A Respected Leader

(The extensive detailed list of humanitarian projects with which SaLee' has been involved is being reconstructed, & will be back up on this site soon)

Throughout her life, Dr. SaLee' Amina has been engaged in humanitarian efforts, charitable projects, volunteerism and donating to worthy causes. She firmly believes that one must work to make a living, but that one must help others to make a life. Being of help and doing good is of senior importance to her than making a profit or gaining benefit. 

 SaLee' has always been a humanitarian, even as a child, when she donated much of the proceeds from her art to charity; and volunteered for the elderly, disabled & veterans: Since age 14, SaLee has been a professional artist, sculptor, painter, designer, jeweler; writer & poet;. Since age 16, she had a career in film /TV / theater, on both sides of the camera. At age 18, she made her first investments, and at age 21, she shifted careers from the Arts to business, law, Investments & Diplomacy. (ALL sculptures, paintings & jewelry designs on this website were created by SaLee' Amina. A few pieces were made at her Geneva factory, with her business associate, Gerard Jolie; much of which was sold to Cartier, Piaget, Patek Phillipe & Boucheron).

From her early teen years, when SaLee' began exhibiting her professional art, she began her life-long practice of directly 'diverting' income to charity. Clients would donate to the charity of their choice, bringing the receipt to SaLee' for which she would deduct the amount, as if it had been paid to her. Throughout her life, she maintained this practice of 'donating' to charities through her 'pro-bono' work and Giving free service in exchange for funds paid by clients directly to major charities.

SaLee' continued this practice of living her life on a basis of "integrity first", including when she negotiated military & air defense contracts. She always waived the commissions, sometimes giving them as discounts to the purchasing client, thus securing important strategic allies throughout the world for USA. (She was NOT employed by government, nor was she encouraged to waive fees. She did it of her own accord, based on her personal heightened sense of ethics, integrity & respect).

As early as high school, SaLee' was involved in Civil Rights issues: She joined the American Indian Movement during its first year, while she was still a High School student. She also joined the Afro-American Culture Club, while in High School, being the only white person to do so at the time; and she took part in race riot 'negotiations' in the Chicago area. 

SaLee's first business in college was wholesale selling of her original designed poster of a tear-face American Native Indian chief, superimposed over an 'ecology' peace flag.

Conscientious of her role as a citizen wanting to make a difference, while still in elementary school, she campaigned for a cleaner Chicago area, winning an award for her speech that commended the Chicago Bureau of Sanitation workers, who kept the thousands of miles of streets & alleys clean. She also campaigned for organizations to keep the Chicago river clean & safe, for recycling programs, protection of the environment & keeping The Great Lakes clean.

At 15 years old, she appeared on television, on the Howard Miller show, where she spoke on Civil Rights & a 'volunteer' draft, another guest on the show that day was Bobby Seale (of 'The Black Panthers').

In college, she became involved in social issues, as a volunteer for organizations founded by Ralph Nader, Jesse Jackson & Martin Luther King; and she was a local volunteer for the political campaign of Bobby Kennedy. She also had contributed funds raised through her artwork to the JFK Library. Her first jobs were assisting at a home for the elderly (The Bowman Home in Midlothian, Ill.) & a camp for disabled children (Pottowattome Camp, Ill.)

 
SaLee' mentors women & girls, and has counseled at-risk teens.

In 1986, SaLee' Amina Mohammed began' The Muslim Service Bureau', which supported 23 destitute women & kids. She was sole provider for these families, except for a small donation from Regents Park Mosque.

SaLee' considers that her most valuable jobs have been as a mother to her children, & as a trustworthy, compassionate & responsible friend towards all mankind. 

Her goal in life is to use every talent bestowed upon her by her creator, in an ethical and positive manner, with constant perseverance towards leaving the world significantly better for her having existed; while also achieving her personal aspirations and living life with exuberance, enthusiasm & sincere compassion for all & with stewardship for the Earth & responsibility toward future generations. 

Her most fervent wish is for world prosperity & productivity,  while allowing for great success, progress & wealth,  without compromising compassion; resulting in worldwide cooperation, harmony, understanding, tolerance & peace.

Faith:  She believes very strongly that the only criterion for allowing the full benefit of "Human Rights" is that one is a human, nothing more.  She believes each and every life has value and in unique, and that we evolve as a civilization to the degree that we can show mutual respect, cooperation and consideration towards all, and grant value to all people, tolerating all viewpoints, whether or not we agree.  

She also believes strongly in taking responsibility for her own actions and also for her participation in activities that contribute towards insuring that the planet will be sustainable and viable for future generations.  Although she is a great supporter of science & research, she does not see the logic of flying to other planets, while such a huge percentage of the population lingers in poverty.  She prays for a better life for all, where each person can survive, thrive, flourish and prosper; and where happiness is the 'norm' and where progress and improvement is continuous.

Her spiritual motto is "I have faith in faith, and I believe in believing!

Long lists of her charitable actions attest to her sincerity, a few examples of which are: 

1980 - During the first Gulf War, Dr. SaLee' flew news footage from the Gulf to Amman, Jordan, via private jet, where it was fed by satellite to news media, worldwide. On each return trip, she voluntarily filled the private jet with refugees from war-torn Iraq, giving them a free ride to safety; since all commercial airlines were fully booked and the Jordanian border was the only escape route available to the refugees. These people were brought by Dr. SaLee' Amina Mohammed to safety in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where they managed to get connecting flights to their various home countries.

In 1984, Dr. SaLee' Amina established a charitable trust, located in Delhi, India, which created job training for many of the poorest residents. The training schedule included each student receiving one full meal and several 'tea' breaks throughout the day, free of charge; and the premises included restrooms, a kitchen, a very large courtyard and several clean rooms, where students were allowed to sleep, if they were without adequate homes. Students with children were allowed free and low-cost childcare during their free job-training. As a result, many students were advanced to wage-earning positions in society and others learned to create products which could be sold to provide a living for themselves, their families and their communities. All costs were borne exclusively by Dr. SaLee' Amina.

During Ramadan, 2008, Dr. SaLee', while still recovering from a paralyzing disease (Rhabdomyolysis, which is often fatal,) SaLee' had traveled to Pakistan to take part in a massive feeding program for the poor people of North Karachi. Though herself needing help to stand or walk, she spent most of Ramadan providing bags of rice and flour to poor families.

After having consistently donated much of her income to humanitarian charities and development projects in the poorest countries, Dr. SaLee' Amina continues her tradition of constant charity through projects in Africa that provide low-cost and subsidized housing, emergency shelters, sanitary water (wells), condoms & AIDS/HIV treatments, vitamin/minerals & natural health remedies, solar powered mini-electrical and cooking facilities & mobile clinics & schools in undeveloped and barren areas of developing countries, worldwide.

Her efforts to bring people out of poverty and degraded conditions, is through services provided by 'Beverly Hills RAGS' ('RAGS' stands for Rehabilitation, Assistance and Guidance Services,) and she is a continual contributor to 'Habitat for Humanity', which builds homes for the very low income populace. Volunteerism and doing charity is incorporated into her work schedule with as much importance as any business activity. 

Through Community Colleges of California for Civics, Culture & Computer Technology, she assists people to move from Welfare or homelessness to productive & positive lives.

She is involved in numerous activities that help the poor, underprivileged, homeless, jobless, veterans, elderly, disabled, teens-at-risk, domestic violence victims and women & children who are victims of crisis.

Often, she donates her time to schools and community groups, and she mentors women & children.

Dr. SaLee' Amina has always believed that every faith, religion and cultural practice must be respected, whether or not she or anyone else agrees with it.  She feels very strongly about the fact that every human being has the right to be who they are, and should not suffer injustice, bias, prejudice, hate or violence. 

Her Speeches at Interfaith events are powerful and effective, invariably resulting in tears, hugs and outbursts of joy and apologies among those who hear her words.  Her work in promoting, explaining & protecting Islam from criticism and slander was always accompanied by her welcoming respect for diversity and her extensive comprehension of numerous religions. 

In 1971, SaLee' started "The Rainbow Butterfly Boutique," in Hollywood, California.  Although she never took any shares for herself, the boutique became an important outlet for goods made in the homes of ladies who had no other means of income, some of whom were disabled & seniors.  She never took any profit from the enterprise, nor did she had a salary.  It's sole function was to help those who counted on it as a means to feel valuable & to thrive.

In 2011, SaLee' started "Beverly Hills RAGS," (Rehabilitation, Assistance, Guidance & Services").  Again, she took no salary & held no shares in the enterprise.  The sales from the clothing boutique were directly applied to drug & alcohol rehabilitation for young people.  SaLee' donated 100% of the inventory to the business, which helped provide a positive lifestyle to those whose lives had been  damaged by abuse.