We Do This 'Til We Free Us by Mariame Kaba has been praised for its compelling arguments and powerful advocacy for transformative justice. Reviewers appreciate Kaba's insightful critique of the prison-industrial complex and her clear, passionate writing. Some find the book repetitive and dense. Overall, it is a thought-provoking, essential read for activists and scholars alike.

Readers of We Do This 'Til We Free Us would typically be activists, scholars, and students interested in social justice, abolitionist movements, and transformative justice. Fans of Angela Davis's Are Prisons Obsolete? or Adrienne Maree Brown's Emergent Strategy would find Kaba’s essays compelling and insightful.

We Do This 'Til We Free Us by Mariame Kaba is a 2021 collection of essays, interviews, and media, often collaborative, centered on abolishing the prison system. A New York Times bestseller, it delves into abolitionist principles, critiques moderate reforms, discusses activism tactics, and emphasizes transformative justice. The book also serves as a social history, political commentary, memoir, and organizing guide. The text discusses structural racism, racist violence, police shootings, and sexual violence.

Informative / Inspirational / Hopeful / Challenging / Emotional

Mariame Kaba

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Nonfiction

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Study Guide

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Overview

Get ready to explore We Do This 'Til We Free Us and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

We Do This 'Til We Free Us Summary and Study Guide

Background

We Do This 'Til We Free Us Background

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “So You’re Thinking About Becoming an Abolitionist”

Part 1 We Do This 'Til We Free Us Part 1 Summary & Analysis

Part 2: “There Are No Perfect Victims”

Part 2 We Do This 'Til We Free Us Part 2 Summary & Analysis

Part 3: “The State Can't Give Us Transformative Justice”

Part 3 We Do This 'Til We Free Us Part 3 Summary & Analysis

Part 4: “Making Demands: Reforms for and Against Abolition”

Part 4 We Do This 'Til We Free Us Part 4 Summary & Analysis

Part 5: “We Must Practice and Experiment: Abolitionist Organizing and Theory”

Part 5 We Do This 'Til We Free Us Part 5 Summary & Analysis

Part 6: “Accountability Is Not Punishment: Transforming How We Deal With Harm and Violence”

Part 6 We Do This 'Til We Free Us Part 6 Summary & Analysis

Part 7: “Show Up and Don’t Travel Alone: We Need Each Other”

Part 7 We Do This 'Til We Free Us Part 7 Summary & Analysis

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Key Figures

We Do This 'Til We Free Us Key Figures

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Themes

We Do This 'Til We Free Us Themes

Index of Terms

We Do This 'Til We Free Us Index of Terms

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Important Quotes

We Do This 'Til We Free Us Important Quotes

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Essay Topics

We Do This 'Til We Free Us Essay Topics

We Do This 'Til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice

Before You Read

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Who Should Read We Do This 'Til We Free Us?

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Book Details