As someone who's been on the frontlines in the fight against racial injustice for over 20 years, Patrisse Cullors knows what it takes to organize. From joining the Bus Riders Union as a teen to co-founding Black Lives Matter and launching a global movement—she’s been a fearless leader for Black voices through every endeavor. Her new book, An Abolitionist’s Handbook: 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World is the culmination of everything she’s learned over the years. Both a historical call-to-action and a how-to guide, it serves as a sobering reminder that those of us in the activist community need to take care of one another: practice compassion, learn from mistakes, take joy in putting in the work, and don’t forget to keep mental health in check while fighting for others. Also joining the conversation is Black Lives Matter Youth Vanguard co-founder Thandiwe Abdullah.  Join us on February 10th at 7pm for an evening with Patrisse Cullors, Thandiwe Abdullah, and MahoganyBooks co-owner and host Ramunda Young.

About the Book: In AN ABOLITIONIST’S HANDBOOK, Cullors charts a framework for how everyday activists can effectively fight for an abolitionist present and future. Filled with relatable pedagogy on the history of abolition, a reimagining of what reparations look like for Black lives and real-life anecdotes from Cullors AN ABOLITIONIST’S HANDBOOK offers a bold, innovative, and humanistic approach to how to be a modern-day abolitionist. Cullors asks us to lead with love, fierce compassion, and precision. In AN ABOLITIONIST’S HANDBOOK readers will learn how to:

- move away from reaction and towards response

- take care of oneself while fighting for others

- turn inter-community conflict into a transformative action

- expand one’s imagination, think creatively, and find the courage to experiment

- make space for difficult feelings and honor mental health

- practice non-harm and cultivate compassion

- organize local and national governments to work towards abolition

AN ABOLITIONIST’S HANDBOOK is for those who are looking to reimagine a world where communities are treated with dignity, care and respect. It gives us permission to move away from cancel culture and into visioning change and healing.

About the Author: Patrisse Cullors is a New York Times bestselling author, educator, artist and abolitionist from Los Angeles, CA. Co-founder and former Executive Director of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, Patrisse has been on the frontlines of abolitionist organizing for 20 years. Since she began the Black Lives Matter movement in 2013, it has expanded into a global foundation supporting Black-led movements in the US, UK and Canada and has been nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. TIME 100 also named Patrisse as one of the 100 most influential people in 2020. As an outspoken abolitionist and artist, Patrisse teamed up with Noé Olivas and Alexandre Dorriz to serve as a co-founder of the Crenshaw Dairy Mart, a reimagined art gallery and studio dedicated to shifting the trauma-induced conditions of poverty and economic injustice through the lens of Inglewood and its community. Patrisse is also the faculty director of Arizona’s Prescott College, a new Social and Environmental Arts Practice MFA program, which she developed nesting a curriculum focused on the intersection of art, social justice and community organizing that is first of its kind. In 2020, Patrisse signed an overall production deal with Warner Brothers, where she intends to continue to uplift Black stories, talent and creators that are transforming the world of art and culture.

About MahoganyBooks:  Derrick and Ramunda Young are owners/founders of the award-winning MahoganyBooks in Washington, DC where they focus on books for, by and about people of the African Diaspora. The couple have been featured in Oprah Magazine, TIME Magazine, Essence, Washington Post, Steve Harvey TV and Wall Street Journal among others.  Learn more at mahoganybooks.com.

Patrisse Cullors and Thandiwe Abdullah Discuss An Abolitionist's Handbook: 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World