Looking The Beast In The Face: Unlearning to Relearn with Yusef Bunchy Shakur

January 9, 2025

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“We have a right to be free, to be liberated. But to do that, it requires a study. It requires a learning what you don’t know to be the better person that you can become. But we have to remove these boxes, these barriers, the guy that went to prison, not everybody has to go to prison to be who I am.

Not everybody has to go to Harvard to be who I am or be Malcolm or whatever, right? There’s different paths, there’s different routes, but here’s the fundamental thing that is a common denominator that we all face some form of oppression, right? But when we’re vulnerable enough with each other.

We can create, we can go through a collective healing process. Healing is one aspect of it, but then there’s an aspect that now, your words earlier to be activated.

We can’t continue to be afraid to confront the things that has hurt us confront the things that repressed us.”

–Yusef Bunchy Shakur

In sharing his story of redemption and transformation, Dr. Yusef Bunchy Shakur names his experiences navigating systemic oppression, his time in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and the people who invested in him in his life as pivotal moments that activated his commitment to social justice. His storytelling affirms the power of vulnerability, self-forgiveness, and the critical role of education and community in personal and collective healing.

Dr. Shakur also highlights the importance of America confronting its true history, addressing internalized oppression, challenging patriarchy, and remembering our inherent worth and capacity for change.

Meet Yusef

Yusef Bunchy Shakur is the son Ava Jo and is a native of Black Detroit, who is well versed in the language and syntax of Black Detroit as an author, educator, and neighborhood organizer. Yusef epitomizes redemption and Black Transformation from what he identifies as a street-holic from the many lessons he learned from his father whom he met in prison for the first time. As a Black organic intellectual, unorthodox leader and father he has demonstrated his commitment to the revolutionary principles of racial and social justice as an activists and organizer to enhance the lives of Black people and other oppressed people through his works of Restoring The Neighbor Back To The ‘Hood by being the Director of the Mama Akua Community House and member of Community Movement Builders.

He has been featured in many newspaper articles, TV and radio interviews talking about his transformation, redemption, ideas, and organizing efforts. He also has received numerous awards, such as the University of Michigan Dearborn 1st Place Creative Non-Fiction 2017 Writing Award, Damon J. Keith Center Fighter for Justice Award 2016, University of Michigan School of Social Work Carol Goss Leadership Award 2019, Michigan Chronicle Men of Excellence Award 2019, and Michigan Coalition for Human Rights Community Activist Award 2022. He currently serves as Co-Executive Director of the Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities.

Name Drops, References, and Resources from Yusef

Patricial Hill Collins’ Book: Black Feminist Thought

Mama Akua, Malcolm X, General Baker, Grace Lee Boggs, Jimmy Boggs, Ron Scott, Seikou Odinga, Max Stanford, Eddie Conway

Ways to Connect

Learn more about Yusef at drybs.info. You can follow him on Instagram @yusefbunchyshakur and on Linkedin.

Episode Timeline

00:00 Introduction to Liberation and Healing
01:13 Embracing Black History and Resilience
01:36 Personal Reflections and Forgiveness
02:47 Social Justice Origin Stories Overview
03:55 Introducing Dr. Yousef Bunchy Shakur
04:30 Activations of Redemption and Transformation
07:06 The Role of Revolutionaries and Activists
14:36 Understanding Internalized Oppression
21:59 Navigating Patriarchy and Black Exceptionalism
28:15 Community Support and Personal Growth
29:50 Personal Growth and Community Influence
30:25 Challenging Patriarchy and Masculinity
31:17 Impact of Role Models and Community
33:36 Returning Home and Facing Change
37:13 Combating Anti-Blackness and Self-Love
39:39 Liberation Through Vulnerability
43:57 Influential Books and Resources
47:19 Intergenerational Influence and Wisdom
50:19 Final Reflections and Future Generations
54:56 Closing Remarks and Acknowledgements