I’d like to tell you the 2 true tales of humans who lived in a similar place and time. For now, we’ll simply call them ‘Human #1’ and ‘Human #2.’ Or, #HumanONE & #HumanTWO if you prefer.

            Human #1 was born in Harlem, NY, and later moved to Baltimore, MD with his mother.

began his artistic training early in life; in high school he attended a fine arts academy, where he studied acting, poetry, jazz and ballet at a fine arts. His love of theatre and poetry would develop into an influential artistic-career which would include acting in Shakespearian plays, acting in films and writing a widely celebrated book of poetry.

            Both of Human #1’s parents, as well as many other family members were dedicated activists. Well-known and respected in their communities for their human-rights efforts, Human #1’s family members were particularly active and influential in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and 70s. Human #1 would take after his family in this way. In high school, he became involved with the Young Communist League USA and began dating the daughter of his local communist-party chapter’s president. The passion for human rights that began budding in his formative years was one he would carry throughout his life—injustice and inequality were among the themes that became very prominent in both his writing and daily life.

            Human #1 left a legacy of influential writing that spoke on the human experience, often through a lens of social justice, equality and human rights. He was remembered by loved ones for his incredible charisma, and a smile that one of his high school teachers remembers as having a magically charming quality.

            #HumanTWO was born in the same era as Human #1; he, however, was a proud resident of California—his homes included Los Angeles and the Bay Area. Cut from-criminal-clothe, Human #2 was raised by a family of notorious criminals and wanted fugitives. Born just one month after his mother was acquitted of over 150 federal charges, the life of crime that followed his family before his birth would continue throughout his life. Growing up, Human #2 had a distant relationship with his biological father. His godfather was convicted of murdering a school teacher and imprisoned. His step father spent many years as a fugitive from the law, including 4 on the FBI’s top-ten most wanted list. His step father was eventually captured and convicted of an armored-truck robbery in which 2 police officers and 1 security guard were killed.

            Human #2 would follow in the footsteps of his family, becoming increasingly involved in a criminal lifestyle as he aged. In one of his earliest conflicts with the law, he was allegedly brutalized by police officers for Jaywalking—Human number 2 filled a $10 Million lawsuit against the LAPD, and ultimately received about $43,000 in a settlement deal. Later on, he was charged with, shooting two police officers in an altercation. In an unrelated altercation the previous year, his firearm was discharged, and a stray bullet fatally wounded a 6-year old bystander who was writing his bike on a nearby playground. In a wrongful death suit, Human #2 agreed to pay the parents of the victim $300,000 - $500,000. Not-long-after, Human #2 was convicted of sexual assault and sent to prison.

            While in prison, Human #2 became affiliated with notorious members of the Pirus (Blood) Street Gang. He retained close relationships with these gang-members after getting out of prison, and would commit many documented crimes with them in the yeas that followed. Human #2’s life ended during a shootout—an apparent retaliation for an assault that he and his prison-affiliated made against a rival gang member which had been caught on camera earlier that night.

            Based on the information above, what do you make of these two humans? If you were to meet each of them, how would you engage them? Which one of them do you think you’d be most likely to become friends with? Which of them do you think is a more positive member of society?

            And why do you suppose they took such different paths?

            Finally, do you have any guesses as to who these two people are?

Human #1: Tupac Shakur