Malik Rahim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Malik Rahim
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Malik Rahim in 2001
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| Born |
Donald Guyton
1948 (age 76–77) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Community organizer |
Malik Rahim (born Donald Guyton in 1948) is an American community organizer and activist. He works to improve housing and help people after they leave prison. He grew up in the New Orleans area of Louisiana and has been based there since the late 1990s.
In 2005, Rahim became well-known across the country. This was because he helped organize communities in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina caused a lot of damage. He also helped start the Common Ground Collective, a group that provided aid and support.
Rahim is a veteran and was once a member of the Black Panther Party in New Orleans. In 1970, he moved to California. There, he worked on making sure people had affordable places to live in San Francisco. When he returned to New Orleans, Rahim started the Algiers Development Center and Invest Transitional Housing. These programs helped more than 1,000 people find homes after leaving prison. He also helped create Pilgrimage for Life, a group that worked to end the death penalty in Louisiana.
In 2002, Rahim ran for the New Orleans City Council as a member of the Green Party, but he did not win. In 2008, he was one of four people who ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for Louisiana's 2nd congressional district. He was a Green Party candidate. The Republican candidate Joseph Cao won that election.
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Early Life and Service
Malik Rahim was born Donald Guyton in 1948 in Algiers, Louisiana. This city is located south of the Mississippi River from New Orleans. He grew up in this busy area.
He went to Landry High School but left before finishing. He joined the United States Navy and served in the Vietnam War.
Community Work in New Orleans
In May 1970, after his time in the Navy, Guyton came back to New Orleans. He joined a group that was trying to start a chapter of the Black Panther Party in Louisiana. They first formed the "National Committee to Combat Fascism." This group later became the state chapter of the Black Panthers.
The group set up their base in a house on Saint Thomas Street. They worked on political activities. They also offered free breakfast, tutoring, and programs to prevent crime for people in the community, especially children. During this time, Donald Guyton began using the name Malik Rahim, which he still uses today.
The group later moved to a house on Piety Street. This was near the Desire housing project. In September 1970, they were told to leave, but they refused. Police raided the house on September 14, 1970. They used a machine gun and a special vehicle. No one from the Black Panthers was hurt. Rahim was among those arrested by the police. They faced serious charges.
Several other Panthers moved into another house in the Desire project. Police raided this house on November 19. After a brief standoff, thousands of local residents stopped the police from entering. A person nearby was killed by police during the event. On November 26, police successfully raided the house. They arrested the Panthers inside by disguising some officers.
Rahim, who was a leader in the group, was among twelve Panthers who faced charges. A jury later found him and the other eleven defendants not guilty.
Activism in California and Beyond (1970-2002)
After his release, Rahim moved to Los Angeles, California. There, he earned his G.E.D. and attended college for a short time. He later faced challenges and served time in prison in Los Angeles. This experience led him to return to political activism in the early 1980s.
At first, he focused on the rights of prisoners. He also worked on programs to help them find housing after they were released. Over time, he became involved in broader issues related to housing for everyone.
For the next twenty years, Rahim helped start and run several groups that worked for change. In San Francisco, he led the Bernal Dwellings Tenants' Association from 1995 to 1997. He worked to keep affordable housing available. In 1996, he helped start "Housing is a Human Right." This group worked to make sure everyone had access to affordable housing.
In 1998, Rahim traveled to Iraq with other activists. They went to speak out against the embargo and sanctions placed on the country.
Return to New Orleans
Rahim came back to Louisiana in the late 1990s. He helped start and run the "Algiers Development Center and Invest Transitional Housing." This program has helped over a thousand people who were formerly in prison find places to live. He also helped create "Pilgrimage for Life," a group in Louisiana that works against the death penalty. He worked with Sister Helen Prejean on this.
In 1998, Rahim also helped start the "National Coalition to Free the Angola 3." This group worked to release three Black Panthers. They had been held in Angola Prison for many years. The three men said they were innocent and that the charges were unfair. Robert Hillary King was released in 2001. Herman Wallace was released in 2013, but sadly passed away a few days later. Albert Woodfox was released in February 2016 after accepting a plea deal.
Green Party, Hurricane Katrina, and Common Ground (2002-Present)
In 2002, Rahim became involved in elections for the first time. He ran for the New Orleans City Council with the Green Party of Louisiana. He received 3,654 votes. Rahim's goals included a "living wage" (enough money to live on), better conditions in public housing, and improvements to youth programs and the justice system for young people.
Rahim stayed in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, even though people were told to leave. In the confusing days after the hurricane, he wrote an article called "This Is Criminal" about the conditions in the city. He set up a temporary center at his late mother's house to give out aid. This house is now recognized as an International Site of Conscience.
Later, he helped start the Common Ground Collective. He worked with two organizers from Austin, Texas, Brandon Darby and scott crow. They gave out aid locally and ran a community health clinic. Many volunteers from all over the United States helped them. In the months that followed, Rahim traveled across the country. He shared updates about New Orleans and encouraged more volunteers to come help his group.
In 2006, Rahim announced he planned to run for mayor of New Orleans. However, he did not complete the steps to be on the ballot. In July 2008, Rahim decided to run for national office again. He ran for the Louisiana's 2nd congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Green Party candidate. He ran against the current representative, William J. Jefferson, Republican candidate Joseph Cao, and Libertarian Party candidate Gregory Kahn. Cao won the election. Rahim finished third, receiving 2.8% of the votes.
In 2016, a mural artist named Brandan "BMike" Odums helped create a community mural. It features Malik Rahim and a local resident named Enid Songy.
Featured in Media
Rahim was featured in the documentary Welcome to New Orleans (2006). This film, directed by Rasmus Holm, showed his efforts in building up the community. It also featured Scott Crow, Desert storm Veteran Dennis Kyne, and activists Jimmy Dunson and Suncere Ali Shakur.
Awards and Recognition
- In 2019, Rahim received the Living Legend Award from Southern University. The New Orleans city council also recognized him for helping over 500,000 people after Hurricane Katrina.
- In 2006, Rahim was given the 'Community Builder Award' by Global Exchange. This is an international human rights organization based in San Francisco.
- In 2008, Rahim was honored with the Thomas Merton Award. This award recognized his dedication to humanity.
