Assata Shakur’s story can’t be summed up in a post and i don’t want to disrespect it by trying to do so. She is so much more than just another Black Panther, the godmother of Tupac Shakur and a political exile living in Cuba. What i suggest is going to the library or bookstore and getting yourself a copy of her autobiography. I can assure you that it will move you. I owe Assata a great deal of gratitude. It is because of her words that i’ve now been clean for almost 4 years. Her words really helped to shape me into the dedicated organizer that i am today.

I don’t want to completely short-change you on some of Assata’s story, so i’ll leave with some links and the song that first introduced me to her. After i bought Common’s album, Like Water for Chocolate, i listened to this song and immediately looked her up online. Not finding much information at the time, i soon went to the book store and got her book. See, hip hop can change the world.

By the way, as of 2005, Assata has been declared a domestic terrorist by the federal government and a $1million reward has been put on her head. I suggest helping out with the Hands Off Assata campaign.

AssataShakur.org
Wikipedia: Assata Shakur