It takes a lot of courage to stand on one’s truth and present something that is eye opening and world-changing. Queen Muhammad Ali is one of those people who display that strength. An Indie film maker and public speaker, Queen’s focus is on community, including individual social and personal development. We originally became acquainted when she and her husband Hakeem Khaaliq had taken behind-the-scenes photos for my Annakin’s Prayer Episode II music video.
Additionally, I had the pleasure of viewing #Bars4Justice, a short film, which she directed. The film was shot in Ferguson, Missouri during the one year anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown August 9–10, 2015. The film was highly praised and has received official selections of several film festivals, including being nominated and winning the 24th Annual Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, Uptown Short Film Festival in New York, and being nominated at the Tirana International Film Festival (DOCUTIFF) in Albania. The provocative view of the protests and police reaction provides a thorough view that mainstream media did not broadcast.
“I just want to see oppressed people become free. If you see a flower dying, you don’t kill the flower, but change the environment,” Queen Muhammad Ali passionately stated, when describing her social film making experiences. Ali and Khaaliq are also owners of Nation 19 Magazine, a publication created to educate youth on indigenous empowerment and anthropological correctness. Ali said, “My big motivation is presenting cultural facts to the youth, because many aren’t even aware they are being fed lies.”
The wealth of knowledge and historical research she puts in her work will leave the viewer with a strong impact comparable to any Netflix documentary.
You can subscribe to her magazine at www.nation19.com.
IG: @Nation19
FB: https://facebook.com/19apdta/
RIP Thaahum. A great mind and a kind heart.