Black community that sounds very much like pimp, ‘ho’ (whore), thug and player. I believe we need to improve and expand on that dialogue to one that is more life-giving, and one that actually nurtures our people,” Mr. Law said.
Co-chair James L. Muhammad told The Final Call: “In recent years, economic and social policy changes have created a climate of fear and uncertainty in Black communities across the country. As the new century begins, we are clearly at a point where Black Americans must finally tap into our own best resources–economically, politically, and spiritually–in order to stabilize our community. We must effectively use the talent, intellectual capital, as well as the political and economic resources of African Americans, to bring the Black community to a level of self-sufficiency and competitiveness within the next five years.”
Immediately after his presentation, Min. Farrakhan was whisked out of the city via police escort to a nearby airport so that he might keep his obligations back in Washington, D.C., with an appearance at the black-tie affair of the Congressional Black Caucus banquet as a guest of ranking member John Conyers (D-Mich.).
