As we move into 2025 it has occurred to me that it would be a great personal exercise to stop and acknowledge those individuals in my life’s journey who have had significant impact on me, personally and professionally. I am choosing to share some of these stories as a reminder to myself that one’s life long achievements may be best remembered by acknowledging the people who have assisted in its growth and development.
It should go without saying that my Mother and Father have been the most influential in my life. They were teaching me even before I knew I was in class! Their ethical and moral foundation was the gravity that kept me tethered to a good life, with promise and ever blooming lessons, planted as seeds in the fertile soil of my heart and mind.
However I am choosing to chronicle other important individuals who took an interest without the ties of maternal/paternal relations. These people have made indelible prints upon the clay of my existence. I am truly honored to share these experiences with those who care to listen. Believe it or not, some of the people that we will feature have long and storied history, while others may have been a chance meeting with only a smidgen of time between us, however each personality acknowledged has gained my respect and admiration as true human beings worthy of mention.
My Mentor Gave Me The Green Light
If there was ever anyone that has given me the confidence to live into the courage that was already deep within; to truly understand what a culture of care is really about , it has been my friend, partner and sage mentor Samuel Amir Shareef.
Through our decades of friendship I have come to understand the critical role of inter-generational mentorship. Every individual should strive to achieve mentor relationships. Brilliance without wisdom over time becomes like a dim light, only ready to ignite; wisdom’s experience is what makes it bright.
One of the first lessons learned from our relationship was one of selflessness. In all of the years that we have worked together there have been few instances where Samuel has not been available for a call; even when he has been under the weather, he has made a way to spend some time listening to my concerns and providing much needed counsel. However, some of the most prescient knowledge and advice shared within the last ten years has been in understanding the nature of human relationships.
It has been through our work with the founding of the Muslim Life Planning Institute [MLPI] that our business and friendship have led us to great accomplishments. Quintessential to our continual transformation has been our focus on established values, trust and collaborating with a conscientious spirit. There so much that can be said here! However the idea for this missive ‘Learning from the Best’ will be considerate brevity.
However, it is important to point out that our tours of duty have included two trips to Yale University with teams of scholars in Islamic theology and medicine to grapple with vexing challenges in the areas of health and science – most notably, the last ten years within the organ/eye/tissue transplant and mental health communities.
Through our work with MLPI we have been fortunate to have achieved deep relationships with principals and servant leaders at esteemed academic institutions which include the Clara Mohammed Education Consortium, The Mosque Cares Office of Education, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Henry Ford Hospital Systems, Michigan State University Department of Psychiatry, Howard University Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Medicine for the Greater Good Baltimore, along with a host of prolific organizations and esteemed professionals throughout America. Each of these relationships have their own stories, too lengthy for this brief writing, however over time we hope to expand your vision into the intricacies of the human relationships and communication which have fueled our growth within our vast ecosphere.
As partners, after having lived through the COVID-19 pandemic, the George Floyd tragedy, Micheal Brown in Saint Louis MO, January 6th Washington DC and so many other life changing moments in our Nation’s history, ours is a relationship which stands the test of time, patience, understanding and above all considerate listening.
In my next piece chronicling the work of our dynamic duo, I will share fascinating excerpts of our life and work together, as there are many lessons to be learned!
As a tease for future missives- do you remember back in 2015 when Baltimore was roiled by weeks of tense protests after the April 19 death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old soulfully indigenous man who died of a spinal cord injury while in police custody? Gray’s death and the protests it inspired once again placed a national spotlight on issues of race, justice, police brutality, and the deep distrust between minority communities and their local governments. However, the justice system ultimately punished no one for it.
At that time an idea of a new minds journey for community self examination was born. We called it [Creating a Profound Sense of Community], an organization which became known as CAPSOC. More on that later.
In closing let me say that it is my sincere desire to share this acknowledgement in the hopes that it will encourage others to pick up the mantle of inter-generational mentorship. It was my mentor that gave me the green light to become the partner, professional and servant leader that I continually strive to be .
We will stop here for now as I remind myself not to let perfection be the winner over progress. Thanking you in advance for your considerate listening.
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