Born Ericka Jenkins 1/5/48 in Washington, D.C.

Joined BPP in Los Angeles in 1967 also worked with the New Haven, Connecticut chapter.

Her husband, John Huggins, was shot to death 1/17/69 on UCLA’s campus. She had a three month old child at the time.

She was tried and acquitted for murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy for the torture and murder of Alex Rackley who the BPP suspected was an informant.

She has two sons with James Mott, lead singer of The Lumpen, the BPP house band.

She directed the Oakland Community School founded by the BPP.

She was the first black person and the first woman appointed to the Alameda County Board of Education.

She was a professor at Laney College in Oakland and Berkeley City College.

She was an elected member of the Berkeley Community Development Council.

Her “heart question” for educators via her website:

“What is my first step in eliciting compassion in dialogue with my students?”