MOW Mourns Track Worker Malcolm Julian, 50

Malcolm Julian, a beloved Track Worker who was nicknamed “One Man Gang,” has passed at the age of 50. He was found after a wellness check was called in after he didn’t show up for his regular tour on Saturday, January 23. He had 30 years with NYCT.

International President John Samuelsen, who knew Malcolm from their time on the Tracks,  said that he brought spirit and intelligence to the job and inspiration to his co-workers.

Track Worker Shannon Poland, Assistant to Local 100 President Tony Utano, said, “Malcolm and I gravitated to each other because we were very much alike. We were both big, strong Brothers who were from Queens, very intelligent as we would talk and build for hours about a variety of topics.

“We also were ‘mad hatters,’ in that rarely did you catch either of us without a hat — or in Malcolm’s case, a scarf, durag, kufie or covering. One Man Gang was loved and will truly be missed by his Track Family, especially T-6 59th CC.”

A Celebration of Life for Malcolm was held in person for his family in Brooklyn and virtually for everyone else on February 6th.

Malcolm Julian, also known as Ra Amma Aresh Bakau, was born to parents Deborah and William in Queens General Hospital on December 27, 1970. His father named him after the revolutionary leader, Malcolm X. He was raised by his mother and his second Dad, Chappy, who was a supervisor at New York City Transit and encouraged him to seek a career there. He applied to transit and was accepted after graduating from Andrew Jackson High School.

He was keenly interested in music, and built himself a recording studio in his parent’s basement which was sought after by musicians. His interests also turned to anthropology and the spiritual practices of Kemetic Cosmology, Ausarian Initiation and Astrology. In the Ausarian community, he took the name Ra Amma Aresh Bakau, which roughly translates as, “a balanced life force is my joy.”

Malcolm was also a visual artist, often drawing subjects in charcoal from the NYC transit system.