Millions More Movement Online

Pastor Jasper Williams of Salem Bible Church (l), Minister Abdul Sharieff Muhammad (c) and Daryl Muhammad (with hat) during a stop a Stop the Violence Silent March through the streets of Atlanta in June.

(FinalCall.com) – At the Nation of Islam’s annual Saviours’ Day held Feb. 25 in Detroit, Mich., the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan gave marching orders to the tens of thousands in attendance about the need for the Millions More Movement (MMM) held on October 15, 2005 commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the Million Man March to be a driving force throughout America for the uplift of society.

“We must set up ministries in every city to serve the needs, the rights and the interests of our people and others–a top priority is a ministry of education. It must focus on new methods of increasing the attractiveness of education to the minds of our young people,” Minister Farrakhan said. “The schools don’t have it, but we do. Get our best and brightest minds together and we’ll come up with a new methodology for not only training and teaching our children, but training and teaching the children of the world.”

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Southern Regional Headquarters Minister Abdul Sharrieff Muhammad of Muhammad’s Mosque No. 15 in Atlanta, Ga. smiled when he heard those clear instructions, and upon returning to the city, started working hard to organize and serve communities as never before.

“We are dedicating our second service on Sundays to the nine ministries and some of the Wednesday meetings. Each week we get information out to the community about what’s going on with our ministries,” Min. Sharrieff told The Final Call.

Minister Farrakhan established Nine Ministries to serve the needs of Black and oppressed people all over the country: Education, Health and Human Services, Agriculture, Information, Trade and Commerce, Justice, Art and Culture, and Science and Technology.

“We need to set up a Ministry of Defense that goes out in the community to talk to gang bangers and drug pushers to get them to be protectors of our community rather than destroyers of our community,” Minister Farrakhan said at Saviours’ Day.

“We have to set up a Ministry of Trade and Commerce to establish job creation opportunities. You can’t call somebody away from drugs unless you’re able to give them something to replace that.”

Kwabena Lumumba is a MMM co-convener in Atlanta. “Right now, we have activity going on in several cities around the region including Nashville, Birmingham, Greenville, Miss., Tuscaloosa, Holy Springs, Miss., Atlanta, Columbus, Macon, Jacksonville, Valdosta, Savannah and more,” he shared.

“Since the march we’ve been organizing with regional meetings. We’ve had three regional meetings that take place every three to four months. Our next meeting will be in July in Nashville.”

During the school year in Jacksonville, Fla., the MMM in this city provides free haircuts to middle school students.

“We had a ‘Hood Stomp,’ which is very popular here. We brought local rappers and entertainers together. The community was excited about being a part of this. Bro. Minister Harold, formerly of New Orleans spoke, Bro. Minister Jamil Muhammad, a national spokesman for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan spoke, and we have also conducted clothing giveaways,” said Andre X to The Final Call.

The group also planned a Stop the Violence Rally in May that featured Attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz, head of the New Black Panther Party.

The Southern Region Millions More Movement is not looking to be just another “fly-by-night” organization, here today and gone tomorrow. “One of our main goals is be structured properly,” said MMM representative Clarence Muhammad from Birmingham, Ala.

ATLANTA

Wanda F. Muhammad coordinates the ministries at Muhammad Mosque No. 15.

“In Atlanta, we have developed a Ministry Leadership Team and we meet on a monthly basis. Our Health and Human Services Ministry has adopted a shelter and feeds the homeless, and our Ministry of Agriculture sponsored a major conference in January. We also sell flour, fruits and vegetables from Muhammad Farms.”

“We also have parents, Sylvester and Sandra, whose daughter Myada is studying in Cuba. We are promoting the Cuban Medical School Scholarships and recruiting students for Cuba,” explained Sis. Wanda.

“We also have an adult literacy program that goes beyond just getting a GED, but helps people to master the English language. Our big success is our Right for Life Teleconference every Saturday night.”

For the past several months, the Right for Life teleconference has been a combined project of the Ministry for Health and Human Services and Education that the community really appreciates.

“We are educating listeners about health. Our goal is to get people to be educated about their health, help them to lose weight and eat better. We have a panel of experts that share information on health topics.”

This southern regional team was invited to Detroit to be a part of the national Millions More Movement meeting. “We also invited the national office to come to Atlanta to speak to the southern region.

Progress highlights of Atlanta’s MMM Nine Ministries

* Agriculture: Farm Coordinator Joe Muhammad regularly sells produce when available from Muhammad Farms on Sundays. Many have begun their urban gardens, with one community garden started by Lisa Muhammad and her husband Kenneth as a result of a plot of land donated by a school.

* Art and Culture: There are currently two choirs–one for adults and one for the youth. The ministry’s chair, Diane Muhammad, plans to start a youth symphony orchestra, a youth talent show and start a quilting guild for the elders of the Mosque.

* Defense: Chair Sylvester Muhammad is already working with Youth Minister Zacharias Muhammad to provide manhood training to the young Brothers in the community.

* Education: Chair Wanda F. Muhammad has identified many people who are interested in forming a home-schooling support group in order to pool resources. Research is being conducted on various curriculum approaches and training on the legal rights of parents and their children. The Ministry is also working on a directory of independent schools in the metro area for those interested in existing private schools.

* Health and Human Services: Co-Chairs Betty Muhammad and Dr. Angela Muhammad report that the most successful program of this Ministry is the “Feed the Homeless” program, which has adopted a shelter where they feed the homeless with physical, as well as spiritual food provided by Min. Stanley. The goal is to expand this program to create a transitional house. Dr. Consuelo Rahman, Dr. Angela and Sis. Betty are also volunteering at a free clinic for Dekalb County residents which the founders have promised to help set up another. The ministry is currently fundraising to purchase a defibrillator.

* Information: Chair Connie Muhammad and others have been meeting with all the Black media to inform them of the work of the Ministry of Information and to help with getting out the truth. They have created a community calendar with all events in the community.

* Justice: Co-Chairs Carmelita Muhammad and Min. Stanley Muhammad report that this Ministry is already working in prisons, and setting up to work with women who are incarcerated. Also, Bro. Kenneth Muhammad, an attorney, supports the Believers by assessing their legal needs.

* Science and Technology: Chair Michael F. Muhammad is building websites for each of the Nine Ministries, and is currently working on a database for MMM registrations.

* Trade and Commerce: Chair Min. Harold Muhammad is looking at reinstituting the Exodus Program to help individuals be gainfully employed. He is also working in conjunction with Willie Muhammad of the Foreign Affairs Task Force on a program that helps to build the infrastructure of African countries by using their own resources, which will also help with the funding of various projects in Atlanta. Bro Willie is donating 10 percent to the work of the ministries.