Ms Jheri Worldwide
Staff Writer
Jasmine Guy is widely known as Whitley Gilbert on the game-changing sitcom A Different World. However, there is way more substance to her story than the bougie college student depicted for six seasons or 142 episodes on NBC. While A Different World, pushed Jasmine Guy to a new level of stardom her book Evolution of a Revolutionary allowed her to shine in a whole new spotlight. Jasmine Guy built a relationship with Afeni Shakur through her son the late Tupac Shakur and over a series of interviews was able to birth an illuminating book.
Evolution of a Revolutionary demonstrated the common idiom life is a marathon not a sprint. Afeni lived a life of activism, triumph, despair, resurgence, and ultimately redemption. Afeni mothered many. Her impact is undoubtedly global. Afeni’s story began in North Carolina, then she moved to New York where she contributed heavily to the Harlem community by being an instrumental leader in the Black Panther Party. Afeni went on westward eventually settled in the San Francisco Bay area and ultimately in Atlanta, Georgia.
Afeni and Jasmine’s relationship truly was one of mutual respect. Jasmine was relentless in her search for information and in her efforts to push Afeni to talk about sensitive subjects like drug use and complicated relationships.
As I read, I realized the most inspiring element of the story is the value Jasmine found in Afeni’s truths and experiences. Love comes in different shapes, sizes, colors, ages, you name it. Love is never the same. A reader can feel Jasmine’s love and respect for Afeni radiating off of the pages in the book. The nature of their relationship as expressed in the book cause me to think deeply about my priorities in my associations. One can have friends, one can spend time dating, one could also spend time with a person that they know will enrich their soul and provide them with insights to make better decisions for their life. Afeni appeared to do all of these things and more for Jasmine and I truly found value in the published results of their interactions.
Tupac once said, “I’m not saying I’m gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world,” he did, and so did his mother. The art and words they both left behind continue to spark influence and inspiration. May Afeni and Tupac Shakur forever Rest In Peace knowing they both impacted the black community in their own ways and shifted the culture for generations to come.
