Episode Transcript
[00:00:02] Speaker A: Assalamu alaikum. I'm Latasha Russo, executive director of Sapelo Square and welcome to on the Square, a special podcast brought to you by Sapelo Square in collaboration with the Mae Dime, where every month Sapolo squad get on the square and into some real talk about race and Islam in the Americas.
[00:00:27] Speaker B: Salaam alaikum. Today I'm speaking with Brother Umar Hakeem Day.
He's a native of Compton, California. Umar served 10 plus years as director for a faith based organization.
There, Umar achieved grassroots accomplishments and community service. He later founded and now heads Encourage foundation, which is a 501C3 social enterprise. Here, Umar shifted his focus to lead what he coins as a breakthrough organization that focuses on community building. Through Encourage, Umar combines both business and community service work into a social entrepreneurial model, helping the same service market build its power to combat social ills. Post pandemic, he earned a bachelor's degree in Business management and a master's in Ethical leadership. It's all based on transferable skills and wisdom learned in Compton.
[00:01:23] Speaker C: Thank you for the invitation, man, and your patience.
[00:01:27] Speaker B: Oh, no problem. Thank you for your patience with me. I know we, prior to this episode, we. We just had a small conversation just to get each to know each other,
[00:01:37] Speaker C: which was a good conversation too.
[00:01:39] Speaker B: Yeah, it was. I actually really wish that we had recorded that or I secretly recorded it or something so I wouldn't have to like, you know, go back. But it was, it was a really good conversation.
[00:01:52] Speaker C: And we briefly met at the retreat. Right?
[00:01:55] Speaker B: We did. Very briefly, very briefly the retreat. We saw each other and.
But we didn't really get an opportunity to sit down and really talk.
Now, I want to say the first time I actually heard your name was through sister Aida Rashid.
So shout out to Aida. She mentioned your name a few years back and I think it was in reference to the Preserving the Legacy initiative that she had going on there. She mentioned you. And when I say she mentioned you, Aida, whenever she mentions, at least to me, it's always in a positive light. Anytime she mentioned someone, it's in a positive light.
Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, that was the first time I ever heard your name. I did take a look at the portrait you had on Preserving the Legacy. And I remember looking at that portrait and thinking, you know, just from the look of it that you seem that you might be like a relatable person, a personable person. Like, you know, if we met, you will be down to earth.
[00:03:08] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:03:09] Speaker B: And actually when we, we did finally have a conversation, I Feel like, you know, what I thought initially was true.
And so before we kind of get into encourage foundation and what you do, I wanted to just talk about who you are and basically the path that you have traveled to to get where you are currently today.
[00:03:37] Speaker C: Oh, wow. Okay, Ms. Mila.
As I said, my name is Umar. Umar Hakeem Day.
Born and raised in Compton, California since 1970.
I'm the son of an immigrant Guyanese woman, Mary Reynolds, who returned to Allah in 2019, who raised me on education. As big as I am, I wasn't really into sports. You know, I'm saying I'm not, I'm not even into watching sports today.
So I, I didn't, I didn't take the sports route.
But, you know, like anybody living in their community, you are, you definitely have your tribe in your community.
And, you know, and we participated in urban activities.
And then from there I graduated from Compton High.
And then from there I applied for a telecommunications job. So I was your local cable man.
And during this job, I basically learned a lot of transferable skills on how to navigate around different personalities. Because as a cable technician, you're visiting like 50 homes a week, and each home is a different personality. Each customer has a different issue. Some is irate, some need to be de. Escalated. And you learn how to deal with the public. I learned how to deal with the public in that.
And then fast forward towards Y2K. You remember Y2K? Remember you talk about the.
[00:05:21] Speaker B: Yeah, trash.
[00:05:23] Speaker C: So doing Y2K, I like, man, I'm tired of working this gig. So, you know, like everybody else, I went for the Internet bus myself. I like, I want to create me a website and make me some millions of dollars and be like everybody else. But it didn't work out for me. But what happened was it gave me some insight into becoming an entrepreneur and be and furthering what we call self determination in our communities.
And so I embrace entrepreneurship.
I connected with Imam Sadiq Saphir, and that's when the grooming of this thing we call leadership started, other than what my mom taught me and what I've learned on the blocks here in Compton. But that's when it all started, when I connected with Imam Soda Safir.
[00:06:15] Speaker B: Okay, so let's go back a little bit because there's a part of your
[00:06:19] Speaker C: story that we talk traveling.
[00:06:25] Speaker B: And when you, when you embraced Islam, right?
[00:06:29] Speaker C: Oh, wow. Yeah, I embraced it on the job, right? I embraced this lamb on the job because for. I've, I've held this job for 13 years and for the. For. For nine of those 13 years, every new Year's Eve was a new. It was new. Every New Year's Eve, December 31, I was able to get this day off and, you know, and you get this day off so you could party like a rock star, like everybody else on the Cable man budget, you feel me? So.
So.
And. And I stuck to.
And I stuck to the local clubs here in. Here in Compton. So I didn't go far.
So December 31, 1997, Allah would not allow me to have this day off at all.
I went to all my managers. I used people to see if I could get. Get this day off. I couldn't get it. So I came in and we have. I was given my route, and they said if you finish your route early, you could bounce, you could leave.
So that was my thing, you know, I didn't like working overtime anyway, so I'm gonna finish this route and ghost or leave.
I had my first call. The first call is between 8 and 10, you know, when people don't have that much time. My first call, and it was Rebecca Smith.
Rebecca Smith.
Yeah. I still talk to her to this day on 51st Street. I knocked on her door, and the first thing she said to me, brother, if you're coming in, you got to take your boots off. I'm like, I'm not taking my boots off. That's against protocol.
He said, well, you gotta take your boots over. And I said, well, you got some shopping bags? So she got me two shopper bags I wrapped around my. My boots. So. But as I entered the house, sis, I noticed how clean it was not saying that other houses was their. Hers was like a spiritual clean.
It was like mint green and beige.
And she had cats named after every salat running around the house.
And you. It just gave you a sense of comfort.
I'm like, whoa. So that, like, it made me feel at ease within our home, you know what I'm saying? Even though we had a rough confrontation at the door. So, long story short, there's this portrait of the family tree, starting with Adam Alehi s.
And it goes from Adam to Enoch to Noah to Abraham. Then it breaks down from Abraham to Isaac and Ishmael. So I asked her because up at. Up to this time, I was raised in the church as an alkalite in the Episcopal Church.
I said, can you explain this preacher to me?
She looked at me and said, brother, you come from a long line of righteous people, huh?
I'm from confident. What you talking about?
You know what I'M saying you come from a long line of righteous people. But did she explained it to me?
I like, whoa. Because up until that point, I never. I've heard the name Muhammad before. May peace and blessings be upon him. But I never dove into any, like, history of who this man is and at the same time, how is associated back up to Abraham, you know? So she gave me the lingo on it.
And then at the time, man, I was.
I think we all go through it at one point in time in our life. And at this time, she caught me when I was in my moment because remember, I'm trying to get the third. I was trying to get the 31st off so I could party like a rock star, right? So. And all I was thinking about, finish this job, go home, stop at the store and hit the block.
But with all that going around in my head, I was like, what book can I read for discipline?
Because I was craving and just didn't know how to get it, obtain it, or trust the source that it was coming from.
So she looked at me, right? Because I was looking at that picture.
She looked at me. She went in the back room and came out and literally out of nowhere said bismillahirrahmanirahim and handed me my first Quran.
And I accepted this book because before brothers in the community will want me to buy the book, I'm like, I'm not buying over. I'm not buying a Quran if it's meant for me to have it. You know, the Creator is going to give it to me. And so I held out because I didn't want to follow their ideology of the dean. And there's nothing wrong with that, but I just couldn't see myself. I wasn't that type of soldier, you know what I'm saying?
So she gave me the book on December 31, 1997. And I read this book for the next six months in. In July, like July 30, she asked me, am I ready to take my Shahada? Because I was going back and forth to her asking her questions about the dean. Who's this? What's that? So my first teacher in the dean was a sister. You know what I'm saying? Sister Rebecca Smith. And so she said, you ready to take your Shahada?
I said, I got, you know, I got something to do first, you know what I'm saying? So I say, so does this mean I gotta stop my vices? She's like, yeah, bro, you gotta stop. You gotta stop all that. I said, okay, let me give you my Answer as I carry out this one task. Right. You know what I'm saying?
So I came home.
I gathered my family around the last pepperoni sausage pizza.
So. And I tell this story all the time, and that's the punchline. But I was a fan, you know, if anybody was a fan of pork, I was a fan of pork, especially the crispy bacon.
But. But then I had my last pepperoni sausage pizza and haven't touched it since. You know what I'm saying? So. And then I took my Shahada on July 3, 1998, at Omar Ibn Al Khattab, a local mosque across the street from University of Southern California.
[00:12:41] Speaker B: I mean, I'm a backstory person. Like, I love hearing about people. I love hearing about their stories, like, what experiences led them to where they are today, regardless. Good stories, bad stories, just. Just what makes up a person.
And so when you told me that, it was. It was. It brought all types of things to my mind, you know, And I thought, I remember you speaking about, like, the Nation or growing up.
[00:13:18] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So two. Two significant events in my younger life.
I was. I'm blessed to have to have had guardians in my life to look after me.
One was Bernice Edwards.
And Bernice Edwards from Beaumont, Texas, her and her and her husband Lacey, and may, you know, may God have mercy on them both.
And so after I became Muslim, I had a conversation with Bernice. She said, I think I know why you Muslim. I'm like, tell me.
She said, out of all the children in the house, Lacy used to read the Muhammad Speaks to you.
Now that paper is transitioned to the brand name of the Final Call.
But then I believe it was the Muhammad Speaks back in the 70s.
He said, All. All the. Out of all the children in the house, he's to read it to you.
And I was. She said, I would sit there and listen on his lap.
[00:14:21] Speaker B: And, like, how old were you?
[00:14:23] Speaker C: I had to be anywhere between, like, 3 and 6. 3 and 6, because that's the time. Yeah, that's around about that time. And then the second event, I got a homeboy named Duran. Rest in peace.
And Duran joined the Nation of Islam early, right after high school.
So we would sit in my car, you know, and he would tell me about the Nation, and I like Duran. That sounds cool, but I'm just not with it right now, you know, more power to you, bro. You know? You know, we still buddies. We still the homie.
But, you know, he would keep giving me. He would tell me about the starship he'd tell me about everything that. That influenced him.
I just couldn't go down that route at that time. Know what I'm saying? There's a captain named Oliver from the Nation of Islam. I'm really cool with him. And at the time, there was a brother by the name of Gaston Green who played for the Rams who accepted Islam.
And they had a store called Karai Clothing shop in our neighborhood. And I would go up there to talk to them. And they basically were Nation Noi Muslims. I just couldn't, you know, at the time, going through my vices. I wasn't ready to submit in. In like that. I wasn't ready to. To give in.
For me, I wasn't a ranking order. I didn't have a ranking order type of mind because. But the nation in the city of Compton saved a lot of lives.
Saved a lot of people.
Gave people, gave brothers an alternative to the lives that they were leading at the time. With the candy program, picking you up and telling your parents where they taking you, they saved a lot of lives. So. But when it came to me at that time, making my own choices, that was just a choice I wasn't ready for, because I wasn't. I didn't have a ranking order mentality.
[00:16:26] Speaker B: So what do you think the difference was between then and when you met Sister Rebecca?
[00:16:33] Speaker C: I experienced a lot more, as I said. She called me while I was in my vices, suffering from what I feel was addiction to certain things, being an addict of certain behaviors.
But we just had our son, so I was looking for.
I need. I need a change, you know, I mean, and.
And I always wanted a Quran.
And when she gave it to me, I like, oh, so, okay, it's free, right? I don't think you should. I don't think people should pay for Bibles.
You know what I'm saying? So it came to me free.
So I read this book for the next six months and went through my transition, and here we are.
[00:17:24] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you for sharing that. I really.
I mean, I really do like and enjoy listening to that story because you did share it with me, especially because it happened within your community, like, and it shows also how Allah is in control.
[00:17:43] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Most. A lot of people think. People think, feel, or they assume that I accepted Islam in prison. I don't know what give them that perception of me, but. And. And in prison. Islam have saved a lot of good brothers and sisters in prison. But I. All my experience happened live on the block.
[00:18:05] Speaker B: Now, how did you transition from, you know, being the local cable guy to.
Before I, you know, asked you to kind of go back a little bit, you. You started speaking about Imam Sadiq Safir and your involvement with him. So can you talk a little bit about that transition from more of a community based type of.
[00:18:30] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got that one. I got that one.
So the first masjid I started attending was Ar Rashid here in the city of Compton.
And it was a group of brothers. Sadiq, Mooc Men, Man June, Imam Yusuf, Muhammad Abdul Kabir. We all used to meet all the time. But this particular day we, we were in Ashura about an issue that we was having with one another.
And Imam Sadiq came to facilitate the for sure the shura.
And so after the shore was over, he said, man, you should come out here with us.
Like, where's out here? He said, in la, which at the time was Master D Battle Law.
So at the same time he invited me out here, he asked me to connect with Naim Shaw Jr. Which was his second, who ran the Intellect, Love and Mercy Foundation.
And so they said they needed another body.
They looked at my qualifications, they said I was business minded.
I told you about the Y2K thing.
And so I was running a, a website for uncharted hits for music.
You know, I mean, and I called it Uncharted Hits because, you know, I was picking out independence who had some bangers. You know, I mean, I was really serving them and not getting attention for it. So they was impressed with that, how far I got with it. I became, I went from volunteer, I went from volunteer coordinator and moved up the ranks to associate director. Then when Naim, Good Brother Mine, when Naim moved to Saudi, I took, I took leave of Intellect, Love and Mercy Foundation. And that's, that's another.
Oh my goodness. So in this process, right, you know, if you, if you understand Imam Sadiq's a fear.
His blueprint, Allah blessed him with vision.
And his blueprint is what we're all still working on today.
You know, from Isla School Masters serving the community, being businessmen and studying the Quran and being trained by him, you was able to witness how he navigate these straits out here between personalities.
So by nav. But you know, as a community leader, you know, you have to navigate these straits. So the training that I had as a cable person helped me understand a different personality I started to engage with in the interfaith community world. Because Imam Sadiq was huge in the interfaith community. He facilitated a lot of conversations and launched organizations from, you know, in, in. In collaboration with other Leaders, they say, hey, oh, be ready. I'm like, ready for what? We gonna come pick you up to go to a banquet banquet. I said. I said, what you want me to wear? He said, man, just dress normal.
You know what I'm saying? So I wore some.
Some khakis, some dickies and a T shirt.
That's normal to me, with a. With a Reebok jacket.
I got to that. I got to that event. I felt so underdressed.
I think it was a.
A care la banquet. It was a Care la banquet led by Hussam Halluch.
And I felt so underdressed. And so that started grooming me into being more prepared.
I still go to these banquets underdressed, you know what I mean?
But it's a step above just showing up in a T shirt and a Reebok jacket.
[00:22:27] Speaker B: And so, you know, just hearing you talk about how they groomed you and.
And, you know, exposed you basically to different parts of society and. And interactions with different folks, how important is that, right, do you think, for today, for our community today to do the same thing? And do you see that?
[00:22:51] Speaker C: It's very. That, that. That training that Imam Sadiq Safir gave us, he taught us how to operate outside of our bubble, because a lot of people are leaders, but they're only leaders within a bubble.
How you going to relate when you talk to a Jewish person? Or how are you going to relate when you talk to a Christian person? How are you going to relate to when you talk to a Sikh leader? Or how you going to relate when you talk to local law enforcement? And this is what that training, he taught us how to navigate around these personalities while still being authentically you. And that's. That training was very important because going around these different personalities or these different areas, I've seen people switch up.
I seen them switch up because they was in a law enforcement environment.
And I'm like, I'm not switching up because.
Because. And the reason why I said, I'm not switching up because. And I learned my lesson, too, because I was meeting with law enforcement, doing this, that and other for Humanitarian Day, man, I met all these. All these different agencies. And then I. Then finally law enforcement came to the neighborhood.
Where was that? On? We was on 39th in Crenshaw. And one particular officer who I was very cool with, I didn't know how to.
In front of the homies, I really didn't know how to.
You know, you know, you got this stigma. You be talking to the police, and I ain't Talk to the police.
I have a re. I have a professional relationship with them. They help me with the events for security and things like that. But I just didn't know how to navigate that in front of everybody and
[00:24:38] Speaker B: like, blend those worlds together.
[00:24:40] Speaker C: I didn't. That was my first time doing it and, you know, and we didn't fall out. But he noticed the difference of how I treated him in front of his. Front of my people, you know, and he really, he.
I told him this was a learning experience for me, bro. So, you know, cuz, Papa Shaw, which is Naim's.
Naim. Naim Shaw Junior's father, I basically leaned on him that day on how to civically engage everybody in our.
While we all in one spot.
So that training was very, very, very important because it taught me how to, how to. How to facilitate and build partnerships outside of the bubble that we were existing in.
[00:25:28] Speaker B: Yeah, and I guess it shows too. Like, from what I'm hearing is like, everybody likes consistency, right?
You know, they don't like to see one person here and another look over there. Like, regardless of who you are, nobody likes.
Nobody likes to see that. Right.
And so I see that as something that you learn from because any. Anytime that I see you, right, Whether it's that portrait that I was looking at or I see you on, you know, social media or even in person, it's. It's the same.
[00:26:05] Speaker C: Yeah, Yeah. I learned to. I learned to keep my authenticity, you know what I'm saying? You know, I'm not a suit type of dude.
I'm gonna come in with my. My own, wear my own brand and rock that with my beanie, you know what I'm saying? I'm not, I'm not, you know, everybody be jumping in these suits. I'm not a thorough type of dude. No disrespect to those who do it, and they look good doing it, but that's just not my get down.
I want to remain my authentic self in all atmospheres, right?
[00:26:37] Speaker B: Yes. And Pete, I think people will respect that too, when you're authentic about it,
[00:26:42] Speaker C: you know, because what matters is when you open your mouth open and your work, your work speaks.
This is what I learned. Your work speaks for you. If you got good work, it don't matter what you wear.
If you got a good reputation, all this, all that stuff is super. All the other stuff doesn't matter.
You just want to know if you got a good reputation. You ain't got no smut in your name. And you are relatable. Like, you Said people could talk with you. That's what matters. So all praises due to Allah. I believe I have that good work, authenticity and my work speaks for me.
[00:27:22] Speaker B: Well, I mean, it's funny that you say, you know, when you open your mouth, that's where it counts because even from Aida mentioning you to me, you being with, preserving the legacy and I'm, you know, seeing you in different spaces, you know, I had this, you know, this thought that popped in my head to connect with you. Right. And I don't always listen to those, those thoughts that pop up. I need to do a better job of that. But I hadn't, even though it was on my to, you know, my list of things. And so I say that about, you know, opening your mouth or reiterate what you said.
And because there was something recently and so stepping into, to what you do now with Encouragement Foundation, I happened to come across.
Well, I came across it because you shared it in, in the chat that we were in about the Human Security Resolution.
[00:28:22] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, yeah.
[00:28:24] Speaker B: That recently happened in November.
And so that's, that's actually what, what made me want to, you know, actually follow up on my thoughts and connect with you because you shared it and I watched it and I was just highly touched by your presence in that room that day and what you mentioned,
[00:28:52] Speaker C: may Allah accept it.
[00:28:54] Speaker B: May Allah accept it. And that was about Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and the Black Stone.
And it was in.
You know, I think what made it even more integral for me was that it was you in this room full of varying people. Right. You're talking about the Blackstone and all these community members got together and, and walked it over to where, you know, the Cava.
[00:29:22] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:29:23] Speaker B: And it's so many behind you are so many parable. Right, right. And so can you speak about, first of all, what the Human Security Resolution is, how your foundation was involved with that and how that plays into the work you do in the community.
[00:29:43] Speaker C: Okay. So as a community organizer or builder, Encourage foundation is an advisor to purpose driven organizations. And one of these organizations is Muslim Public Affairs Council.
And they gave me the assignment because we all would, you know, after October 8th. I say October 8th because that's when we woke up to realize that we didn't have no political influence.
After October 8, they gave me the task that we did that we all talked about a strategy of how we gonna start to reengage City Hall. And so Muslim Public Affairs Council, Salaam Mariadi and then Aziza Hassan with new ground, we began meeting the council districts, Salam and myself started with the deputy mayor.
And out of that story, out of that meeting came that the Muslim community do not engage enough.
They don't know us.
So then that triggered to, okay, we need to start meeting these officers. So we started connecting with these different offices. So when it came to CD5, Katie Yarskoloski, good sister council person, should I say, I don't have a problem with it. She's been. She's been really collaborative and working with us now in Zipper and Shimana.
So Salam, Aziza and myself went into a meeting with them to see how we could strengthen our relationship with their office.
Because we do have constituents within their districts, and we say, how can we strengthen the Muslim relationship? Because at the time, you know, a lot of. A lot of city officials was getting canceled by Muslim communities and, you know, not getting what they want out of them.
So, you know, I thought about, you know, Salami hit me to this human security situation that Impact was doing.
And I've been pushing it, like, since 2020.
So when we got to Katie's office, you know, as an organizer, you never leave without an ask, you know, and that's basically everybody, you know, you shouldn't leave when if you in the situation, the opportunity is that you haven't asked.
So I asked them, would they support a human security resolution? Human security is based on the four freedoms established in 1948. The four freedoms are freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of expression, and freedom of worship.
And we ask, can we have this human security for all of Angelenos? Because at the time, relationships had been marginalized. You know, October 7th happened. People weren't talking to each other as much as we should have been talking to each other. We wasn't. Dialogues that broke down. All kind of stuff was going on. So we figured if we could push this human security, we could reignite the dialogue between interfaith leaders and in the community and make this human security not just for one community, but for all of Angelinos.
So that started back in April of last year, then on November, then in August.
Allah just gave it a boost.
After they did their research, we started planning for an event on November 19th at City Hall. And then it was. It was indoor. It was introduced by Katie Yar skeloski, Council District 5, and second by Hugo. I can't remember what council district he is. And then the council voted on it unanimously. And so this is a policy win for our organizations. And it's an example of shared power. You know, we all could Claim this win for our different organizations on how we pushed human security and got it passed at Los Angeles City Hall.
[00:33:47] Speaker B: And so what happens with that resolution?
[00:33:52] Speaker C: So now we have, now it gives us a platform to re engage city hall, you know what I'm saying?
Like right now we about to start account, we're about to talk today we have a, a call with county supervisors, you know what I'm saying? Then we got some follow up work to do in city hall because as I mentioned, after October 8, we realized that the, we didn't, you know, a lot of people think taking a picture with a politician is political influence. That is not political influence on, you know, I don't care how many pictures you take with your favorite politician, when you need something for them, that picture is not going to work for you. You know the joke, the running joke is if he wants, if a politician wants some money, go, go fundraising. The Muslim community. You feel me? So what is, what's this doing is here? It has reopened engagement for us so now and we did it in a way that was not just for the Muslim community, but for all communities in Los Angeles. So now it has opened more doors for us to engage the civic community to engagement in a way that is productive and create win win situations throughout the city of Los Angeles, throughout the county of Los Angeles, really. So that's what that has done for us. So it was a small victory, but the impact was huge because now we enter in a whole new ball game. This 2025.
[00:35:25] Speaker B: Yeah. And I, and I like as well just saying that it's the human security resolution that you're not just interested in the impact it'll have on black Muslims, Muslim Americans, you know, anyone connected with your faith, that this is for everybody. Like this is a humanity issue, this is not just a religious issue or you know, this one group's issue.
And then it brings everybody together to sit down and talk about these issues that are affecting everybody.
[00:35:59] Speaker C: Basically we suffer from housing, mental health, health care, education, lack of employment. We suffer from these same issues too, but we need that.
It also gives a framework for our local politicians to look at their work. And if it doesn't align with human security, they have to really think about, okay, should I really be pushing this policy?
This may not, this may not give. This doesn't align with my duties to the community. Because in that speech I said we are in your hands and you are in ours. Meaning, you know, we could, we have the power to vote.
[00:36:37] Speaker B: Mm, yeah, that's, that's very, very, very important. And, you know, I hadn't heard about the. The resolution before you shared it. And, you know, to me, it was very powerful in that, you know, first of all, that you brought up that the story of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
[00:37:00] Speaker C: Oh, yeah, that was important.
[00:37:02] Speaker B: That's a, that's an educational moment too, right? There's so many different moments within that space that you had the platform for, and people behind you are supporting, Supporting you as well. So it was, it was really powerful to see. So that was the. The thing to help me reach out to you. And I'm grateful that, that, that that occurred for your community and, and just, you know, letting everybody else know about what's going on and what can happen when you make the intention to. And. And not just your community, but other communities, I mean, come together.
[00:37:44] Speaker C: To be honest, you know, I don't know if I'm gonna be stepping on some toes when I say this, and people, you know, and I can understand the emotion, the emotional state that the Muslim community has been under, but a lot of individuals allow their emotions to sway them in this period, you know, and I was taught not to leave your post until properly relieved.
And, and by me, by us, by not leaving our post, we had to figure it out, you know, like, what we gonna do next and how we gonna do it, instead of just trying to cancel the local politician. Nah, figure it out.
Because when you think about the Prophet, may peace and bless be upon him. He was, in all his situations, he was about relationship building, you know what I'm saying? He. His job was to bring people closer to Allah, even if he got admonished like the blind man, you know what I'm saying? We was trying to make this relationship with the Caress tribe, and Allah said to the blind man is, listen to you more. So the prophet, may peace and bless upon them, to me was about relationship building. So that black stone is symbolic of. Of building community relations.
[00:39:00] Speaker B: One of the questions I usually ask is how has Islam and the way you put your faith into practice shape the ways in which you interact with others? But definitely, you know, I can see that. I can see that, though it's kind of like almost a redundant question because I can see it in the work that you do.
So, you know, there's also something I stated on your bio at the end, which is your bio that you provided to me, but was something that stood out to me.
Transferable skills and wisdom learned in Compton.
So, you know, I think about what you stated there about the wisdom learned in Compton and then also about relating that to our faith tradition, like how those come together and how those interact with each other and how you. So I guess my question to you is, how do you merge those two? The wisdom from your own community, whether Muslim, non Muslim, in whatever era you were in, related to, you know, our
[00:40:07] Speaker C: faith tradition, each tier of my experience enhances the previous one.
So without, so what I learned here in the city, you know, I'm saying I was able to take the good out of that, become Muslim, and Allah grew me in that. So each tier of my experience enhanced the good of what I previously learned. I didn't, I didn't just discard it. I brought it with me so it could be useful. Because as, as a, you know, you gotta have this, this, and like, you know, my content experience, my taqua enhanced my content experience, you know, I can understand why I do stuff like that, because I only fear a lot, you know what I mean? So that it all makes sense now, you know, saying it all makes sense. So, you know, but to me, each skill was enhanced at every step of my life once it became Muslim.
And, you know, we all want to live an example of the Prophet, but we're not him, you know, you know, what Allah gave him his tasks for his day, but we could look at his blueprint on how he approached different leadership situation and have a. We could, we're not prophets, but we could add a prophetic intellect to our work. And this is what Imam Sadiq taught us too, as well. You know, add, you know, follow the Prophet and add this prophetic common sense piety to the work.
[00:41:46] Speaker B: Do you see that within the community,
[00:41:49] Speaker C: within the Muslim community, I think everybody apply what they, what they understand to their work to the best of their ability. You know, I'm saying some more than others, some less than others. But I feel that we all are following the Prophet and in the best that we can, in the best way we can, you know what I'm saying? And depend on your tenacity, on how you want to push your work or your vision, where you want to go with it. Some go harder than others hard. And when I say hard in a good, you know, for progress.
[00:42:19] Speaker B: Right, and what would you say are one or two challenges that you see for our communities when you, when you're in the thick of it? Like, is it, you know, government entities, policies, us organizing our intentions, sincerity, what do you see as one of one or two challenges that we could work on?
[00:42:45] Speaker C: That's a showstopper right there. That's a good one.
Challenges. Because Everybody have different experiences in this game that we in called leadership. So I could say the first challenge is crafting your vision so you can have a mission of where you or where you want, where Allah is taking you. Because you know if you don't have a vision, it's not going to shape your mission and then it'll be really kind of difficult trying to figure it out as you go along. Even though I captained Jack Sparrow my whole career, you know what I mean? But you know, having a vision, that's one chance. Not many people have visions about where they want to go.
I would think the second challenge is, I think a question that you asked earlier is how you want to balance your time and getting this done.
You know, I mean because this, it takes up a lot of time, you know, you got to dedicate yourself to, to this process and some people think it's overnight, but it's not overnight. You know, I've been doing this since 2012, really since 2004.
So it's not an overnight.
It's just that when you pray for certain things allow plant, you know, you plant that seed and do I. Then it grows over time. So the two things for me would be creating a vision for your work and you're not scared to innovate your work to scale in today's times and basically having the courage to be tenacious at it. The time to be dedicated to your purpose. Once you understand your purpose and I
[00:44:41] Speaker B: can see the vision being one.
I had a quote here from you that states, my marathon is to truly help others reimagine and identify hidden potential.
[00:44:55] Speaker C: Oh, that's, you know, rest in peace Nip. You know what I'm saying that it is a marathon and not a sprint and you know, as encouraged as a 501c3 social enterprise who helps purpose driven organizations and individuals build their capacity. So a lot of times as a, as a, as a coach, you don't tell your coach partner what to do, how to do it. You tap into their potential because it's already, you just, it's already there within them. I've seen coaches do all the talking and not let their coach partner talk. They like hear themselves talk. But no, a true coach is going to help facilitate and help his or her coach partner understand what they're going through by tapping and developing what they already know.
[00:45:50] Speaker B: I can see that's what you do in the work that you do.
Even when, and may Allah accept it. Even in our last conversation, like, yeah, you know, so I'm full of ideas
[00:46:02] Speaker C: I go, my ideas just don't stop. You know, I could get into a conversation, I'm just suggesting ideas all the time. You could do this, you could go this route, this, that and other. Woo woo. If I was to charge for every idea I had, I don't think I'd be here. I mean, I'll be in Maldives somewhere. You know what I'm saying? Chilling.
[00:46:25] Speaker B: So I asked you about challenges, so I want to flip that and also ask you about opportunities.
What are one or two opportunities that you see?
[00:46:35] Speaker C: It is so much opportunity out here right now. I'm not heartbroken on who the president, the incoming president is because that's job security.
As long as we got a problem in this country, that's job security.
That gives us a reason to get up and, and, and give our voice. So I'm not upset. Even if, even if the blue side would have won, you know, I'm still, that's still job security.
So it is so much opportunity out here. And then, and in fact I, I, I studied social innovation.
I started studying social innovation maybe 10 years ago. And the world, in the world, every 10 years or every 20 years, the world asks for its stakeholders to change.
You know what I'm saying? And in social innovation, they call it the, the future of things.
And so I've been, that's, that's where my mind is. My mind is always two, three years down the line because it's just so much opportunity out here. That's why I developed the type of organization that I have is just not your regular nonprofit model. But man, sky's the limit.
And then, you know, with Elijah Lord, you can't lose.
You can't lose. This is so much opportunity out here.
[00:47:56] Speaker B: So that being said, we didn't touch on, encourage that much. I know you mentioned, you know, it's a social enterprise. And can you just kind of go into more depth about what a social enterprise is compared to just A, a standard 501C3 and, and what you specifically do for your organization to move it forward.
[00:48:24] Speaker C: Interesting question. Encourages a 501c3 social enterprise. And what does that mean? That means we, we perform entrepreneurial activities to sustain this social mission because you know, everybody answer is I'm start a 501C3. I'm a starter 501C3. But when you start that 501C3, you are now in the pool or in a community with 50,000 other 501c3s. And grants don't come that easily. So most people quit like it didn't work out for me. But you have to think of how you're going to sustain your organization because it's your responsibility to sustain your organization. So we have three lines, I'm gonna say three streams of where we could sustain the organization at advisory, e commerce and coaching. And so with advisory, which is a chunk of, is a big part of our budget, you know, we're able to have contracts with different organizations and giving them, give them advisement on civic engagement, you know, strategies, E commerce, you know, everybody see everybody say that I'm a walking billboard for my brand.
I promote, I promote products that leaders wear and use.
So I sell products, you know, I do pop up shops and, and, and I sell hoodies, I sell mugs, pins, bucket hats, T shirts with social messages on them, you know what I'm saying? So that creates a brand that's tied to the work that I do, you know what I'm saying? So when you Google encourage, hopefully it is, it's going to be associated with all the social work that I do. So and then with the, with the coaching, that's another sustainability component to, whereas I do executive coaching for those who need safe spaces. Because you know, we have a lot of leaders who face burnout. And so I said before you burn out, call me, let's talk, you know what I'm saying? And a lot of times the conversation or dialogue that we have, you know, Allah decided to save them and re, remotivate them in their cause.
So I decided to create this type of social enterprise than just a regular non profit model because the company I want, I want to be able to be distinct from other organizations.
[00:50:56] Speaker B: And also I, I see that that has, you know, you have the three streams. So should one, should one stream get a little low, you can you know, pull from the other streams as well to sustain your organization.
[00:51:12] Speaker C: Yeah, because what people don't, what, what nonprofit leaders don't teach other people, sometimes you're not making any money is, is for the first maybe five years it's gonna be a lot of volunteer hours.
So you, we have to make sure that we could sustain ourselves and our families with the work that we do. And because our community has always been about self determination was selling fish or selling newspapers or selling oils, you know what I'm saying? You have to identify a way that you could sustain yourself while you're doing this social mission type work. And this is what I, this is what I, this is what Allah inspired me to do.
[00:51:54] Speaker B: I know our time is, is getting close.
We talked about that you had to, you know, get ready for a meeting that's a part of what we spoke about, the human security resolution.
[00:52:07] Speaker C: Yeah, hate crime. We're going to talk about hate crime.
Align with the White House Islamophobia strategy and so on.
[00:52:17] Speaker B: And so as we wrap up, my last question, or one of my last questions would be whether it's, you know, your children or young adults in the community, older adults in the community, whoever it may be. What.
What do you hope that they gain from.
From your involvement in the community?
[00:52:41] Speaker C: A blueprint.
A blueprint on how to go about things.
If I could leave my children anything, I pray that I could leave them a good name and a legacy that when I, when I pass, my community will look out for them, because those are my children.
And then when it comes to the work, leave behind a blueprint because, you know, it's not easy. But if you could. If my work could be like a. Like a, a mentorship type of model for your work or for others in their work, then, you know, look at it like that. But a blueprint, because that's what the Prophet made peace and best be quandum left that for us was the. Was his not only the Quran, but the hadith on how he applied the Quran. So it's basically he. He showed us how to apply the Quran, convert faith into action.
[00:53:32] Speaker B: And also your mentor, Imam Sadiq Safir, he. You say he provided a blueprint for you. So we continue to provide, you know, these steps and these, These, these ways and, and incorporate the prophetic model within those as well.
It's like, you know, you can only do nothing but get better as time goes on. Inshah.
[00:53:57] Speaker C: So, you know, leave behind a good, good reputation and a blueprint.
[00:54:02] Speaker B: All right, well, I guess we will end on that. I think that's the best place to end on.
[00:54:07] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:54:08] Speaker B: Thank you. I appreciate you, like taking the time. I said I was going to be short today, but we.
[00:54:14] Speaker C: We had an hour, so this was a good conversation.
[00:54:17] Speaker B: I appreciate it. And hopefully I. It won't be the last conversation that we have.
[00:54:22] Speaker C: No, not anytime. I'm here.
[00:54:24] Speaker B: All right, thank you.
[00:54:31] Speaker A: Thank you for listening to this episode of on the Square Real Talk on Race and Islam in the Americas, a special podcast series brought to you by Sapalo Square and the Maiden.
Very, very appreciative of our guest brother Uma Hakeem Day. You can find information about what we discussed, including links and more by visiting sapalosquare.com on the square or themeidan.com podcast.
Last but not least, our theme music is provided by Fanatic on Beats. Salaam alaikum,
[00:55:11] Speaker C: Sam.
