An Atlanta-based organization received more than $5,000 from Tupac Shakur’s Atlanta memorial service in 1996.
Shortly after the late rapper's mother died, SisterLove founder Dázon Dixon Diallo reflected on Afeni Shakur-Davis' contributions to the organization.
In 1997, Tupac was shot multiple times after leaving an event in Las Vegas. The 25-year-old died six days later. His killing remains unsolved.
SisterLove, “a women’s AIDS and reproductive justice nonprofit focusing on women, particularly women of African descent,” according to the organization’ website, had a heavy presence at Tupac’s memorial service at the Atlanta Civic Center. Women from the organization participated in and volunteered at the packed service.
For a fairly new organization that didn’t have much visibility at the time, receiving thousands of dollars from a prominent figure such as Afeni Shakur-Davis was a major help.
“More than the money itself, just having that level of recognition and engagement with what was going to become the [Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation Center for the Arts] was a big deal,” Diallo said.
Diallo said the gesture was extremely touching at the time because several women who were acquainted with the organization died between 1994-1995.
The founder didn’t have many one-on-one conversations with Shakur-Davis, but the conversations they did have led to her belief that Shakur-Davis was a “wise, brilliant and funny” woman.
“What was also really special about the conversations with Afeni was that even for the times that we were in she understood how important it was for HIV and AIDs initiatives to be centered in the fight for social change and social justice,” Diallo said.
About the Author
