Queen Muhammad Ali facts for kids

Queen Melé Le'iato Tuiasosopo Muhammad Ali was born on November 12. She is an American filmmaker, composer, and social activist. She also studies cultures through visuals, which is called a visual anthropologist.

Queen and her husband, Hakeem Khaaliq, started a company called Nation19. It began as a magazine and an artist group. Now, it also makes films. Queen is also in charge of Manuia Samoa, a place in American Samoa that helps people feel good and healthy.

Queen's Early Life and Family

Queen was born in Watts, Los Angeles, California. Her mother was from American Samoa and worked as a teacher. Her father was an African American musician who played drums and sang. He traveled a lot, performing in the Caribbean.

Queen finished high school early. She then went to Mt. San Jacinto College in Riverside County. There, she studied art. Her grandmother, Princess Masaniai Tunufa'i Le'iato Tuiasosopo, was a very important person. She was the daughter of Tuli Leʻiato, a main chief of the islands of Tutuila and Aunu'u. Before becoming a filmmaker, Queen worked as a teacher at a private elementary school from 1999 to 2007.

Queen's Career in Film and Media

Queen Muhammad Ali has worked on many interesting projects in film and television. She often works with her husband, Hakeem Khaaliq.

Music and TV Shows

In 2007, Queen was a composer for the MTV show Adventures in Hollyhood. This show starred the rap group Three 6 Mafia. Later, in 2009, Queen and Hakeem Khaaliq were consulting producers for another MTV show. This one was called T.I.'s Road to Redemption and featured rapper T.I..

Starting Nation19

In 2010, Queen and Hakeem started Nation19. At first, it was a printed magazine and a group for artists. Over time, it grew to include many things. They started giving lectures, holding photography shows, and making films. Their films often focus on studying cultures and hip hop music.

Making Documentaries

Queen and Hakeem have made several important documentary films. These films often highlight social issues and different cultures.

¿Quiénes son los afro-mexicanos?

In 2014, they produced a short documentary film called ¿Quiénes son los afro-mexicanos?. This title means "Who are the Afro-Mexicans?". The film was shown on Univision TV stations in July 2014. It helped people learn about the history and lives of Afro-Mexicans.

#Bars4Justice

In 2015, Queen and Hakeem produced and directed #Bars4Justice. This short film premiered in October 2015. It was filmed in Ferguson, Missouri, on the first anniversary of the police shooting of Michael Brown. The film was shown at many film festivals around the world. This included the 24th Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles in 2016. It was also shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2017.

War on Us

In 2016, they produced and directed another short documentary called War on Us. This film starred Rhymefest and Jasiri X. It was filmed in Bogota, Colombia. The film talks about the negative effects of the "War on Drugs." It was shown at an exhibition in New York in April 2016. This was at the same time as a big meeting at the United Nations about drug policies.

Queen's Activism and Community Work

Queen Muhammad Ali is also very active in social causes. She works to bring attention to important issues and help communities.

Speaking Out for Indigenous Peoples

On January 18, 2019, Queen was an organizer and speaker at the Indigenous Peoples March. This event took place in Washington, DC. She spoke about health problems faced by people in American Samoa and other Pacific Islanders. She also spoke at the first Indigenous Peoples Movement conference in Houston, Texas, in May 2019.

Global Conversations

Queen was a speaker in a special online meeting on December 21, 2020. This meeting was part of the Inter-Generational Dialogue (IGD). It was organized by Global Peace, a group from South Africa. The IGD was part of a bigger project by the United Nations. This project celebrated the UN's 75th anniversary.

Awards and Recognition

On February 2, 2021, Queen was chosen by the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. She was part of their YBCA 100 list. This list honors "everyday heroes" who work to build better communities. On February 25, 2023, she received the Acie J. Belton Life Achievement Award in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Queen's Personal Life

Queen Muhammad Ali and Hakeem Khaaliq are married and have three children. Their daughters are named Melé Aliyah Khaaliq and Manaia Oli'oli Khaaliq.

Queen's Creative Works

Queen Muhammad Ali has been involved in many creative projects, including films, exhibits, and design work.

Filmography

Year	Film and television	Director	Producer	Writer	Editor or Composer	Notes
		2007	Adventures in Hollyhood					Composer	Reality TV series
2008	T.I.'s Road to Redemption		Yes			Reality TV series
2014	¿Quiénes son los afro-mexicanos?		Yes			TV short film
2015	#Bars4Justice	Yes	Yes	Yes	Editor	Short film
2016	War on Us	Yes	Yes	Yes		Short film
2016	The Last Matai	Yes			Editor
2022	Comin' Up Short	Yes	Yes		Composer

Educational Exhibits and Art Shows

Queen has also created and contributed to several art exhibits and installations. These often share important cultural and educational messages.

• Invisible México: Afro-Mexicanos Arizona Community Foundation (The Karen Work Seleznow Gallery)
• Invisible Mexico: Global Education Center Nashville, Tennessee September 2017
• A New New Wave!: monOrchid Gallery Phoenix Arizona
• Invisible Mexico: monOrchid Gallery Phoenix Arizona March 2017
• Exhibit19: February 2015 Glendale Community College
• Invisible Mexico: Private Gallery Univision Television April – July 2014
• #TURNUP Denver: DVSN WEST Cherry Creek Denver CO 2014

Design and Multimedia Projects

Queen and Hakeem Khaaliq were even asked by Michael Jackson to help with his This Is It concerts. They designed the Earth Song website and the MichaelJacksonCO.com website. They also created print ads and the Earth Song logo.