Honoring Ancestor Zuberi Badili

Zuberi Badili was politicized by the Sagon Penn incident in San Diego in 1985, a case of police harassment, misconduct and brutality. In that same year, at the urging of his childhood friend, Nomalanga, he joined the A-APRP, channeling his frustration with the system into an organized collective that had a clear objective and a strategy to achieve it. He worked for several years in the California chapter, organizing programs at San Diego State U and Univ. of CA at San Diego, forging relationships with indigenous organizations in the area and taking part in cultural events, women’s programs and community events such as the annual Marcus Garvey Day. After relocating to Chicago, Zuberi worked diligently with the Illinois chapter, designing shirts, fundraising, and helping to facilitate orientations, African Liberation Day, recruitment drives and speaking engagements for Kwame Ture, formerly known as Stokely Carmichael, who was an A-APRP organizer as well. Zuberi remained a committed A-APRP cadre member for the rest of his life. He was always willing to share his knowledge and skills with us, whether repairing our laptops or helping us find a good car. We know without a doubt that he loved his family. He considered being Ananda’s father one of his greatest joys and responsibilities—and he worked to be excellent at it.

Zuberi will now become an ancestor. His contributions are engraved in our consciousness and will forever manifest through our continuous work for our objective of Pan-Africanism, the total liberation and unification of Africa under scientific socialism. Zuberi Badili joins the pantheon of warriors for truth, justice and human dignity and we will forever call his name.