Finding Hope in Religion and Helping Others
Despite his current circumstances, Malik Muhammad says he is choosing to look forward.
He cites his children and God as his reasons for getting up every morning. He believes that revisiting one’s spiritual side is the key to being empathetic to others’ suffering and that figures such as Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and Buddha provide a standard for us to follow.
The Oakland native says he also finds motivation from the services the shelter provides.
“They have a program right now that I understand if you bring them two or three paychecks, they'll help you move into a new apartment. That's motivation within itself,” he said.
Muhammad says he also tries to look after young people he finds on the streets, like a 15-year-old he says he once found selling drugs.
"I told him, ‘Hey man, that dope stuff will mess your life up buddy. You'll be on the curb with three or four felonies. You can still be blessed even with felonies, but we all know it’s best not to have them. You can land a better job.’”
![“I noticed they have those Ambassadors out here,” Muhammad said. “[They] help people with directions and stuff but they also check on people and I think that's a pretty good thing.”](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5675d221cbced60a236e28b8/1570216028678-72AR5JYFXEBSEDGM2U4N/IMG-1194.jpg)
“I noticed they have those Ambassadors out here,” Muhammad said. “[They] help people with directions and stuff but they also check on people and I think that's a pretty good thing.”
Grateful for Ambassadors
To Muhammad, the downtown Reno Ambassador program exemplifies the caring nature of Reno. Ultimately, he states, it’s up to the individual to take advantage of the resources provided by Reno to those in need.
“A lot of cities and places don't have people walking around, trying to see if somebody that is knocked out, dead, or on the side of the road [is okay],” he said.