This week, as we celebrated Tupac Amaru Shakur‘s birthday, we also had to pay attention to the loss of his mother, Afeni Shakur, who passed away early May from a suspected heart attack.
To honour her legacy and commitment to the struggle against oppression and injustice, friends and family of Afeni Shakur will gather at House of the Lord Church in Brooklyn, New York City, to remember and celebrate her life.
Kathleen Cleaver, Sonia Sanchez, councilman Charles Barron, and Jamal Joseph are just some of the names highlighted to pay respects to the former ranking member of the Black Panther Party, and mother of hip-hop icon, 2Pac.
Afeni was one of the instrumental reasons why young women joined the Black Panther Party on the East Coast. Her leadership was instrumental in numerous rent strikes, as she worked with tenant organizations to protest and protect the rights of residents in New York.
In addition to that, she was instrumental in organizing health care professionals and patients at Lincoln and Harlem hospitals to develop the first Patient Bill of Rights, which was a forerunner of an amendment that is now posted in every hospital in the country.
After her son’s murder in 1996, Afeni founded the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation and Amaru Entertainment, which is behind the upcoming All Eyez On Me biopic; starring Danai Gurira as Afeni, and Demetrius Shipp Jr. as 2Pac.
“Afeni Shakur was not a Panther who was an activist,” Jamal Joseph said in a press release.
He added, “She was an activist who became a Panther and energized the Black Panther Party with her love of the community and her incredible organizing skills. She mentored and taught young Panthers and young people across the country. She is truly a mother of the hip-hop generation and an inspirational light to the artist movement”.
The Afeni Shakur Memorial will feature live performances, spoken word poetry, music and a special keynote address by Kathleen Cleaver.
Interested parties who wish to attend the event should arrive early, as this looks like it will fill up quickly. The memorial will begin today (Saturday, June 18, at 16:00 and will end at 19:00). It takes place at House of the Lord Church; 415 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11217.
#Peace.Love.AfeniShakur
