Assata Shakur’s Rejection of Her European Name & Language Justice

By rejecting her Eurocentric name, Assata reclaimed the right to self-definition on her own terms and in ancestral languages. • “Assata” (Swahili: she who struggles), “Olugbala” (Yoruba: savior), and “Shakur” (Arabic: thankful) each root her in African and diasporic linguistic traditions. • This is language justice in action: choosing names that restore cultural dignity and affirm African linguistic heritage.This episode examines Assata Shakur’s life and writing through the lens of linguistic justice. We explore how her choice of names, her use of African and diasporic languages, and her embrace of AAVE challenge colonial Language superiority and reclaim linguistic power. By centering language in the Black liberation struggle, Shakur reminds us that words, names, and voices are not just communication — they are acts of defiance.