Gene Howell Jr. was born in August 1952 in Pittsburgh California in the year of the "Water Dragon." He was raised in the Oakland villages of West Oakland (Myrtle Street) Sobrante Park (Reposo Drive) and Fruitvale Village (26th Avenue). He graduated with the Oakland High School Class of and 1970, where he was truly a "wildcat" serving the Black Students Union as Minister of Culture and part of the team that got the film "Battle of Algiers" shown to the student body. Also serving as a foot-solider and liaison for the West Oakland Legal Switchboard and Free the Oakland Five. He is also Poet, Playwright and Artist.