Where is Habiybah Washington now? Details about the victim from How I Escaped My Cult explored

The former member of the Nuwaubian Nation, Habiybah Washington, managed to escape the cult, and her story is the focus of the fifth episode of How I Escaped My Cult. The leader of the United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors, Dwight Malachi York, assaulted and abused Habiybah over the years. She is currently a resident of Brooklyn, New York, where she works as a chef at a restaurant.

Episode 5 of season 1, titled Nuwaubian Nation, showcases the harrowing details of the practices within the United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors and Habiybah Washington's escape. The How I Escaped My Cult episode, released on February 21, 2025, is available for streaming on Hulu. The official synopsis reads:

"Looking for a better life, Habiybah's family joins a new Black-led cult, the Nuwaubian Nation. But when their narcissistic leader, Dwight York, uses his powers to commit horrific crimes, she knows the only way out is to go deeper in."

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Who is Habiybah Washington? Details explored

Habiybah Washington was born on August 10, 1975, in Brooklyn, New York, and she became a part of the Ansaaru Allah community at a very early stage of her life. She was inducted into the community founded by Dwight York, also known as Isa Muhammad or Isa Al Haadi Al Mahdi, for adult women. She was made to exist within close proximity of York.

Dwight York reportedly seduced and molested young women within the community, and Habiybah was one of them, as per WFMY News2 report dated August 14, 2004. She was s*xually abused by York for the first time in 1988. The incident took place at Bushwick Avenue, where Habiybah was residing away from her parents at the time. She was 17 years of age when the abuse began.

The physical abuse resulted in her pregnancy as a minor. She was shifted to Eatonton, Georgia, four to five months into her pregnancy, as per The Cinemaholic. Simultaneously, York's community shifted its base to Georgia, fearing consequences from the law enforcement in New York. The community changed its name to the United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors while keeping its beliefs intact. They continued to follow a modified version of Ansaaru Allah's teachings.

In April 1993, Habiybah Washington gave birth to her son, Enlil. Meanwhile, she was also incorporated as one of the older women who recruited young women for the community, like the ones who had incorporated her. Dwight York continued to hold his power over women in the community by making them continue the cycle of abuse this way.

However, Habiybah Washington decided to call it quits when she realized that Dwight had intentions of s*xually molesting their son, Enlil, as well. She began raising her voice within the community and was eventually thrown out. She became instrumental in Dwight York's arrest in 2004 for child molestation.

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Where is Habiybah Washington now?

According to WFMY News2, Habiybah Washington attempted to retract her testimony against York in August 2004 out of guilt and empathy for the man. However, she made it clear that she holds him responsible for the terrible acts he committed as the leader of the cult.

In the following years, Habiybah enrolled herself in a culinary school in Paris, France, to pursue her passion for cooking, as per The Cinemaholic. She returned to Brooklyn to continue her career as a chef. She lives to be a free woman now and aspires to open her restaurant in her hometown of Brooklyn.

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Catch all the details of Habiybah Washington's journey on How I Escaped My Cult, which is currently streaming on Hulu.