During a lengthy incarceration spent mostly in solitary confinement, political prisoner Russell Maroon Shoatz has developed into a prolific writer and powerful voice for the disenfranchised. This first published collection of his accumulated works showcases his sharp and profound understanding of the current historical moment, with clear proposals for how to move forward embracing new political concepts and practices. Informed by Shoatz's experience as a leader in the Black Liberation Movement in Philadelphia, the pieces in this book put forth his fresh and self-critical retelling of the Black liberation struggle in the U.S and provide cutting-edge analysisof the Prison Industrial Complex. Innovative and revolutionary on multiple levels, the essays also discuss such varied topics as eco-socialism, matriarchy and eco-feminism, food security, pre-figuration and the Occupy Wall Street movement. Including new essays written expressly for this volume, Shoatz's unique perspective offers many practical and theoretical insights for today's movements for social change.

Russell Maroon Shoatz is a founding member of the Black Unity Council, former member of the Black Panther Party, and soldier in the Black Liberation Army. He is serving multiple life sentences as a US-held prisoner of war. He is currently incarcerated in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. Mumia Abu-Jamal has been a member of the Black Panther Party, a journalist and a cab driver. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 1982 for the murder of a police officer but the sentence was later reduced to life in prison. During his imprisonment he has published several books including Live from Death Row. He is currently incarcerated in Philadelphia. Fred Ho is a jazz baritone saxophonist, composer, bandleader, playwright, writer, and social activist. His previous books include Diary of a Radical Cancer Warrior and Raw Extreme Manifesto, and he is a cofounder of Scientific Soul Sessions. He lives in New York City. Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge is a South African politician and activist. A founding member of the Natal Organization of Women, she has worked as the Chairperson of the ANC Parliamentary Caucus, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Deputy Minister of Health, and Deputy Minister of Defence. She is currently the executive director of Embrace Dignity. Matt Meyer is an educator, activist, author and editor whose previous work includes Let Freedom Ring: A Collection of Documents from the Movements to Free U.S. Political Prisoners. He is a founder of the anti-imperialist collective Resistance and served as national chair for both the War Resisters League and the Peace and Justice Studies Association. He lives in New York City. Quincy Saul is a writer, organizer and musician. He writes columns for Capitalism Nature Socialism and The Africa Report and is a co-founder, writer and organizer for Ecosocialist Horizons. He lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.