Present Day and early 1960’s; Locations; Oakland and Los Angeles, CA Lady Panther (Matilaba) at the age of  16 felt the need to help her community after bearing witness to so much injustice in her community.  With family support, especially her “Gramps” Mati along with her best friends Roni and Darryl together embraced the program of the Black Panther Party, (BPP).  This is a story of the true beginning of the Party and why there was a need for them.  During this time injustice had no color. Mati, now in her fifties consented to be interviewed by Nicole, a student doing a research paper on the women involved with the BPP.  Nicole’s questions take Mati on a journey of the past.  Mati begins to compare today (the 60’s) and with much sadness and disgust, realizes there hasn’t been much change, and we seem to be fighting for the same causes.  Some memories are pleasant, like her first love “Shaka” and his untimely death.  Mati’s story connects with love of family values, self destruction; eventually love of self, community involvement, and action, suspense and sisterhood relationships. This is an Oakland, California story.