NEW YORK�An upbeat Minister Louis Farrakhan paused in his Manhattan hotel room a few moments before performing the final function of his brief but productive visit here�a meeting with the believers of Muhammad Mosque No. 7 in Harlem to give final marching orders to carry them into the Oct. 16 Million Family March.

"I wanted to galvanize our own community along the East Coast and energize, inspire and motivate them to work to make the Million Family March as successful in its uniqueness as the Million Man March was successful in its uniqueness," the Minister said.

Bubbling with unusual energy and excitement for a man who 18-months ago was on his death bed, the Minister added that even though he was born in this city and worked 10 years here rebuilding the mosque in New York after the unfortunate assassination of Malcolm X, "I wanted to pay my respect to the current leaders of the struggle of our people in New York."

In a whirlwind of activities beginning July 6, he did just that. Min. Farrakhan addressed members of the Black and Latino media during a July 6 morning press conference at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. office building in Harlem. From there, a motorcade swept him to the United Nations where he addressed international dignitaries on the subject: "Dialogue Among Nations: Toward the Culture of Peace and the Million Family March." (See related story on page 2). Later that evening, he addressed a standing room only gathering of activists and leaders from the Black and Latino communities in the Harlem Windows Restaurant, also located in the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. building.

"What we must recognize is the fact that we are indeed a family, (but) a family that is in grave trouble," he explained at the press conference, offering a glimpse into the need for families to gather in the nation�s capitol.

Min. Farrakhan stressed that the MFM is a call for all families in America to show the government that now is the time to return to the values of family life.

"The family is under assault. Going to Washington three weeks before the presidential election is a necessary instrument to put the government on notice that there is a need for change," he said, answering a reporter�s question concerning the timing of the march.

The large banquet hall in the Harlem Windows Restaurant was filled to capacity that evening as more than 300 civic, religious and political leaders heard the Minister speak publicly in the city for the first time since January 1999.

Among those in attendance were: State Board of Education member Dr. Adelaide Sanford; WWRL-AM radio executive Bob Law; Elombe Brath of the Patrice Lumumba Coalition; Illyasha Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X; Attorney Ashanti Chimeranga, who fought for years to save Shaka Sankofa; City University of New York Prof. James Small, and Leonard Dunston, the former president of the National Association of Black Social Workers who organized the successful move to increase Black adoptions by Black adults following the Million Man March.

I believe God was talking right through him�march on, organize, don�t let this happen again! If we become organized, we can stop what is (happening) on the death rows throughout America. We can stop them from killing Mumia Abu Jamal and others," Min. Farrakhan said.

There is one big difference separating the 1995 Million Man March from the Million Family March, Min. Farrakhan suggested. Holding up a copy of the National Agenda, he explained that the document is a plan of action that addresses the issues today through the year 2008.

We will not just march, and then return to our communities to conduct business as usual, he said. "Washington is one thing. But, what we do after Washington is even bigger," he told the community leaders.

At a July 7 meeting with Caribbean leaders, Min. Farrakhan stressed his roots in the island nations and the need for unity among them.

Prior to joining Caribbean community and business leaders, Min. Farrakhan met privately with Carib News publisher Karl Rodney and his wife, Faye; Marcus Garvey Jr. and wife Jean; Jamaica Consul Dr. Basil Bryan and Barbados Consul General George Griffin. Mr. and Mrs. Rodney presented him with a book on the late Jamaican leader and good friend Michael Manley.

Among leaders of the Caribbean community were Jamaican businesswoman Margret Gray; Sybil Chester, a businesswoman from Guyana; Councilwoman Una Clarke; Haitian community activist Ernest Emmanuel; Gail Y. Davis of the Trinidad and Tobago Working Women and Derrick Clarke of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce.

From that meeting, the leader of the Nation of Islam was whisked several blocks across town to the historic Manhattan Center where he ended his evening with a chat with some 2,500 people on why the call for a Million Family March (See related story on page 3)

Up early that next morning, July 8, Min. Farrakhan met with Nation of Islam members from along the East Coast for internal dialogue and to thank the believers for their prayers and support during his illness.

But before arriving, the motorcade made a quick detour to the headquarters of Rev. Al Sharpton�s National Action Network for a brief visit to show support. Caught in the midst of giving his live radio message, Rev. Sharpton greeted Min. Farrakhan as a roar went up from the crowd.

Min. Farrakhan and Seikou Diallo, father of Amadou Diallo, who was shot 19 times by New York police in a controversial case, were able to go on air live with Rev. Sharpton over radio station WLIB-Am in a dialogue that certainly electrified the airwaves.

"I�m very proud of him," Min. Farrakhan told The Final Call, referring to Rev. Sharpton, who along with Martin Luther King III has called an Aug. 26 "Reclaim the Dream" March on Washington to protest racial profiling and police brutality. "I believe one reason for the roar of applause is that the people are hungry for the unity of the personalities whom they love.

"I feel good about New York, about what Allah has blessed us to accomplish," he concluded. Referring to possibility of overexerting himself, he said: "What energizes me is the mission and it allows me to put my complete trust in Allah and by doing His Will, I believe He will help me to completely overcome my illness. I am mindful of my schedule � but I am also mindful that I am born into the world to do something and I must be found doing it with wisdom."