Prince Shakur is a queer Jamaican-American writer, filmmaker, educator, and organizer whose body of work spans memoir, journalism, video, and radical pedagogy. His debut memoir, When They Tell You To Be Good (Tin House), was named one of TIME Magazine’s Most Anticipated Books and praised by Publishers Weekly as “a searing account of self-discovery amidst the unyielding weight of structural oppression.” His essays have appeared in Teen Vogue, Afropunk, Vice, The Nation, Catapult, and The Appeal, with recurring themes of Black radical history, abolition, queer identity, diasporic memory, and resistance.
Shakur has produced over 300 political and personal video essays for his growing YouTube platform, and co-hosts The Dugout, a podcast on Black anarchist history. His short film Before I Die premiered in 2023, and he is a past resident of Sangam House, La Maison Baldwin, and the Studios of Key West. With a foundation in grassroots organizing—from Black Lives Matter campus protests to direct action at Standing Rock—his artistic practice is grounded in community care, insurgent histories, and liberatory politics.
He shares writing resources about craft, publishing, and freelancing as the founder of the newsletter, Millennial Writer Life as well as his Youtube channel that documents his life as a traveler/author. He is also the host of The Creative Hour podcast, and has a long background as a grassroots, radical organizer in Ohio, Standing Rock, and abroad.
He is represented by Samantha Haywood of Transatlantic Agency. For work and speaking opportunities, reach out to his assistant, Alexi.
Prince’s ClearVoice | Medium | Muck Rack | Artist Background | Author’s Guild | Media Kit
ACTIVISM
Prince Shakur began organizing in college as a student senator, LGBTQIA Affairs Commissioner, and co-founder of the Black Life Action Coalition at Ohio University. He later worked with UNITE HERE Local 8 in Seattle, led youth climate efforts with NextGen, and joined movements in the U.S., France, and the Philippines. In 2016, he made headlines for challenging Bill Clinton over the 1994 Crime Bill. His travel-doc series Two Woke Minds earned a GLAAD Rising Star Grant in 2017.
He has reported on migrant rights from Tijuana and most recently served as co-lead organizer with Black Queer and Intersectional Collective in Columbus. Across all his activism, Shakur remains committed to Black liberation, queer resistance, and anti-capitalist organizing.
VIDEOWORK
Prince Shakur’s videos blend sharp political analysis, Black radical history, and personal storytelling to illuminate the intersections of race, queerness, and resistance. Through over 300 thought-provoking video essays, he makes complex ideas accessible while honoring the emotional realities of activism and survival.
His work challenges dominant narratives, explores overlooked histories, and invites audiences to imagine new possibilities for liberation. Rooted in radical education and community, Prince’s videomaking is a vital part of his mission to connect past and present struggles, inspire critical thought, and foster collective healing.
CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON MEDIA
SHARING CRITICAL HISTORIES AND FRAMEWORKS FOR DIRECT ACTION
ON THE COMPLICATED REALITY OF BLACK ICONOGRAPHY
Two longtime friends, Dom and Derrick, drink and reminisce the night before an important surgery tests the strength of their friendship.
Written by Prince Shakur. Directed by Julian Foglietti
Cast: Dom: Prince Shakur Derrick: Bryson Shultz
OTHER VIDEOS
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In "When They Tell You To Be Good," Prince Shakur fearlessly explores his queer, closeted childhood within an immigrant Jamaican family. This memoir provides a raw and honest portrayal of Shakur's identity as an anarchist writer and traveler. The nonlinear narrative mirrors James Baldwin's coming-of-age stories, as Shakur navigates themes of mortality in an anti-black society, haunted by his father's murder. From backpacking in the Philippines to engaging in political movements like Nuit Debout in Paris, Shakur's journey encapsulates the challenges of diasporic masculinity, structural violence, afro-surrealism, and queer resilience.
This memoir surpasses the conventions of typical narratives, delving into profound truths about blackness, escapism, personal history, and love. Shakur's fearlessness will undoubtedly move and inspire readers for generations.
