Shaka speaks: “i woke up feeling like Jonathan today”

The following audio commentary on Black August 2026 was recorded by Prison Radio and sent to the Shaka Shakur Freedom Campaign, who then added the visual components. Below the video is a lightly edited transcript of Shaka’s audio statement. Click here to support the struggle to bring Shaka home!

“i Woke Up Feeling Like Jonathan Today”

Transcription

Many people have asked me to write something for Black August, and i had to really think about what does Black August mean to me?

First, Black August is quite personal to me, having lost my mother in August of 2024 and my only son/child in August of 2001.

We say that Black August is not about, or necessarily, a time for celebration, like a bougie holiday.

Black August is about honoring, it’s about remembrance, and it’s about continuity and maintaining the legacy and spirit of resistance.

i say “i woke up feeling like Jonathan” because Jonathan is a beautiful example of a New Afrikan revolutionary soldier to be emulated, to be honored for his level of commitment, discipline, and willingness to sacrifice for the struggle and liberation of not only our people, but for the idea of fighting for a better world and a brighter day.

i woke up and put in close to a hard two-hour cross-training workout, and like always, made the day a productive and progressive day of keeping PIC—Politics in Command. A day of thinking, strategizing, and organizing.

While We remember and recognize our fallen soldiers, heroes and she-roes, as We remember the events and moments of rebellions and resistance, We should also remember that this is a time of continuity, a time of passing the torch and introducing Black activists to our newer and younger generations.

As We say, “From one generation to the next.”

Free the Land and All Power to the People!

Peace,
Shaka A. Shakur

Featured photo: The Soledad Brothers from the August 14, 1971 edition of The Black Panther. Source: Marxists.org.