'Let Us Make Man' - Baltimore’s FOI call men of city together

By Anthony Peña | Last updated: May 2, 2018 - 9:38:37 AM

Captain Emeritus Dennis Muhammad speaks with men at a special Monday night FOI men's class in Baltimore.

BALTIMORE—On Monday, April 16, Baltimore men heeded the call of Muhammad Mosque No. 6 under the leadership of Student Minister Carlos Muhammad and Student FOI Captain Andrew Muhammad. Over 125 men from all over Baltimore and across several organizations descended on a local recreation center in the heart of a tough neighborhood called “Park Heights.” The event, “Let Us Make Man,” was not about what religion, politics, sports, or any other differences a man had, but rather putting those differences aside and listening to testimony and instructions to work to make their communities safe and decent places to live.

Various men shared testimonies of what inspired them to work on their growth, development and cultivation into manhood.
PFK Boom, a 300 Gangstas co-founder, chanted, “We All We Got” as the audience responded, “We all We Need.” Derrick Chase, a community organizer discussed his roots listening to the Nation of Islam in the early 1990s and eventually meeting the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan in 1997. His message was “I am a student.” Dr. Andre Bundley, a former principal and now director of African-American Outreach for the mayor’s office, challenged the men to change their ways and take responsibility for their children. “If we don’t have the examples [in the community] then we are the examples for those in our community,” said Dr. Bundley.

Men from Baltimore gathered for special meeting.

Student Captain Andrew Muhammad introduced keynote speaker FOI Captain Emeritus Dennis Muhammad, a longtime helper of Min. Farrakhan and founder of the Peacekeepers. Andrew Muhammad recalled how he listened to Dennis Muhammad’s lecture on cassette tape titled “Champion” when he was in prison in the 1990s.

“Captain Dennis has a wealth of training, knowledge, and experience in training of Black men to become responsible Black men,” said Andrew Muhammad. During his remarks to the men, Captain Dennis Muhammad spoke about manhood. “We are all males, but we are not all men. It’s a title we can’t just throw around. We have to distinguish between being a boy and being a man,” he explained.

He discussed the power of Min. Farrakhan and his teachings under the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad as the best example for men. Dennis Muhammad then challenged the audience to set aside “cowardly” ways and the “fear of the White man” to protect and preserve our people and community.

Young men also attended the gathering.

The evening ended with spiritual guidance from Student Minister Carlos Muhammad who paid homage to Student Minister Jamil Muhammad and Student Captain Akil Muhammad. “These men raised me,” said Carlos Muhammad. He also called onto the stage different men whose work in the community have made an impact.

After the event, Student Captain Andrew Muhammad stated that the mission was successful in “touching several topics from ‘Stop the killing,’ employment and manhood and fatherhood training”.

“We were able to sign up over 60 men to become 10,000 Fearless in Baltimore,” he said. Student Captain Andrew and Baltimore’s FOI will continue to work with the community and plan more unity events in an effort to help address problems in the city.

The Final Call