Ilyasah Shabazz

Professor Ilyasah Shabbaz is an award-winning author, speaker, and educator. She has spoken to audiences around the world, spreading the legacy of her father, Malcolm X, and her mother, Dr. Betty Shabazz; however, her work goes much further. In her own words, Professor Shabazz leads a life dedicated to four passions: 1. The continued growth and preservation of her family’s legacy; 2. The development of educational programs designed to foster self-empowerment; 3. Promoting an expanded role of government in teaching individual responsibility for the betterment of society; and 4. Leveraging arts & entertainment to encourage a greater understanding of international history, culture, and self-expression. In pursuit of these aims, Professor Shabazz promotes higher education for and speaks to at-risk youth, facilitates interfaith dialogue with aims to build bridges between cultures for young leaders, and participates frequently in international humanitarian delegations. Notably, Professor Shabazz accompanied President Bill Clinton to South Africa to commemorate the election of President Nelson Mandela and the Education & Economic Development Initiatives. Years later, she accompanied the U.S. Interfaith Leadership Delegation to Mali, West Africa. After this trip, Professor Shabazz received a personal letter from President Barack Obama thanking her “for preserving her father’s proud legacy by working to secure equality in our time and for generations to come.” Professor Shabazz’s best-selling book, Growing Up X: A Coming of Age Memoir, has received widespread critical acclaim, drawing special praise from the legendary Dr. Maya Angelou who complimented Shabazz for “… the courage to remember, the courage to see, and the courage to say what she saw.”