About the Author

Knowledge B (Abdul-Hakim Works)

Knowledge B (Abdul-Hakim Works) is a justice-impacted author, journalist, blogger, entrepreneur, certified peer support specialist, mentor, professional speaker, recording artist, and visionary leader. Widely known as CEO Hood Square, Knowledge B is the founder and CEO of Hood Square and the creator of A Real Hood Square’s Perspective—a platform amplifying authentic stories and perspectives from street-impacted, justice-impacted, and system-adjacent voices who embody the balance of being both streetwise and booksmart.

Currently incarcerated within the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry, since the age of sixteen, Knowledge B has transformed adversity into purpose through education, discipline, service, and personal development. Rather than allowing incarceration to define his identity or limit his potential, he has used his experiences as the foundation for a growing body of work centered on resilience, accountability, self-awareness, leadership, and transformation. His professional journey reflects a commitment to turning lived experience into meaningful contributions that encourage others to recognize their potential and take ownership of their personal growth.

Education, Credentials, and Professional Development

Knowledge B’s academic and professional accomplishments include a GED, multiple certificates from Central Arizona College, an Associate in Applied Science in General Business with Highest Distinction from Rio Salado College, and a Certificate in Leadership and Management from Southern Utah University. He has also earned the Competent Communicator recognition through Toastmasters International and holds certification as a Peer Support Specialist through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies at Ashland University.

His commitment to education extends beyond personal achievement. He applies what he has learned through peer support, mentorship, curriculum development, public speaking, and initiatives designed to help others build the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills needed to move forward.

Professional Speaking and Public Engagements

Knowledge B is an emerging professional speaker who uses lived experience, education, storytelling, and personal development to engage audiences in meaningful conversations about transformation, accountability, resilience, education, and the power of reclaiming one’s narrative.

In February 2026, he was featured as a virtual speaker for Storytelling Behind Bars at Santa Clara University. His presentation reached an audience of students, faculty, and staff, where he shared perspectives on personal transformation, accountability, authorship, and the importance of taking ownership of one’s story.

In October 2026, he presented at the Incarcerated Scholars Conference 2026, hosted by the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison. His presentation, Becoming the KEY to Unlock Your Own Potential, was part of the conference theme Learning in Motion and the track Beyond the Classroom. The session included a presentation followed by an audience question-and-answer discussion, providing an opportunity to engage with viewers from across the country on education, personal growth, and the transformative power of learning.

These engagements represent important milestones in Knowledge B’s continued development as a public speaker and advocate for education, personal growth, and the value of lived experience.

Books and Publications

Knowledge B is a six-time published author whose writing explores personal transformation, street culture, incarceration, resilience, and the pursuit of growth.

His published works include:

• Tha Khronicles — part of the Hood Square Series.
• Tha System — part of the Hood Square Series.
• Tha Lady Fierce Saga — part of the Hood Square Series.
• CEO Hood Square: My Prison Memoir — a personal account of his life experiences and journey.
• A Real Hood Square’s Perspective: Stories From Da Pen — an anthology he curated and contributed to, featuring firsthand accounts from incarcerated individuals across the United States.
• From Boyz To Men: A Simple Guide To Surviving Adversity — a self-help book combining lived experience with practical tools for discipline, reflection, and personal growth.

Through his writing, Knowledge B seeks to challenge assumptions, share perspectives that are often overlooked, and encourage readers to recognize that their circumstances do not have to determine their future.

Tha KEY Program: Personal Development Through Education and Accountability

Knowledge B is the creator of Tha KEY Program: Becoming the KEY to Unlock Your Own Potential, a personal development framework built around self-awareness, accountability, emotional discipline, education, leadership, and transformation.

The program was developed within the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry and received approval from the ADCRR Peer Support and Program Development Bureau Committee in December 2025. Knowledge B donated the curriculum to the Bureau, reflecting his commitment to making the program’s lessons and resources available to others.

Built around the principle that individuals can become active participants in their own growth, Tha KEY Program encourages participants to develop the knowledge, discipline, and personal responsibility needed to unlock their potential. Its broader vision includes peer-support group instruction, self-study through a companion workbook, and peer-to-peer mentoring.

The program reflects one of Knowledge B’s central beliefs: people can become students of the struggle and graduates of personal growth.

Music and the Hood Square Movement

Expanding his creative work through music and spoken-word motivation, Knowledge B is the creator of two projects that reflect different dimensions of the Hood Square movement.

Hood Square: Tha EP is a non-explicit hip-hop project rooted in the principles of resilience, self-awareness, and the Streetwise and Booksmart mindset.

Becoming Tha KEY Series is a motivational speech EP built around five subjects that connect directly to Knowledge B’s personal development philosophy:

1. Intro
2. Truth Over Ego
3. Growth Over Excuses
4. Education Over Ignorance
5. Mentorship Over Misguidance

The project reinforces the message behind Tha KEY Program and encourages listeners to take ownership of their growth, challenge their limitations, and recognize their ability to become the key to unlocking their own potential.

Together, these projects represent another way Knowledge B uses his voice and creativity to communicate the values behind Hood Square.

Hood Square: More Than a Brand, a Movement

Founded by Knowledge B, Hood Square represents the belief that a person’s environment does not have to determine their identity, direction, or potential.

The Hood Square philosophy is rooted in becoming both streetwise and booksmart—combining the awareness gained through lived experience with the knowledge, education, and discipline needed to build a better future.

Through its creative, educational, and mentorship initiatives, Hood Square continues to promote personal growth, leadership, storytelling, and the importance of using one’s experiences to make a positive impact.

Across his books, speaking engagements, music, peer-support work, and educational initiatives, Knowledge B remains committed to helping others see beyond their circumstances, recognize their potential, and take meaningful steps toward becoming the best versions of themselves.

It’s not a moment, it’s a Movement!

Connect With Knowledge B

Website: https://tharealhoodsquare.com

LinkedIn: Abdul-Hakim Works

Instagram: @ceohoodsquare
TikTok: @ceohoodsquare
X: @ceohoodsquare
YouTube: @ceohoodsquare

Facebook: Abdul-Hakim Works — ceohoodsquare12