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From 1984 to 2025, Havana, Cuba: Assata Shakur lives in Cuba, leading the life of a political exile, working as a translator and getting involved in study centers. She also writes books, including her autobiography. She continues to speak out on human rights violations and the situation of political prisoners in the United States.
Daily life and adaptation: Life in Cuba, though less opulent than in the United States, offers her a sense of community and peace. She finds it an environment conducive to healing and personal development, far removed from the“ social war” she felt in the United States. She describes herself as an“ escaped slave of the 20th century” due to government persecution.
Flashmag! Issue 165 October 2025
American pressure: American authorities, including presidents such as Donald Trump, have tirelessly called for her return. In 2013, under Barack Obama administration the FBI added her to its“ Most Wanted Terrorists” list under her birth name, Joanne Deborah Chesimard, making her the first woman to appear on it, and offered a $ 1 million reward for information leading to her capture, matched by $ 1 million from the New Jersey Attorney General. Cuba has systematically rejected these extradition requests.
Cultural influence: Even in exile, Assata Shakur’ s influence endures. She is considered the godmother of the late rapper Tupac Shakur. Hiphop group Public Enemy referenced her in their 1988 song“ Rebel Without a Pause”, and Common told her story in his 2000 song“ A Song for Assata”. Her writings have become a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement in recent years. Despite the challenges and threats, Assata Shakur maintained a deep optimism and unshakeable faith in people’ s ability to change the world. She believed that the first step toward planning a better world is to believe in one’ s ability to put those plans into action. She called for a vision of the world that could“ redeem, change” reality, eradicate poverty, alienation and excessive consumerism.
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