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Afro-Futurism. Revelation, Revolution: Social Justice and the Voices of Afro-Futurism's Digital Generation

Sun, April 19, 8:15 to 9:45am, Virtual Room

Abstract

The art movement known as Afrofuturism uses various forms of artistic expression to create speculative fictions linking African-Americans’ ancestral past with envisioned, utopian futures. Afrofuturism shifts the narratives that influence African-Americans’ lives from narratives of oppression to an emancipated world in which African diasporic culture is celebrated. In previous analyses of Afrofuturist art, however, the voices of actual artists are glaringly absent. Utilizing a methodology of video interviews with contemporary Afrofuturists, this study shares their perspectives on the intersection of Afrofuturism, social injustice, and the creative process. This study also illuminates the roles of social media and digital technology in establishing Afrofuturists as stakeholders in the current collaborative global dialogue empowering marginalized communities to reclaim their stories, democratizing social theories.

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