Date of birth: 1973
Website: www.yusefshakur.org

Yusef Shakur's story is one of transformation and revolution. Growing up in a single-parent household plagued by alcohol and physical abuse, Yusef would look for greater meaning in his life. At a young age, he started soldiering as a thug in his neighborhood, and when he turned thirteen, co-founded one of Detroit’s most notorious street gangs: Zone 8. Yusef struggled as a misguided youth, eventually being charged with a crime that he did not commit. Despite a nine year sentence, Yusef used this experience as an opportunity for personal growth. While incarcerated, Yusef met the father he never knew, who helped him begin his transformation from a Zone 8 thug to a father & freedom fighter. Since his release, Yusef has returned to Zone 8/Detroit–as a father, community organizer/activist, former Head Start teacher, youth mentor, business owner, author, motivational speaker, and college graduate. His self-published political memoir (compared to the Autobiography of Malcolm X), Urban Network Bookstore, and plans to start a community garden exemplify his determination to make a positive impact in the lives of the downtrodden and disenfranchised.

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