Jersey Muslim of the Month: Zellie Thomas

By: Alaa Essafi

Zellie Thomas is an activist, leader, and third-grade math teacher in Paterson. His social media pages are filled with tweets and videos calling us all to be better allies to the Black community, to uplift the voices of Black students, and to demand change in addressing the student debt crisis, particularly in regards to Black students. He is deeply involved in the Black Lives Matter movement in Paterson and is also the co-founder of the Black Liberation Collective. 

The Collective consists of Black students in colleges in the U.S. and Canada that organize against systemic racism within higher education institutions. It also serves as a network to connect Black students to experienced organizers who share advice on how to negotiate demands with higher ed administration. The Collective provides Black students with a support system they may not have on their campus, and amplifies their initiatives to gain recognition from major news outlets. 

In his work, Thomas emphasizes the importance of true action-based allyship. He said, “Non-Black students may have more access to resources. It’s always about being able to share your resources and tap into some of your privilege in order to help someone else sustain their movement.”

Thomas’s activism is fueled by deep love and passion for the well-being of his community, particularly the youth. As a teacher in Paterson, Thomas’s daily impact can be seen in the classroom, where he serves as an empowering figure who students could trust with their academic futures. He said, “Becoming a teacher really opened my eyes to the systemic nature of racism because far too often, a lot of us believe racism is hanging a noose or burning a cross on someone’s lawn. But we don’t realize that racism could be a Black kid going to school for 12 years and only receiving 6 years worth of education.”

If there is a sentiment to take away from Thomas’s work, it is to constantly strive to be active allies for the Black community, our Black sisters and brothers. This allyship means to tap into your own privilege in order to help the movement - whether by showing up to protests, donating to their initiatives, signing online petitions, and reaching out to ask how you and your community can be allies. He said,“At the end of the day, when you are able to improve the lives of those that are most marginalized, you are not just improving their lives and their safety, you are improving your life and your safety.”