Hassan was a member of the Race Today Collective from its inception in 1973, and eventually became editor of its journal,
Race Today, in 1986. She was deputy editor of the journal from 1973, with
Darcus Howe as editor. During the 1980s, she worked alongside
Olive Morris running ''Race Today's'' "Basement Sessions" at
Railton Road, where art, culture and politics were discussed. The Race Today Collective was led and organised by a number of women, including Hassan, whose influence on its direction needs further recognition (according to Robin Bunce and Paul Field, biographers of her husband). Women involved in the organisation included
Altheia Jones-LeCointe,
Barbara Beese and
Mala Dhondy. In 1984, Hassan organised for the wives of striking coal miners to come to London to tell their stories to the journal. Following the
New Cross Fire in January 1981, in which 13 young Black people died, Hassan was co-organiser of the 20,000-person Black People's Day of Action march through London that took place on 2 March and is now described as "a turning point in black British identity". Hassan became involved in the
Black Power movement in the late 1960s. During her time there she helped to overthrow the IRR's paternalistic organisation, moving it from a conservative to a more radical political stance. She was a member of the
Black Unity and Freedom Party before she became involved in the collective. Alongside other former Panthers, she acted as a script advisor for
John Ridley's 2017 television series
Guerrilla, which examines the movement. == Personal life ==