Character Analysis
When Shaka gets sent back to Michigan Reformatory after his time at Standish, he gets to know Baruti's son, Yusef.
Yusef and Shaka both love to read and both hope to make a difference in the world, so they become good friends. Yusef is released and really works to help his community once he's free—he's the first guy Shaka knows who achieves this. He tries to come to Carson City to help Shaka with events he's organizing for Black history month.
But unfortunately Yusef is denied a clearance to visit, since he had been in Carson City as an inmate at one point. Shaka is upset because he really wants the younger guys in prison hear Yusef's story and see his good example. Yusef also gets a BMe (Black Male Engagement ) award from the Knight Foundation at the same time as Shaka in 2012.