A proud Detroit native born into a family of activists, Siwatu-Salama Ra is the face of an entirely new generation of Detroit freedom fighters, one that is deeply rooted in the city that birthed her, and who has never feared standing up to the many systems that have tried to silence her.

Siwatu’s mother, Rhonda Anderson, was once a prolific environmental justice advocate, and because of this, Siwatu was exposed to her life’s calling from an early age.

Come her teenage years, she was already busy organizing movements around clean air, water rights, and food access in the very neighborhoods that needed them the most – neighborhoods that most politicians went out of their way to ignore.

Siwatu-Salama Ra is a true leader of the people, one who fights with fire and grace in equal measure, even in the face of high-profile miscarriages of justice.

Come adulthood, Siwatu accepted the role of co-director of the East Michigan Environmental Action Council (EMEAC), which positioned her at the intersection of race, youth, gender, and climate issues.

During her time with the EMEAC, she led campaigns tackling everything from expanding political education to fighting back against pollution and helping to foster safe spaces for youth of color looking to reclaim their voices and identities in a city that seemed to be actively working against them.

She didn’t just show up to protests; she helped create entire systems based on fostering personal accountability and growth.

In 2018, Siwatu was wrongfully imprisoned, while pregnant, after defending herself and her family during a violent confrontation, despite being a lawfully licensed gun owner in a stand-your-ground state.

Her incarceration garnered national outrage, exposing the deeply imbedded flaws in the justice system when it comes to women and people of color and gun laws.

Sadly, Siwatu gave birth behind bars, yet she didn’t allow that to slow her down; she continued her work even from behind bars, becoming a lightning rod in conversations around criminalization, the policing of Black mothers, and reproductive justice.

Siwatu’s conviction was eventually overturned, and since her release, she has continued to advocate for maternal rights, abolitionist futures, and environmental justice.

She tours the country giving speeches, yet her home base is still Detroit, the place where she does the bulk of her work, raises her family, and puts in long hours building a brighter future for her people.

Siwatu-Salama Ra doesn’t just resist corruption.

She rebuilds even in the ashes.

She’s not just an activist; she’s Detroit’s sacred flame bearer – fiercely loyal, grounded, and burning through wicked constructs with every breath she takes.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: September 29, 2025