Melina Abdullah

Melina Abdullah is an American academic and civic leader. She is chair of the department of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, and a co-founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter.

Melina Abdullah
Melina Abdullah on a panel at the 2016 Politicon at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California.
Born
Melina Rachel Reimann[1]

East Oakland, Oakland, California, U.S.
EducationHoward University (B.A.)
University of Southern California (M.A., PhD.)
OccupationAcademic
EmployerCalifornia State University, Los Angeles
Parent(s)John Reimann (father)[2]
RelativesGünter Reimann (grandfather)

Early life and education

Abdullah was born in East Oakland, Oakland, California, U.S.[3] Her father was "a union organizer and self-proclaimed Trotskyist."[3] Her paternal grandfather was Günter Reimann, a marxist economist and German communist who opposed the Nazi regime.[4][5][6]

Abdullah graduated from Howard University, where she earned a bachelor's of arts (B.A.) degree in African American Studies.[7] She subsequently earned a master's degree (M.A.) and doctoral degree (PhD.) in political science from the University of Southern California.[7][8]

Activism

Abdullah is a self-described "womanist scholar-activist". She has said that her academic roles are connected with her activist role in fighting for liberating those who have been exploited many times. She serves on several boards, including Black Community, Clergy and Labor Alliance (BCCLA), Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA-CAN), and Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education (SCOPE).[7]

Career

Abdullah is a tenured professor and the chair of the department of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles.[7] She was interviewed in 13th, a 2016 documentary about mass incarceration in the United States.

Abdullah has served on the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission since 2014.[7] She is a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter chapter in Los Angeles, California.[3] She was arrested and released after paying a $20,000 bail in May 2018.[9] Abdullah regularly writes articles for the LA Progressive.[10]

Controversy

Abdullah is a supporter of Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam.[11][12][13][14] The Nation of Islam has been categorized as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its anti-white, antisemitic, and anti-LGBT rhetoric.[15] Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam have been extensively condemned by the Anti-Defamation League, which combats antisemitism.[16]

Personal life

Abdullah resides in Crenshaw, a neighborhood of Los Angeles.[3] She has three children.[3]

References
  1. "Veromi.net | People Summary". veromi.net. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  2. "EXCLUSIVE: California State Professor Brings Her 7-Year-Old To Lecture The Los Angeles Police Department". Daily Wire. 12 May 2017. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  3. Aron, Hillel (November 9, 2015). "These Savvy Women Have Made Black Lives Matter the Most Crucial Left-Wing Movement Today". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on July 8, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  4. https://thelandmag.com/the-people-v-melina-abdullah/
  5. https://mises.org/profile/günter-reimann
  6. https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/04/obituaries/guenter-reimann-economic-publisher-is-dead-at-100.html
  7. "Melina Abdullah". Department of Pan-African Studies. California State University, Los Angeles. Archived from the original on July 8, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  8. "Pan-African Studies | Melina Abdullah". Cal State LA. 2013-11-23. Archived from the original on 2020-06-06. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  9. "Melina Abdullah, professor and co-founder of BLM Los Angeles, on police commission hearing arrest". Fox 11. May 9, 2018. Archived from the original on July 8, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  10. "Melina Abdullah, professor and co-founder of BLM Los Angeles, on Covid-19 rates of Black death". LA Progressive. April 16, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  11. "https://twitter.com/docmellymel/status/1124698369018826754". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-07-30. External link in |title= (help)
  12. Schrank, Aaron. "Nation of Islam Leader Says Nipsey Hussle Was 'A Prophetic Voice'". LAist. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
  13. "User Clip: Dr. Melina Abdullah Speaking at the Million Man March 20th Anniversary. | C-SPAN.org". c-span.org. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
  14. "User Clip: Farrakhan Talks About the True Religion of Jesus | C-SPAN.org". c-span.org. Retrieved 2020-07-30.
  15. Southern Poverty Law Center - Nation of Islam
  16. ADL: Profiles - Nation of Islam
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