A Glimpse at Rikers Island

"The loudest sound in the world is the soft click of prison gates locking behind you. Maybe it's how final it is - the loud slam of the gate, then the quick, gentle click. Then the scary feeling of it all being forever." (page 94)

After Tupac & D Foster Book Trailer

A quick trailer that provides readers, before they begin reading the book, with a glimpse of what the story is about.

Getting to Know Jacqueline Woodson

An interview that examines the different types of issues Woodson touches on in her writing. Topics include: race relations, incarceration, foster care, etc.

Brenda's Got A Baby

The first Tupac song I ever heard was "Brenda's Got A Baby." I was in college, participating on an assignment for my Humanities class. Students were divided into pairs and asked to bring in a song of their choosing that had substance. We were to provide lyrics for everyone in the class. Then, as each song was played, we listened intently and analyzed the lyrics.

The girls in After Tupac and D Foster feel a deep connection to Tupac and this song.

"He was so beautiful, I felt like I could see Brenda inside of him. Like even though he was singing about a girl who threw her baby away, he was thinking about himself."

"It's like I look at him and see myself. It's like I'm looking in a mirror."

They see Brenda in Tupac, and Tupac in themselves.

How can one song make all of these connections?

When I heard this song, I was taken aback by its cruel reality. I'd never heard anything like it before. I had known girls like Brenda and I suddenly gained a profound compassion for her and those like her. I truly believe that compassion, empathy, understanding - all of these things - are the highest achievement that the arts can make.

A glimpse into Tupac Shakur's Life.

A background look on Tupac Shakur to see how his life and music touches D foster, Neeka and her best friend's lives.