My name is Duke Carter, and my consciousness began in the late 1980's, while imprisoned at the US Lompoc Federal Penitentiary. I must admit that during those days I wasn''t as informed as I am today about the struggle. To be quite honest, before my incarceration I was somewhat ignorant about the true sacrifices made by brothers like *Dr. Mutulu Shakur, (*Father of slain hip-hop rap icon Tupac Shakur aka 2Pac).

It wasn''t until a few years into my incarceration, when I met and befriended Dr. Shakur, that I was introduced to the truth. And it was in that truth that I came into the knowledge of self, and the real story of the Black Liberation Movement. I also realized that I had been bamboozled, led astray, and had been living a counter-productive lifestyle, committing numerous crimes, and atrocities against the people in my own community.

You see, during the 1970's, when Dr. Mutulu Shakur was struggling for the liberation of our people, I was taking pride in being a counter-cultural hero, or should I say a zero. I was one of the original founding members of the Crips in Los Angeles. Last December I attended the funeral service of one of my oldest comrades and my brother, Stanley ''Tookie'' Williams, who while on death row became one of the world's most conscious peacemakers.

Transition is both powerful, and liberating. And I can''t thank Dr. Mutulu Shakur enough for waking me up, and guiding me to consciousness. Before I met him, my role models were brothers who had been in and out of jail, and always had money, guns and women. They looked like people I thought I could be, and I tried. Looking back on it now, it's so clear to me that living as a counter-cultural figure, was a role scripted for me, and countless other Black youths across America.

I learned at an early age that I had to be stone cold to survive. As seen in the "Redemption" film, it was understood that the police didn''t care who killed who in the hood; they let the one on the ground die, and arrested the one that was still standing. In that environment you quickly realized that at game time, it was better to be the one headed for the pen, than the one headed to the undertaker. After all, everybody in the hood knew that if you kept it Black on Black crime, you weren''t going to do more than a half-dozen years. This practice resonated that it's permitted by the US judicial system to commit atrocities against your own people.

I''ve been working hard with Dr. Mutulu Shakur to change things. He was the first brother to spark my interest in self-determination and the knowledge of what the struggle is really about. And for that I am forever grateful. In the name of freedom, justice, and liberation, I''ve written Brother Mumia Abu-Jamal, and numerous political prisoners to show my love and solidarity. We are one, and all we have is each other, and if anyone doesn''t think so, then they''re in for a rude awakening.

Black men are six times more likely than White men to be murder victims. We are two and a half times more likely to be unemployed. We finish last in practically every socio-economic measure from infant mortality to life expectancy. Not to mention the disproportioned rate in which Black men are currently being given lengthy prison terms.

The stories of Dr. Mutulu Shakur, Mumia Abu-Jamal and my brother Stanley ''Tookie'' Williams will continue to profoundly impact the New Afrikan Nation. They''ve done more from "behind the walls" than others have done in the free world. And I stand in complete solidarity with them, in their struggle for liberation. Each of their over twenty years of false imprisonment has been a true injustice to all humanity.

Hold on Mutulu, and continue to stand strong as victory is within your reach. Thank you for your past and present contributions, and the sacrifices that you''ve made for the liberation of our people. And until you''re free, I''ll be fighting for you all the way.

Much love and respect,

Duke ''Big Duke'' Carter

*Information added by editor.