# Rizza Islam

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**Ronnie Steven** "**Rizza**" **Islam** (born March 17, 1990) is an American member of the [Nation of Islam](/source/Nation_of_Islam) and a member of its [paramilitary](/source/Paramilitary) wing the [Fruit of Islam](/source/Fruit_of_Islam).[1] According to the [Anti-Defamation League](/source/Anti-Defamation_League), he is a [social media influencer](/source/Social_media_influencer) with over 500,000 followers across several platforms, posting [antisemitic](/source/Antisemitic), [anti-LGBTQ](/source/Anti-LGBTQ), and [anti-vaccine](/source/Anti-vaccine) rhetoric, and promoting a range of conspiracy theories".[1]

## Early life

Islam was born on March 17, 1990, in [Compton, California](/source/Compton,_California).[2] A member of the [Nation of Islam](/source/Nation_of_Islam) (NOI), he attended the local NOI [mosque](/source/Mosque) as a child, and also became involved in the [Church of Scientology](/source/Church_of_Scientology).[1]

## Nation of Islam work

Islam took on many roles within the [Nation of Islam](/source/Nation_of_Islam) as a teenager, and later trained [Fruit of Islam](/source/Fruit_of_Islam) members while working at the WLC.

Under the guidance of [Tony Muhammad](/source/Tony_Muhammad), Islam gained prominence within the NOI. He met with [Louis Farrakhan](/source/Louis_Farrakhan) on multiple occasions in 2015 and 2016 as part of his work with anti-vaccine activism and promoting peace between rival [street gangs in Los Angeles](/source/List_of_criminal_gangs_in_Los_Angeles). Islam introduced prominent anti-vaccine activist [Robert F. Kennedy Jr.](/source/Robert_F._Kennedy_Jr.) to Muhammad and Farrakhan in 2015.

In February 2021, at the NOI's annual [Saviours' Day](/source/Saviours'_Day) conference, Islam shared the stage with prominent NOI leaders such as [Ishmael Muhammad](/source/Ishmael_Muhammad) and [Ava Muhammad](/source/Ava_Muhammad).[1]

## World Literacy Crusade

Main article: [World Literacy Crusade](/source/World_Literacy_Crusade)

Rizza Islam's mother, Hanan Islam, and his adoptive father, Alfreddie Johnson, were the executive director and founder, respectively, of the [World Literacy Crusade](/source/World_Literacy_Crusade), a [Scientology](/source/Scientology)-backed nonprofit organization.[1]

### Fraud charges

In 2015, Islam, alongside some of his siblings and his mother, were arrested on [medical](/source/Medical_fraud) and [insurance fraud](/source/Insurance_fraud) charges at a Scientology-affiliated [Narconon](/source/Narconon) [rehabilitation center](/source/Rehabilitation_center) at WLC offices in Compton, California.[3][1][4] In March 2023, the trial's jury selection was again postponed.[5] On June 27, 2023, the case was dismissed.[citation needed]

## Views

Through his social media channels and live events, Islam has promoted [misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines](/source/COVID-19_vaccine_misinformation_and_hesitancy),[6] targeting [African American](/source/African_Americans) communities with messages equating vaccines with [eugenics](/source/Eugenics)[7] and the [Tuskegee syphilis experiment](/source/Tuskegee_Syphilis_Study).[8] Islam has spoken at meetings of [America's Frontline Doctors](/source/America's_Frontline_Doctors).[7] He has baselessly claimed that celebrities praising vaccination have been funded by "the medical industry" to promote vaccination, while not being vaccinated themselves.[9]

He has been called one of the "[disinformation dozen](/source/Disinformation_Dozen)" responsible for 65% of [COVID-19 anti-vaccine misinformation](/source/COVID-19_vaccine_misinformation_and_hesitancy) and [conspiracy theories](/source/Conspiracy_theory) on the internet and social media, according to a report by the [Center for Countering Digital Hate](/source/Center_for_Countering_Digital_Hate) (CCDH) in 2021.[10][11] Islam's Facebook account has been terminated in February 2021, as part of the platform's efforts to limit the spread of misinformation about COVID-19.[11][12] [Instagram](/source/Instagram) and [YouTube](/source/YouTube) later deleted his accounts.[13][better source needed]

Rizza Islam has tweeted that [Jewish people](/source/Jews) [control sectors such as banking and the media](/source/Antisemitic_canard).[14] In 2020, Islam made multiple anti-Semitic statements during an appearance on [TIDAL](/source/Tidal_(service)) and [Revolt TV](/source/Revolt_(TV_network)), "[Drink Champs](/source/DJ_EFN#"Drink_Champs")".[1]

Islam has claimed that nobody is born [lesbian](/source/Lesbian), [gay](/source/Gay), [bisexual](/source/Bisexual) or [transgender](/source/Transgender), and that [LGBTQ](/source/LGBT) identity is foisted upon individuals by "international bankers" and the [US government](/source/US_government) to support [population decline](/source/Population_decline).[1] He has also likened [LGBTQ rights](/source/LGBT_rights_in_the_United_States) to rights for [pedophiles](/source/Pedophiles), which he says the [US government](/source/Federal_government_of_the_United_States) supports.[1]

## Book

In 2019, Islam self-published the book *Message to the Millineals*, a 161-page missive promoting racial separation, written to "sound an urgent warning and to propose a solution."[15]

## References

1. ["Rizza Islam"](https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounders/rizza-islam). *[Anti-Defamation League](/source/Anti-Defamation_League)*. Retrieved July 31, 2021.

1. Islam, Rizza. ["About Rizza"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210527011232/http://brother.rizzaislam.com/about-rizza/). *Rizza Islam*. Archived from [the original](http://brother.rizzaislam.com/about-rizza/) on May 27, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.

1. Ortega, Tony (January 14, 2021). ["Hanan and Rizza Islam get trial date for $4 million Medi-Cal fraud at Scientology rehab"](https://tonyortega.org/2021/01/14/hanan-and-rizza-islam-get-trial-date-for-4-million-medi-cal-fraud-at-scientology-rehab/). *The Underground Bunker*. Retrieved July 27, 2021.

1. ["Defendants in Scientology Narconon fraud bound over for trial"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqDs1akFVFc). KABC-TV. 2019.

1. Ortega, Tony (March 1, 2023). ["Rizza Islam trial likely to be delayed"](https://tonyortega.substack.com/p/david-miscavige-objects-to-being). *The Underground Bunker*. Retrieved March 2, 2023.

1. Parks, Miles (April 15, 2021). ["The Most Popular J&J Vaccine Story On Facebook? A Conspiracy Theorist Posted It"](https://www.kpbs.org/news/2021/apr/15/the-most-popular-jj-vaccine-story-on-facebook-a/). *NPR*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210415200049/https://www.kpbs.org/news/2021/apr/15/the-most-popular-jj-vaccine-story-on-facebook-a/) April 15, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 2, 2021.

1. Gilbert, David (December 19, 2020). ["Trump's Favorite Doctors Are Pushing a Conspiracy to Stop Black People From Getting the COVID Vaccine"](https://www.vice.com/en/article/trumpss-favorite-doctors-are-pushing-a-conspiracy-to-stop-black-people-from-getting-the-covid-vaccine/). *Vice*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210727220505/https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvxd78/trumpss-favorite-doctors-are-pushing-a-conspiracy-to-stop-black-people-from-getting-the-covid-vaccine) July 27, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 2, 2021.

1. Contreras, Russell (January 15, 2021). ["Battling Black mistrust of the vaccines"](https://www.axios.com/battling-black-mistrust-covid-vaccines-c5a1b605-a7a7-4a79-9ccf-4af823302d40.html). *Axios*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210228045440/https://www.axios.com/battling-black-mistrust-covid-vaccines-c5a1b605-a7a7-4a79-9ccf-4af823302d40.html) February 28, 2021 at the Wayback Machine.

1. Mason, Jacquelyn (February 18, 2021). ["The Nation of Islam and anti-vaccine rhetoric"](https://firstdraftnews.org/articles/the-nation-of-islam-and-anti-vaccine-rhetoric/). *[First Draft News](/source/First_Draft_News)*. Retrieved August 3, 2021.

1. Salam, Erum (July 17, 2021). ["Majority of Covid misinformation came from 12 people, report finds"](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/17/covid-misinformation-conspiracy-theories-ccdh-report). *The Guardian*. Retrieved July 28, 2021.

1. ["The Disinformation Dozen"](https://252f2edd-1c8b-49f5-9bb2-cb57bb47e4ba.filesusr.com/ugd/f4d9b9_b7cedc0553604720b7137f8663366ee5.pdf) (PDF). *[Center for Countering Digital Hate](/source/Center_for_Countering_Digital_Hate)*. 2020. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210518135137/https://252f2edd-1c8b-49f5-9bb2-cb57bb47e4ba.filesusr.com/ugd/f4d9b9_b7cedc0553604720b7137f8663366ee5.pdf) May 18, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 19, 2021.

1. ["Covid vaccine: Social media urged to remove these 12 anti-vaxxers dubbed as 'Disinformation Dozen'"](https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/disinformation-dozen-social-media-urged-to-remove-these-12-antivaxxers-101616843774586.html). *[Hindustan Times](/source/Hindustan_Times)*. March 27, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.

1. Muhammad, Charlene (March 30, 2021). ["Attacking voices of concern and dissent on Covid-19 vaccines"](https://new.finalcall.com/2021/03/30/attacking-voices-of-concern-and-dissent-on-covid-19-vaccines/). *[Final Call News](/source/The_Final_Call_(newspaper))*. Retrieved August 5, 2021.

1. Harpin, Lee (April 29, 2021). ["Leading anti-vaxx influencers promote Jew-hate to hundreds of thousands"](https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/leading-anti-vaxx-influencers-promote-jew-hate-to-hundreds-of-thousands-1.516228). *[The Jewish Chronicle](/source/The_Jewish_Chronicle)*. Retrieved July 30, 2021.

1. ISNOINews (November 12, 2019). ["Book review of "Message to the Millineals" by Rizza Islam"](https://exscn2.net/threads/book-review-message-to-the-millineals-sic-by-rizza-islam-full-review-plus-summary-of-scientology-related-content.410/)

## Further reading

- [Rizza Islam](https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/rizza-islam) by [Anti-Defamation League](/source/Anti-Defamation_League)
- [Book review of "Message to the Millineals" by Rizza Islam](https://exscn2.net/threads/book-review-message-to-the-millineals-sic-by-rizza-islam-full-review-plus-summary-of-scientology-related-content.410/)

## External links

- [Official website](http://intellectualones.org)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rizza Islam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rizza_Islam) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rizza_Islam?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.