Assata is the founding director of the Sankofa Research Institute (SRI), a nonprofit with a mission to “create knowledge to build community.” SRI employs community-based participatory research to work collaboratively with academic researchers, community organizations and funders to generate empirical evidence to inform social change. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston and earned a master’s and doctoral degree from Pennsylvania State University. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Houston. Mayor Sylvester Turner appointed Assata to chair his Housing Transition Committee. She also serves as the chair of the board of directors for Emancipation Economic Development Council.