He was, he says, "a drug dealer with a quick temper and a semi-automatic pistol." TED Talk Subtitles and Transcript: In 1991, Shaka Senghor shot and killed a man. But far from being afraid or judgmental, once the interview is over, people get up to thank and congratulate him. ``Shaka Senghor is a once-in-a-generation leader, championing a cause that will define a generation: mass incarceration. But what I did know is that I had a responsibility to be the best me possible, so I could set an example for him,” he continued. While serving 19 years in prison, Senghor discovered redemption and responsibility through literature, his own writing, and the kindness of others. Lisa Capretto OWN In the past, Shaka Senghor was proud to be a hardened man. Jailed for second degree murder, that could very well have been the end of the story. Instead, it was the beginning of a years-long journey to redemption, one with humbling and sobering lessons for us all. “And let him see that even though I made a poor decision that [landed] me in prison, I was making a wise decision to turn my life around to do something meaningful.”. Instead of panic and stress, I began to think about what I can do to ensure my eight-year-old son, Sekou, is washing his hands properly and what measures I need to take to adjust to our vastly changing world. Ebony Roberts is a writer, educator, activist, and researcher. As an angry young drug dealer on the streets of Detroit, Shaka Senghor shot and killed a man. Behind prison walls, Writing My Wrongs is already taking its place alongside the memoirs of Malcolm X and George Jackson as must-read literature. Editor, Derek Reed. Shaka Senghor, a member of Oprah's SuperSoul 100, is a writer, mentor, and motivational speaker whose story of redemption has inspired thousands. He was, he says, "a drug dealer with a quick temper and a semi-automatic pistol." Shaka Senghor is a writer and consultant. What resulted was a poetic meditation on what it means to raise a child together, yet apart. While serving 19 years in prison, Senghor discovered redemption and responsibility through literature, his own writing, and the… More about Shaka Senghor “When you can’t connect with anybody’s humanity, it’s hard for you to really figure out ways to support them and help them because you don’t see them as worthy as you see yourself,” he said. Shaka Senghor is the founder of Redeemed Sole, a NYT best-selling author, and leader who uses his own experience of incarceration and story of redemption to inspire others. ... By Shaka Senghor. “People don’t know all that comes with having a felony on record,” Senghor said. In 1991, Senghor … Your current browser isn't compatible with SoundCloud. About Shaka Senghor. He was convicted of second-degree murder and spent 19 years in prison, seven of which were spent in solitary confinement. An honor roll student and a natural leader, he dreamed of becoming a doctor—but at age 11, his parents' marriage began to unravel, and beatings from his mother worsened, which sent him on a downward spiral. Shaka Senghor. “Even at that point, I didn’t know if I was going to get out of prison or not. Part of HuffPost Black Voices. He said the “anemic” re-entry services offered at the prison hardly helped him prepare for the difficulties he may have faced in the real world. Pray to him, and he'll forgive your sins." For the last few nights, I have stayed awake writing this letter in my head, and each time, I… I am writing this letter to share with you what has been on my mind and heart for several years now. Stop Resisting: A Letter to My Son. At the beginning of his TEDTalk, Shaka Senghor discusses events that take place when he is a young man. His dramatic transformation. “So, if those negative narratives can shape policy in a way that’s harmful, then it only leads me to believe that the more positive narratives we have ― the more honest, transparent [and] open human narratives that we’re sharing ― the more likely we are to shape policy that honors people’s humanity,” he added. I focused on freeing my mind and expanding my thinking; reading and writing. Shaka Senghor is a motivational speaker, a Director’s Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab and the author of six books. He told Oprah that despite the hurt he caused her and her family, she said she loved Senghor and forgave him for the murder. So he began building that life the day he was freed in 2010, when he sold a book he’d written to another newly released inmate in the parking lot. “I believe we attract what we desire the most,” he said. Courtesy of Shaka Shenghor Senghor's son is now 25 years old. Shaka says he experienced a life-changing epiphany after reading the letter. POPS follows Shaka as he gains national recognition for his activism and writing, all the while actively co-parenting his 3-year-old son Sekou Senghor with partner Ebony Roberts. Shaka Senghor, a member of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100, is a writer, mentor, and motivational speaker whose story of redemption has inspired thousands. What made you choose these words? CAA Agency. “And also be a cautionary tale to let them know there are long-term consequences of being convicted of a serious crime and that your sentence doesn’t stop when you get out of prison.”. The paperback version of the memoir, Writing My Wrongs, became available this January. Today, he’s a best-selling author, lecturer at universities, and leading voice on criminal justice reform. He spent 19 years in different prisons in Michigan, seven years of which were in solitary confinement. It became a national sensation and was praised by The New York Times, Time, Essence and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, among others. During a March 2016 episode of OWN’s “Super Soul Sunday,” he recollected the letter he received from Nancy, the woman who said she was the mother of the man he killed. “I just couldn’t imagine how this woman could love me knowing that I had caused her and her family so much devastation,” he said during the program. “That was the first order of business for me ... after hugging my loved ones,” he said. Just as literature instilled faith in a better future for Senghor, he’s writing his own books in the hopes that they’ll allow former and current inmates a chance at redemption, as he had, by allowing others to see their humanity. “ One of the greatest gifts you can give another human being going through adversity is hope. But he wasn’t just concerned with career success ― he wanted others to learn from his story. Although their relationship is fractured, he continues to try to set a positive example for him. At the age of 19, I was sent to prison for second-degree murder and did 19 years behind bars, with seven of those years being in solitary confinement. Need help? Tap here to turn on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you. Today is National Voter Registration Day! The interview with the media wiz, which was initially supposed to be 45 minutes, turned into a 3-hour conversation. The two have remained friends since the interview. Under difficult circumstances at home, Shaka ran away at age 14, turned to drug dealing, and ended up in prison for murder at age 19. Photographer Henry Hargreaves - Death Row Last Supper, taught a course at the University of Michigan, director of strategy and innovation with prison reform organization #Cut50, Live in Peace: A Youth Guide to Turning Hurt into Hope. In 1991, Senghor went to prison for committing second-degree murder. He is a consulting producer on the upcoming OWN program “Release,” about the experiences of former offenders re-entering society, and is also establishing his own media content company. Based on these events, what 3 words would you use to identify/describe Senghor (i.e. Shaka Senghor is a leading voice in criminal justice reform and the Director of Strategy for #Cut50, a national bipartisan initiative to safely and smartly reduce the prison population by 50 percent by 2025. Letters offers an honest and reflective look into raising children in difficult circumstances, with solutions for how we can all rise to the occasion and provide the love and support necessary to raise the next generation. In 1991, Shaka Senghor entered prison for committing second-degree murder. TED Talk Subtitles and Transcript: When Shaka Senghor and Ebony Roberts ended their relationship, they made a pact to protect their son from its fallout. One of Senghor’s books, Live in Peace: A Youth Guide to Turning Hurt into Hope ― released in April 2012 ― was a raw account of his Detroit upbringing, with recollections of child abuse, the crack epidemic and drug dealing. Stop Resisting: A Letter To My Son by, Shaka Senghor, Users who like Stop Resisting: A Letter To My Son by, Shaka Senghor, Users who reposted Stop Resisting: A Letter To My Son by, Shaka Senghor, Playlists containing Stop Resisting: A Letter To My Son by, Shaka Senghor, More tracks like Stop Resisting: A Letter To My Son by, Shaka Senghor. Eight years into Senghor’s sentence, he had a change of heart about his future, despite being in what he told HuffPost was a “hopeless” and “volatile” prison environment. “I feel it’s my work to be an example, a model of what can happen even though you made a poor decision,” he said. Jailed for second degree murder, that could very well have been the end of the story. We made it easy for you to exercise your right to vote! Shaka Senghor's story is exactly why America needs to stop turning its back on prisoners. “We need more re-entry initiatives that speak to emotional, spiritual, mental and psychological health of men and women returning back to the community.”. His next memoir, Writing My Wrongs, chronicled his journey toward self-actualization while behind bars. Jesus watches what you do. But they made a vow: despite the conflict that led to their split, they'd still co-parent as a team. By Shaka Senghor Convergent Books, 288 pages, $26 Senghor will be a guest at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday on the Oprah Winfrey show “Super Soul Sunday,” on the cable network OWN. You need to enable JavaScript to use SoundCloud. Throughout these years his father and son visited, motivating Senghor to be released from prison as soon as he could possibly manage. lazy, arrogant, fearless)? He is currently the head of diversity, equality, and inclusion for TripActions, a travel management company. Senghor says three things inspired him to turn his life around, and each came in the form of written word: literature, a letter from a woman who said she raised the man he killed, and a note from his young son questioning why his father committed murder. Shaka Senghor was raised in a middle-class neighborhood on Detroit’s east side during the peak of the 1980s crack epidemic. About Shaka Senghor. Shaka Senghor: “Why your worst deeds don’t define you” Respond to the following questions while you watch the video: 1. SHAKA SENGHOR. Shaka Senghor, Author, Reformist, Father “I wrote my way out. Shaka Senghor, an Oprah Super Soul 100 member and New York Times best-selling author of Writing My Wrongs, is back with a collection of letters, titled Letters to the Sons of Society. The Shaka Senghor on TV has just said he once committed second-degree murder. During this bleak time, Shaka received a letter from his son, who wrote, "My mama told me why you was in prison." But it wasn't. In Writing my Wrongs by Shaka Senghor, the role of family impacted Senghor the most on his journey through life and redemption. Shaka tells Oprah what he read in the letter: "Dear Dad, my mother told me you was in prison for murder. Stop Resisting: A Letter To My Son by, Shaka Senghor by Redeemed Sole published on 2020-06-08T16:38:32Z Shaka Senghor, an Oprah Super Soul 100 member and New York Times best-selling author of Writing My Wrongs, is back with a collection of letters, titled Letters to the Sons of Society. Is your network connection unstable or browser outdated? Although Senghor said he was grateful to have met Oprah and that the experience was “mind-blowing,” he wasn’t surprised that the two crossed paths. ©2021 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. But it wasn't. After being released from a 19-year stint in prison in 2010, the first thing Shaka Senghor did was sell one of his books in a parole office parking lot. Today, Shaka Senghor is a motivational speaker, a mentor, an MIT Media Fellow alum, one of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday guests and the New York Times best-selling author of Writing My Wrongs: Life Death and Redemption in an American Prison.Seven years ago, however, Senghor was still an inmate serving a 40-year sentence for second-degree murder. While Senghor still plans on using storytelling to remind society that those who’ve committed crimes deserve more humane treatment, he wants to expand the platform for his message. “People don’t know all that comes with having a felony on record,” Senghor said. Shaka Senghor is a writer and consultant. I wrote my up, I wrote my wrongs.” I AM. About Shaka Senghor. Shaka Senghor is a writer, mentor, motivational speaker, and former honor roll student—who was incarcerated 19 years for murder. It even made its way to Oprah. In the first several years of his sentence, he didn’t fathom that his story would capture the nation’s attention. Shaka Senghor was raised in a middle class neighborhood on Detroit’s east side during the height of the 1980s crack epidemic. “I was a young drug dealer with a quick temper and a semi-automatic pistol,” he reveals during a TED Talk in March.. Twenty-three years ago, that was Senghor’s story. Dans son recueil "Ethiopiques" paru en 1956, Leopold Sedar Senghor en dédiant ce poème aux martyrs bantous de l’Afrique du Sud aborde très clairement la question politique des relations entre colonisateur et colonisé. Senghor wanted the book to serve as a source of guidance for children growing up in rough circumstances. But he released a New York Times best-selling memoir in March 2016, has taught a course at the University of Michigan, hosted a TEDx Talk, became the director of strategy and innovation with prison reform organization #Cut50 and befriended Oprah Winfrey. Shaka Senghor is the New York Times Best-Selling Author of "Writing My Wrongs", a gripping memoir about seeking redemption after serving 19 years in prison. “And I know that society is very unforgiving of those who have a felony on their records.”. Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost's next chapter, No Seconds: The Last Meals Of Death Row Prisoners. His son's words shattered his understanding of himself. The start of Senghor’s downfall was sparked by the divorce of his parents. When Senghor realized that the stigma around former offenders could ultimately determine his fate, he knew he’d have to take his destiny into his own hands. After nine years and the birth of their son, Ebony Roberts and Shaka Senghor ultimately separated. Publisher, Convergent. Sekou and I. Dear Sekou, I’m writing this letter to you as our country burns. Ex-prisoner Shaka Senghor served a 19-year prison sentence for second-degree murder and is now a New York Times Best-Selling author, global speaker, educator and … In this collection, Shaka explores the true experiences of black fatherhood and manhood in America through the lens of his relationship with his sons—Jay, whose childhood took place while Shaka was incarcerated—and Sekou, born after Senghor was released from prison. Instead, it was the beginning of a years-long journey to redemption, one with humbling and sobering lessons for us all. Shaka Senghor was in solitary confinement when a note from his son led to a life-changing epiphany. At age 19, however, he shot and killed a man. Dear Dad, don't murder anymore. I mean, if you think about how we landed in this mess in the first place, it was based on the stories that were told about inner city kids being super predators and irredeemable,” Senghor said. Convicted Of Murder, This Man's Tale Of Redemption Is A Call For Prison Reform. He is currently the head of diversity, equality, and inclusion for TripActions, a travel management company. About Ebony Roberts. Please download one of our supported browsers. After 19 years in prison, Shaka Senghor is now a bestselling author who is dedicating his life to sharing his story and speaking about the power of redemption and forgiveness. In 1991, Shaka Senghor shot and killed a man. “That started my journey as an entrepreneur and writer on [the other] side.”. ... Shaka reveals how a letter from his son inspired him to turn his life around and become a better role model. “One of the things [I wanted] as a writer was for Oprah to read my books and for me and her to have an interview one day.”. “You can’t rent apartments, can barely find employment, can’t get access to resources of higher education and may not even be able to go on [a] school trip with your child.”, “I knew that I had a responsibility to create a life for myself,” Senghor said. Shaka and his son, Sekou Shaka Senghor Senghor also mentors kids at risk of following in his path, but his ultimate focus is on fatherhood. In 1991, the Detroit native was sentenced to up to 40 years in prison for second-degree murder after a drug deal went awry. “That letter from my son really made me realize that he was going to grow to see me as a monster if I didn’t do anything to change my life,” Senghor said.