KingsOfKings
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Introduction of Deric Muhammad: The hosts introduce Deric Muhammad, highlighting his background as a long-time member of the Nation of Islam, FOI, activist, author, freedom fighter, unifier, mentor, and investor in youth.
Deric Muhammad's Origin Story: He discusses his childhood in Houston, growing up in the 70s and 80s, facing hardships like the crack era and the war on drugs, and his mother being a casualty of it. He talks about growing up without a father and nearly going down the wrong path before joining the military.
Discovery of Knowledge in the Military: Deric shares how he discovered significant books like "The Autobiography of Malcolm X," "The Destruction of Black Civilization," and "The ISIS Papers" while in the military, which opened his eyes to the oppression of Black people. He recounts not knowing who Malcolm X was at 18 and realizing the lack of black consciousness in his community.
Joining the Nation of Islam and the Million Man March: He describes being kicked out of the military for his activism and subsequently joining the Nation of Islam in 1993. He mentions attending the 1995 Million Man March, which was a powerful experience.
The Fight and Legacy: He talks about his grandmother being a political activist and a tough lady, instilling a fighting spirit in him. He shares a profound family history story about his great-grandmother who fought against white intimidation and was burned alive in her home protecting her children. This history fuels his activism.
Toughest Part of Activism: Deric discusses the hardest part of his mission: hearing the cries of mothers who have lost children to senseless gun violence within the community. He differentiates between "proactivism" (prevention, mentorship) and "reactivism" (protesting after an event).
The Black Male Summit: He details the inspiration behind the Black Male Summit, which he has been running for 15 years. His motivation comes from his own challenging upbringing and the desire to guide young Black boys away from destructive paths, emphasizing proactive mentorship to prevent them from becoming involved in violence or crime, especially highlighting how even youth from affluent backgrounds can lack identity and guidance.
Importance of Every Role in the Struggle: He stresses that every individual has an important role to play in the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality, whether as an activist, journalist, artist, doctor, or attorney, and that unity in action is key.Deric Muhammad shares his personal journey and insights into activism, emphasizing the importance of education and mentorship for Black youth.
Here's a summary of the key points:
Introduction and Background Deric Muhammad is introduced as a long-time member of the Nation of Islam, an activist, author, and mentor, dedicated to freedom, justice, and equality for Black people (1:09-1:42). He views "Underground Dialogue" as a space for mental liberation, akin to Harriet Tubman's Underground Railroad (1:56-2:39).
Origin Story and Early Life Muhammad recounts his upbringing in Houston's Fifth Ward in the 1970s and 80s, an era marked by the crack epidemic and the "war on drugs," which he calls a "war on black people" (3:23-4:31). His mother was a casualty of this era, and his father died when he was 11, leaving him without a dad (5:36-5:56). He barely graduated high school and faced significant challenges (5:58-6:12).
Transformation in the Military A pivotal moment came when he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. There, he read "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" (7:08-7:10), "The Destruction of Black Civilization" (7:10-7:14), and "The ISIS Papers" (7:16-7:20). He realized his profound lack of knowledge about Black history, admitting he didn't even know who Malcolm X was at 18 (9:49-9:56). This exposure awakened him to systemic oppression and ultimately led him to activism and Islam (7:22-7:40).
Joining the Nation of Islam and Activism After being discharged from the military for his activism (7:40-7:42), he joined the Nation of Islam in 1993 (7:42-7:47). He was deeply influenced by Minister Louis Farrakhan after hearing his "Power at Last Forever" speech (16:09-17:04), feeling "born to help" him (17:00-17:04). He also attended the 1995 Million Man March in Washington D.C., calling it one of the most powerful days of his life (7:50-8:13).
Family Legacy of Fight Muhammad attributes his fighting spirit to his grandmother, a tough political activist involved in unions who fought against racial segregation at her workplace (23:46-25:13). He also shares a powerful, recently discovered story about his great-grandmother in Franklin, Louisiana, who defended her property by shooting a white man and was later burned alive in her home while sheltering children (25:37-28:02). He believes the "fire" he feels for justice was "put in me" through this legacy (29:10-29:22).
The Hardest Part of Activism The most challenging aspect of his work is hearing the cries of mothers who have lost children to senseless gun violence within the Black community (31:16-32:10). He distinguishes between "re-activism" (reacting to oppression) and "pro-activism" (preventing negative outcomes), advocating for the latter as more effective (32:40-34:08).
The Black Male Summit For the past 15 years, Muhammad has been leading the Black Male Summit, inspired by Frederick Douglas's quote: "It is better to teach strong boys than it is to repair broken men" (39:50-40:04). He relates to the struggles of young Black boys, having experienced a similar fatherless and guidance-lacking upbringing (40:20-41:58). The summit focuses on proactive mentorship to prevent youth from engaging in violence, emphasizing that many troubled youth, even from affluent backgrounds, lack a strong identity (42:12-43:56).
Unity and Shared Roles Muham
mad believes that the "battle is everywhere" and every person has a crucial role to play, whether as an activist, journalist, artist, doctor, or attorney (36:02-36:51). He stresses that no role is more important than another and that unity and focus on one's own contribution will lead to collective advancement (37:07-37:57).