Ericka Huggins is an activist, former political prisoner and leader in the Black Panther Party who has devoted her life to the equitable treatment of all human beings, beyond the boundaries of race, age, culture, class, gender, sexual orientation, ability and status associated with citizenship. For the past 40 years, she has lectured across the country and internationally. She spent 14 years in the Black Panther Party, and eight years as Director of the renowned Oakland Community School (1973-1981).
Her book is Comrade Sisters: Women of the Black Panther Party, published by ACC Art Books. City Lights will be celebrating this book with an in-person conversation with Ericka in Kerouac Alley, between City Lights and Vesuvio Cafe, on Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 6:00 PM PST.
Where are you writing to us from?
Oakland, CA.
What is bringing you joy right now, personally/artistically/habitually?
The laughter of children in my neighborhood, the warm air as I walk, the goodness of people as we encounter one another.
Which writers, artists, and others influence your work in general, and this book, specifically?
bell hooks, Angela Davis, Chinaka Hodge, Chimamanda Adichie.
What books are you reading right now and would you recommend any to others?
Gathering Blossoms Under Fire: The Journals of Alice Walker, edited by Valerie Boyd. I would recommend this book to all.
If you opened a bookstore, where would it be located, what would it be called, and what would your bestseller be?
West Oakland. It would be called Harriet’s Journey (for our beloved Harriet Tubman). The bestseller would be any book championing women who quietly and consistently work to serve humanity.
