Nurah Speaks

“Where have you been Nurah?”

For some time now I have had the feeling that something was missing from the podcast but I could not quite put my finger on it. I had a dissatisfaction, a nagging if you will that the podcast was incomplete. So stepped away to figure things out. And what I discovered is that I was not including a vital part of my foundation in the show, and that is the words and wisdom of Elijah Muhammad.

When I began this podcast, it was not an ego driven project. In fact, I was nudged and nearly nagged to expand my audience so that the message I shared regionally in workshops, trainings, and keynotes could be heard by a broader listenership.

In my introductory episode I shared a bit about myself with listeners so that the audience could know who I was: A wife, a mother, a Muslim follower of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, a community organizer, civically engaged, etc. However as I proceeded with the show, I did not include the key to what has made me successful and that is the wisdom of Elijah Muhammad, directly from himself.

You see, it was never my intention that this be a religious show, a Muslim show or one to proselytize. That is not my jam, plus I know that the name of this great man has been dragged through the mud and most have been given a misperception of him. What I wanted was a show that shared principles that would edify my people to help us improve the outcomes within our communities. And that is what Nurah Speaks is. But! By not including his own words-words that help me to succeed and grow-I realized I was not giving the audience the best that I had to offer and what makes my foundation rock solid.  And I value my audience too much to hold that from you.

So now, moving forward each episode will include a short quote from Elijah Muhammad-not because I want to make converts, but because I desire to be as enlightening with my people as possible. Episodes will either have a clip from an interview or speech or an excerpt from an article or book he’s written.

I am emptying my pockets of all that I have and giving you the best that I’ve got.

I thank you all for your patience and enduring the interruption while I worked through this. It feels so good to be back!

“Love yourself and your kind. Let us refrain from doing evil to each other, and let us love each other as brothers, as we are the same flesh and blood. In this way, you and I will not have any trouble in uniting. It is a fool who does not love himself and his people.” Elijah Muhammad, from the book ‘Message To The BlackMan In America.’

If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to [email protected].  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website: NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link.

Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email [email protected].

Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

Businesses that have once been sure hires for our young people are not so sure anymore.

Hiring managers do not want to deal with the hassle that comes from dysfunctional youth who are not able to follow instructions, who do not arrive to work on time and prepared for their shifts and who lack the capacity to navigate petty isms amongst colleagues.

Our young people must possess the functional life skills required to perform successfully in the workplace. And it is our responsibility to equip them.

If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to [email protected].  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website: NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link.

More and more I am see social media posts of mothers disparaging ‘The Village’ during their family’s crises with thier out of control children. My question to that is, “Are ‘you’ a part of the village? Have you been volunteering or are you a member of a social organization, church, mosque, civic group?”

It is easy to condemn the village as inaccessible when we live in silos or in isolation. It can be an unfair criticism when we take no part.

I encourage parents to always be involved in their community in some way and the good news is that there are all sorts of ways to be plugged in. Schools, sports and other extra curricular programs can be a place to volunteer as well as community service groups and reputable non profit agencies. Churches, mosques, temples are also places where parents have membership and a natural built in support system. Municipalities and law enforcement agencies also host community events that families can be involved in.

We need to wait for a crises to get involved in ‘The Village’. It is always better to make a withdrawal when you have already made deposits through your own efforts and support.

If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to [email protected].  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website: NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link.

Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email [email protected].

Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

There is so much good that comes from giving. And there are so many forms of giving that we have no excuse to forgo making meaningful impacts in our community.

Whether it is time, skills, or resources-giving has a way of helping the giver just as much as the person(s) being helped. Your confidence and self esteem will grow, you’ll have more joy in life and you will have more gratitude.

Charity is a universal principle across most religions and philosophies because there is just something very right and rewarding about being unselfish.  Experience it for yourself

If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to [email protected].  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website: NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link.

Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email [email protected].

Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

The gender war in which we are currently engaged is doing harm to us, our young people and our community.  On countless podcasts and YouTube channels Black women and Black men are ripping each other apart, saying the vilest of things and criticizing one another in the harshest of manner.

Few discussions lend to a productive contribution to the culture. These programs are mostly fodder for entertaining viewers who align with the attitudes and opinions of the hosts.  

The continual fragmentation of the Black community is evident by this content and the promises of our future become casualties of this gender war.

We need a more compassionate approach that recognizes the horror of our collective lived experiences if we will ever hope to have peace with one another.

If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to [email protected].  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website: NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link.

Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email [email protected].

Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

This episode challenges the ways that we segment ourselves into sub-demographics and how those divisions impede our collective progress. This installment specifically addresses Black Feminism and encourages listeners to broaden their understanding of the fullness of harm done to our people (Black Descendants of American Slavery) and how we manifest that harm through our interactions within the Black community.

I’d love to hear your take on this subject and this episode. What are your thoughts? 

To engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to [email protected].  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website: NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link.

Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email [email protected].

Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

Black creators are among those removing their content from Spotify. Artists and podcast hosts are concerned about COVID and vaccine misinformation they say is allowed on the platform. The boycott was kicked off after attention was brought to Joe Rogan’s podcast.

I am in disbelief that Black creators are mobilizing around the tenor of content produced by Joe Rogan rather than that produced by Black artists for an overwhelmingly Black audience.

Scrolling through Spotify, I find Snoop Dogg, Kodak Black, Travis Scott, Megan Thee Stallion, Pop Smoke and Nicki Minaj among countless other Black artists who have content that degrades Black women, promotes drug abuse, uses abusive language, promotes rape culture and killing within our community.

Joe Rogan and COVID and vaccine misinformation are THE WRONG THINGS and Spotify should be the least on our list to boycott.

If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to [email protected].  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website: NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link.

Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email [email protected].

Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

Regulators are monitoring and governing the language used by high profile entertainers.

Parents and legislators are monitoring and governing the language used in text books and school curriculum.

Who is going to monitor and govern the language record executives are dumping in the minds of our most impressionable?

Are we so insignificant that we not concern ourselves with the enthusiastic invitations to pills, prostitution and other destructive endeavors projected at our youth?

C’mon Black Community-our apathy is showing!

If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to [email protected].  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website: NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link.

Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email [email protected].

Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

Infants born during the pandemic scored lower on developmental skills as compared to those born before the pandemic. Suicide attempts spiked for youth ages 12-17 during the pandemic…and are still rising.

Had the nation’s health experts considered the impact of COVID-19 public health strategies on our youth? Did they consider the mental health toll that their language and use of morbid imagery could have on our most vulnerable?

In episode 180 I share distressing statistics concerning our infants, children and adolescents that have been reported over the last two years. And, who, if anyone can be held accountable?

NOTE: This episode makes mention of suicide and may be triggering for some listeners. Suicidal thoughts or actions, even in very young children, are a sign of extreme distress and should not be ignored. If you or someone you know needs immediate help, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the Crisis Text Line by texting “home” to 741 741.

Check out the links below for additional information on issues discussed in this episode:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/beltway/2015/09/16/obama-nudge-government/?sh=14334f6c2c99

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00027-4

https://evidencenotfear.com/grossly-unethical-government-nudge-unit-accused-of-scaring-the-public-over-covid-the-telegraph/

https://psyarxiv.com/y38m9

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/psych/articlepdf/2764584/jamapsychiatry_reger_2020_vp_200017_1603916109.97897.pdf

https://www.rt.com/news/547579-most-uk-covid-admissions-incidental/

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/882722/25-options-for-increasing-adherence-to-social-distancing-measures-22032020.pdf

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/youth-suicide-attempts-soared-during-pandemic-cdc-report-says-n1270463

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/research-highlights/2021/understanding-the-characteristics-of-suicide-in-young-childrenIf you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to [email protected].  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website: NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link.

Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email [email protected]. Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!

Stay alert to the divisive language employed by talk show pundits and political leaders concerning the COVID-19 vaccine.

Don Lemon called the unvaccinated stupid and idiots. 

Howard Stern said the unvaccinated should not be admitted to hospitals for treatment but instead ‘go home and die.'

Our community cannot afford to widen rifts that already separate us and we do not need more reasons to be at odds with one another. 

Regardless of our vaccination status, we have common concerns that we must be united in addressing without standing in judgment and condemnation of each other.  Let's not add more reasons to be divided.

Here are a few links to information that I shared in this episode:

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s0730-mmwr-covid-19.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/people-harmed-by-coronavirus-vaccines-will-have-little-recourse-11602432000

https://rumble.com/vrkgip-flashback-rachel-maddow-vaccine-stops-covid-and-prevents-further-transmissi.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfxnKgCN3OY

If you would like to engage with the Nurah Speaks podcast, submit your listener questions to [email protected].  Listeners can also learn more about Nurah by visiting her website: NurahSpeaks.com or reading her blog by clicking this link.

Follow Nurah Speaks @NurahSpeaksPodcast on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

To bring Nurah as a speaker at your next event, email [email protected].

Remember, don’t just Join the Movement, Be the Movement!