Muslim Women Activists in North America: Speaking for Ourselves

12: Activism: A Passion for Justice

129 Samadah Raquibah Amatul Nur It is said that “good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day.” My faith in Allah, my desire for a just society and a peaceful world, have framed my life and strengthened my character for the past forty years. I was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, and raised in Buffalo, New York. I am the only child born to Raymond Johnson and Willie Mae Johnson. However, like so many of us, I have an extended family . My extended family includes thirteen siblings with whom I have a supportive , loving, and caring relationship. Twenty-seven years ago my umie (mother) took her shahadah (declaration of faith to Islam) and is now Khadijah Nur. Currently, my home is metro Atlanta in Georgia. While I had a glimpse of my passion for justice as a child, it was during the late sixties that my activism found fertile ground. I participated in marching for civil rights and seeking the end to segregation, actively registered voters, confronted police brutality, and worked with the group that evolved into the National Organization for Women to protest and to redress the inequity in wages between men and women. Additionally, I was an active member of the Young Black Leadership Caucus. These days, my activism has been transformed into motivating and teaching our youth to respect themselves, improving their communities, creating products to uplift humanity, and espousing the need to have unified families. “Activism” is a 12 Activism Samadah Raquibah Amatul Nur A Passion for Justice 130 Activism: A Passion for Justice part of my persona, and while I haven’t marched in a few years, should there be a need to march, trust that I will be on the forefront. Currently, I am actively involved in a number of organizations that serve as agents for social change and cultural awareness. They include the National Black Herstory Task Force; Baitul Salaam Network, Inc.; Sisters United in Human Services, Inc.; the African American Female Business Owners of the Atlanta Business League; Atlanta Business League; Metro Atlanta Kwanzaa Association; Buffalo Kwanzaa Committee; National Black Child Development Institute; Muslim Chamber of Commerce; the Islamic Crisis Emergency Response System; the Amana Academy, and the Muslimah Consultation Group. Despite being afflicted with a debilitating lung disease, I have no intentions of retiring. In fact, I view my illness as the catalyst that caused me to listen to the higher force and as the source for me motivating those who are ill or disabled to follow their dreams. I have a strong sense of responsibility to make our world a better place for all humanity. My work with the Civil Rights Movement in the 1970s instilled in me the belief that my work is not just for African Americans but for all people and especially the youth, the leaders of tomorrow. I envision a multicultural/multiracial one-world where citizens would have access to adequate health care; communities would be rid of drugs, homelessness, and underemployment/unemployment; hunger would be eliminated; wars would cease; education would be valued and available; families would be strong; and we would respect each other. With this vision it is evident why I am motivated to work to build such a society. During the late seventies I established a Saturday school program—the Young Afrikan Sisters Club—in Buffalo for young girls ages five to thirteen to prepare them for their future. The only requirement for admission was that they would agree to completing homework assignments. In addition to completing the assignments, the young sisters learned about voting rights, the importance of succeeding in school, their African heritage, proper grooming, and healthy diet, as well as how to wrap their hair. Some of these young girls are now adults who have graduated from college or university and who, in their own way, are helping to build the world of which I dream. I also co-created another Saturday school called the Afrikan Studies Workshop (ASW) with Sharon Holley and Karima Amin for both boys and girls ages five and older. ASW used creative teaching methods to aid in the participants’ total education by helping them to become aware of Afrikan and Afrikan American history and identity. As creators we felt that the instruc- tions, activities, and presentations by members of the participants’ community would help to motivate the children to develop a...