In 1973, Dr. Mutulu Shakur, along with fellow Black Panthers and the Young Lords, combined community health with radical politics to create the first acupuncture detoxification program in America. This form of radical harm reduction was a revolutionary act toward the government programs that transfixed the lives of black and brown communities throughout the South Bronx.
Dr. Mutulu Shakur, born to a blind mother and step-father to Tupac Shakur, had to assist his disabled single parent with necessities and quickly discovered the lacking social resources firsthand. As he grew older. he joined revolutionary groups and, like many others, became inspired by the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Shakur began to study Mao’s Little Red Book, learning how to organize collectively and focus on underserved areas that needed the most help from the government. Acupuncture was imported from China by Shakur, members of the Young Lords and the Black Panthers. They opened the Lincoln Detox in the South Bronx, a radical clinic that provided acupuncture instead of methadone along with Marxist educational classes.
Directed by Mia Donovan, she weaves the story full of sweeping historical facts with personal anecdotes into an entertaining tapestry. Felipe Luciano (co-founder of the Young Lords) recalls meeting Bobby Seale (co-founder of the Black Panthers) who suggested creating their own Puerto Rican Black Panther-adjacent organization that became the Young Lords. The Young Lords were a progressive group focused on civil rights for Puerto Ricans and Latinos. Next, Felipe shares an inspiring story of how the Young Lords helped establish the Lincoln Detox by storming and occupying the underserved Lincoln Hospital to demand better healthcare and conditions. Although it didn’t last long before an army of cops showed up at the hospital, amazingly the situation ended peacefully with the reasonable demands being met.
This documentary wonderfully shows how people brought their personal talents to the movement in various ways. Walter Bosquerecalls becoming a Young Lord and acupuncturist after seeing a Puerto Rican flag flying outside the Lincoln Detox center. At first, Bosque helped translate for non-English speaking patients before assisting with blood transfusions and moving onto other procedures. Maliki Shakur Latine, a member of the Black Panthers, details how he introduced marginalized people to martial arts for self-defense against police brutality. Cleo Silvers, another Black Panther, worked at the Lincoln Detox providing healthcare and educating people on the dangers of heroin. Moving on to Gloria Fontanez, she led the fight for citizens to ensure safer living conditions and fix other infrastructure failures.
What’s disturbing about this film is the US government’s response to these unprecedented and extremely helpful socialized programs that were resourcing communities in the hopes of decreasing crime and reducing the need for a police force. Hoover’s FBI led the charge using COINTELPRO to subvert or arrest anyone shaking up the establishment. The Feds even went so far as to surveil Dr. Shakur and Walter Bosque during their visit to China in 1977. Even though it’s quite deterring to see our country’s leaders willing to do anything to keep healthcare for profit in place, watching humans helping each other is affirming. It seems collectivism is the key because individualism will only get you so far. Today in the South Bronx, Juan Cortez is a holistic health specialist using acupuncture to treat his patients carrying on the work of the Young Lords and Black Panthers with accessible healthcare. The film ends with 2Pac’s song “Hold Ya Head,” a passionate anthem dedicated to his step-father Mutulu and other political prisoners of the Black Liberation movement. After all, this Country loves to celebrate second chances so it’s time to free these men.
In Select Theaters and Virtual Cinemas Friday, April 30th, and
available to stream for free on Shortlist.Vice.com
