Aunt Evelyn is a huge influence on Assata throughout her life. She is an attorney who, prior to Assata's arrest, is a professor in the NYU law school. She teaches Assata about art, literature, food, and other aspects of culture. She repeatedly saves Assata from a life on the streets and encourages her to continue her education. She, along with Assata's mother and grandmother, play a large role in molding Assata into the woman she later became.