[Rest In Power]
Thank you Afeni Shakur, for being a beautiful caring Black Panther who fed hungry children breakfast and who gave out free shoes and clothing to needy Black families!
Thank you Afeni Shakur, for being a strong revolutionary Black Panther who took on this powerful racist capitalist system with its imperialistic foreign policy and demanded that it radically change so that poverty and oppression can end and peace and justice can reign supreme across the globe.
Thank you Afeni Shakur, for being so strong and brilliant during the Panther 21 Trial here in New York City. You faced the wrath of these racist police, Cointelpro (FBI) and capitalist pigs and beat them. You sacrificed your freedom during the trial, faced trumped up charges in a “Kangaroo Court” and you won. The Panther 21 were acquitted!
Thank you Afeni Shakur, for giving me the opportunity to work with you in a coalition you led in Harlem that brought the “Atlanta mothers”, whose children were mysteriously murdered, to New York City. A mystery that many believed was never really solved. You brought them much needed love and comfort during their time of pain and bereavement.
But most importantly, thank you Afeni Shakur, for giving the world two beautiful children, Tupac and Sekyiwa.
Tupac has had a powerful, positive impact on his generation and generations to come, all over this world. His positive global influence has been phenomenal. Sekyiwa has been a blessing to many who have come into contact with her. All of this is because they had a beautiful, loving, caring mother. We are eternally grateful for your contribution through your children.
Afeni, I thank God for allowing our paths to cross decades ago. I will never forget the times I had dinner with you, Tupac and Sekyiwa. Before we ate you would bless the food and sing a beautiful song, with such a radiant smile, you could light up the universe. I forget the name of the artist, but I will always remember the words. It went like this,
“Can you catch the wind, can you make the world spin, can you pull the sun down? Can you make man from the ground? Oh, no! But I know who can! God Can!”
Afeni, I know you had a strong belief in God and now you are united in spirit with God. But before you take your celestial rest in heaven, stop by the house of Abdul Majid, Albert “Nuh” Washington and Bashir Hameed, all Prisoners of War, who died in captivity. Stop by the house of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz. Stop by the house of Harriet Tubman and Nanny of the Maroons. Stop by the house of Dr. King and Fannie Lou Hamer.
And when you finish visiting the freedom fighters; stop by the house of your beloved son Tupac Amaru Shakur and listen to the words of the song he dedicated to you, “Dear Mama”. Happy Mother’s Day Afeni now rest in peace, for a job well done, while you were here on earth.
Love Always!
Your comrade in struggle, Shomari Baruti,
A/k/a Charles Barron
