Afrofuturism. What is it and what's it got to do with Black Panther?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ต.ค. 2024
- Afrofuturism has had such a big presence in pop culture but not many people actually know what it is. It's an idea that explores the future through a black lens while critiquing issues facing black people today. It's steeped in African traditions and spirituality as well as black identity.
In this video, I cover the basics of what it is, mostly what I found out when I was trying to figure out what it meant. If you enjoyed it please let me know. I'd love to do more of them on other topics!
Disclaimer - I'm by no means an expert so I'd be happy to hear more suggestions for future videos!
For someone who knows way more than me about the subject, check out: ONYX Pages
/ @onyxpages
If You'd like to read some Afrofuturist Authors check out these guys:
Nalo Hopkinson
Krista Franklin
Ytasha L. Womack
Nnedi Okorafor
Rivers Solomon
For for information have a look at these sources:
www.huffington...
thinkprogress....
ieet.org/index...
www.wbur.org/ar...
www.nytimes.co...
www.dukeupress...
iafrofuturism....
books.google.c...
Instagram - / dianaincolour
or
/ diana.sim
Goodreads - / diana-simumpande
Blog - dianaincolour.com
Twitter - / dianaincolour
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This video came at just the right time! I actually went and saw black panther for the first time last night. I'm really not a fan of sci-fi, dystopian, or any other sci-fi subgenres, and I actually don't really even enjoy watching movies, so I hadn't realized that there was such a lack of black people (and people of color generally) in these genres. When I thought of "Afrofuturism" I think I thought of it more in the aesthetic terms but you brought up such an important point and really educated me when you said Afrofuturism is about showing that there are black people in the future. That's so powerful! And it makes me so angry to realize that the lack of representation in "futuristic" works is damaging in that they only show white people. There are all kinds of layered implications there that are really horrific. Thank you for making this video! (Also I laughed out loud when you said Will Smith makes up like half of the protagonists of color. It's so true)
Me too! I was never a fan of sci-fi, it never appealed to me. I wasn't here for ray guns, or spaceships - the whole lot. I also really hated dystopian fiction (still do) but I got a little caught up in the excitement of Black Panther and eventually picked up my first very Sci-Fi book which was Nnedi Okorafor's Binti. Funnily enough, I actually enjoyed it mainly because I'd never thought I'd see myself reflected in Sci-Fi and also because I've never anticipated such a seamless mix of African ancestry and traditions with technology and the future. It made me really curious about the whole concept of Afrofuturism. It made me realise how passive I was in accepting how my future would be shaped by people who didn't really have my interests in mind. I'd never even considered what the future would look like for people like me, and it made me realise how dangerous that was.
I'm glad you liked the video! I was a little nervous about making it so I'm really glad that you got somethign out of it!
*Kate's Booktube* I couldn't agree more well thought out paragraph.
Well done! A great introduction video for Booktubers. I hope that you continue your exploration of Afrofuturism. There are many dimensions to explore and even more to create! Onwards!
I know there's so much here that I didn't cover, it's such a huge topic and I can't wait to dive into all the different corners of it. My library holds list is looking crazy right now. I'm glad you liked it! Hopefully this will spark other to explore it a little more and open up more discussions.
"...and half of those are Will Smith." 😂I was not prepared for that stat, lol.
Your videos are always so interesting! I feel like I learn something new every time I watch one of your videos 😊
Thank you so much! I'm really happy because I was so nervous about making this haha
With every sci-fi movie that I have seen, I've always put my people in it. Books too, I just didn't know what to call it. Glad you made this video. Who gave you a dislike?
This is so interesting!! I understand Black Panther on different level now and never thought of this before in movies. And now we need more of this in books, movies and tv shows! Great job!!
I enjoyed this TH-cam please share more like it. Great research on your part. I like liberation info for all people. Humanity for all humans
Your videos have quickly become some of my favorite. I truly appreciate your content! I look forward to your future discussions/videos!
Aw, thank you so much! That really means a lot. I can't wait to do more, I had so much fun making this!
Hierarchy of Reads Diana is brilliant isn’t she!
This was awesome and very educational, would love to hear more topics like this.
Yay thank you!
I really enjoyed your thoughts on Afrofuturism. I'm actually writing my dissertation on it, exploring the black female perspective in two afrofuturist novels :)
Wow, that sounds great! Which novels are you focusing on?
diana in colour I'm focusing on Dawn by Octavia Butler and Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson
This is an amazing video. Sun Ra clearly knew what the fuck was up lmao
Thank you... A great opportunity for me to discover a new way to create...
Fantastic, I had no idea what it was. As a black lady who is into sci-fi and speculative fiction, it never occurred to me to be disturbed by the lack of black presence!
ME TOO. Which is so scary! It's strange how we normalise these things.
I have just found this video and it is brilliant, very well thought out and informed providing a wonderful foundation for understanding Afrofuturism. Cannot wait to watch more of your content!
Thank you for making this video! It’s so well done. I’m looking forward to exploring this genre :)
Excellent. Highly informative. Thanks.
This video has given me a lot to think about.
Great video, especially for people who have no idea what about this subject. Now I have more ideas for my work ahead. Hope to see more of such
Thanks, I'm glad I could help you!
Thank you for this video. This case a well researched and informative lesson.
This video was so awesome, I didn't leave a comment on it when I 1st saw it b/c it's such a new topic for me. I'm still interested to learn more about it & read some Afrofuture books. ^.^ I did tag you in my Hurricane Maria Tag. It's a sad topic, but your thoughts on it would be interesting to hear. No pressure to do it though b/c it's such a tough topic.
Such a wonderfully informative, creative, and aesthetically pleasing video! As always. Congrats on all the subscribers!
Thank you so much! I was so nervous about making this so I'm glad you liked it!
I have wondered what it was. I have heard it alot about the Black Panther movie. This is awesome content. Just a hello from a new booktuber.
Hello and thank you! I wish you all the best with your new channel!
diana in colour thank you. I hope you enjoy the content on my channel as well as I enjoyed this video.
such an amazing video! i really learned a lot so thank you :)
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it! I had a look at your channel, and it looks great. You're absolutely beautiful and I can't wait to see more from you :)
diana in colour aw You're so sweet, and i could say the exact same to you, you look beautiful in all your videos and I love your colour palette for them 😊
This concept is so interesting to me because you rarely see such positive and alternative images of black people in the future in mainstream media. I wanted to incorporate it into a review of Black Panther and on top of that I was hoping to write an article about the subject for a web journal by the end of this month. So I have a lot of research to do. Thanks for posting this video and congrats on 600 subscribers!
There are so many facets to Afrofuturism, it's such huge topic! When I first found out about the movement I was completely taken by surprise and it even allowed me to ask myself some questions about what the future looks like for people who look like me, something I'd never even thought about. It made me realise how passive I am when It comes to accepting the world being shaped by non POC's. I would love to read your review of black panther and your article so when it's all done please send me a link!
I've been watching so many videos and reading so many articles on Black Panther, the content just keeps coming my head is spinning lol. Okay when I get my thoughts together I would love to share it with you :)
Sis, you deserve all your subscribers. You do great work with this channel.
This video inspired me with some writing ideas and my further interest in Afrofuturism.
Thank you.❤️
Thank you for this presentation. What about the issue of Community in the Afrofuturism movement ? And can you give some novels titles one may read ?
Another great video Diana keep them coming.
Thank you :)
Thank you for this video! More people need to know about afrofuturism. It is an integral part of science fiction, comics and fantasy.
Thanks for watching! I agree. For so long I didn't think sci-fi was for me because I didn't really see myself represented in it. It felt like this exclusive world that I wasn't invited to. More people definately need to know about it and just know that everyone has a place in it too!
I have to start by saying that the thumbnail is absolutely gorgeous.
I really admire the research and passion you put into your videos. This was informing and insightful and you managed to keep me engaged the whole time. Great channel!
Ahh, thank you, that means so much! That's actually a self-portrait I took a while ago haha. I'm so glad you liked it, I was actually terrified that it was going to be boring and that no one would like it. Thank you so much for watching.
A big thing with a lot of Science Fiction genres such as Cyberpunk, Interstellar Space Travel, etc. They have White or Eurasian protagonists in an East Asian future, with futuristic East Asian aesthetics.
This is so incredible!!
Myn Kobayashi aw thank you so much!
Great video!! Thanks so much for taking the time to put together this primer on Afrofuturism (so well researched and edited!) - and thanks for the recommendations on where to start with Afrofuturism. And congrats on passing 600 subs! It’s so well deserved - I love your videos and am so glad I found your channel :)
Aww thank you! If you're looking for more information about books that fall into the realm of Afrofuturism check out ONYX Pages, she is a treasure chest of knowledge!
Thank you! Heading over to check her out now :)
such an interesting video, especially the part of 'creating a new identity' for oneself is something I have not thought about a lot so THANK YOU for opening my eyes to the topic and for giving me some new authors to read
I found the concept of Afrofuturism so interesting! I'd never even considered some of the questions it raised before. I think it's such a unique concept and something that we should be considering a lot more! I was really nervous about making this video so I'm glad that I was able to get you thinking about it!
This was SUCH such an awesome video, loved it. Super informative.
Yaaay, thank you so much! I was kind of nervous about making it so I'm glad you liked it.
Fabulous video! I like hauls and wrap ups and all that stuff but it’s nice when channels do something different like subject or author focuses, things like Shawn the Book Maniacs page 112 series etc. Congrats on the subscribers numbers, well deserved!
Thank you! And I completely agree. I've been thinking about doing some different kind of videos for a while because everything is starting to feel a little samey. I didn't feel like I was offering anything unique anymore. I love his 112 series and I would love to see booktubers coming up with more videos like that!
This was really informative and well edited, a fascinating intro to Afrofuturism. Would love to hear any more recommendations you have on novels centering around Afrofuturist themes. And congrats on 600 subscribers!
Thank you! I've heard Kindred by Octavia Butler is really good, anything by Nnedi Okorafor, and Elysium by Jennifer Marie Brissett.
I've been hearing this term thrown around a lot lately, and I never quite understood it. I feel that I have a better grasp on the concept of it now. I think it's interesting to put these things in perspective because sci-fi, especially, tends to be over saturated with the white male lense. I already love Octavia Butler but I learned about some other people from your video that I'd like to know more about.
I'm glad I was able to clarify a few things for you. It's such a huge topic and it's so easy to get lost in it, but it's also such a fun movement too! Before this, I'd never really thought about the future and what it would look like for people like me, so it definitely got me thinking a lot more about creating the kind of future I want to see. There's so much to learn and read and I hope you have fun doing it!
Yaaas! This was such a fantastic video and I would definitely love to see more like this! You've touched on it a bit here and in White Tears review, but it would be interesting to hear a take on how music shapes & reclaims identity.
I loved how you dived into the serious side of Afrofuturism as well and really dug into that - that it isn't just about the aesthetics but regaining and reimagining the future.
Yay, thank you! That's a great topic actually, it's something I've been thinking about. It was good to see that there was such a serious message and issue underpinning the whole movement.
I love how this came across as a visual essay. Love it!
Yay, exactly what I was going for! Thank you!
This was fascinating and really well done. I would definitely like to explore Afrofuturism some more. Thank you for the very informative and interesting video!
Thank you! I'm happy it's peaked your interest. It's such a interesting movement.
Love the video, the Afro-future is awkward, takes time to clear away all the Euroization we learned. Unfortunately our popular culture matches our fashion trends, realization of the Afro-future needs a material culture at home. Visual arts, architecture, technology, things hard to do in a Euro-dominated space. To move from ideas to material is hard. We seem stuck in cosplay at the moment. Our own space is the place. What if!!!!!!!!
Thanks for another interesting and informative video. And I appreciate your gathering some other sources. I'll check out some of those links now.
i am in love with your channel. this was so informative, thank you
Thank you so much! I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to you!
Thank you so much for this! I learned so much. ❤
Thanks for watching!
YESSS!!! This was perfect, concise, interesting, to the point and so beautifully put! I am so grateful you made this video and adored listening to it and your own thoughts on the topic. I have had a recent interest in reading and learning about the 'feminist counter-apocalypse' which is basically this but through a feminist lens instead of a black lens, and whilst I am totally on board with it, the lack of intersectionality within that theoretical movement is quite noticeable, so would love to see speculative fiction writers supported so much more in bridging these gaps, being given a voice, and challenging preconceived ideas of what our future looks like. So yeah, definitely loved this video and would always be game for more. Have you read any of Octavia Butlers books? I hear that Kindred is incredible and I really want to check it out.
Thank you so much! The idea of a feminist counter-apocalypse sounds pretty interesting. We have an incredible platform here and I think we have all have a role to play in promoting a diversity of voices. If it hadn't been for youtube, I don't know if I would have even heard about the concept of Afrofuturism.
I haven't read any of Octavia Butler's books actually, I just got Kindred out from the library so I'll let you know what I think!
And this is why we need a program up grade, the importance of growth is progressing PEOPLE OF COLOR. FREE THE MIND FREE THE SOUL
Preach 🙌🏿
Love your content!!!
Thank you, thank you!
I love this ! Thanks for the research 🌞
And thank you so much for watching!
This is my wedding theme ❤️
Aww that’s beautiful!
You are gooooorgeous love your doll eyes💘
Love this!
Thank you!
OMG. Sun Ra was a TRIP!
I KNOW. I was thinking I have to put this whole clip it, it just speaks for itself.
... in a good way.
You’ve been gaining subscribers so fast! Congratulations 💖 Also, I loved this video! I definitely learned something new here. Although I knew about this I didn’t know it had a name and was a movement. I love Janelle Monae’s music and activism and totally see how it all fits together. And it’s so relevant too. Thanks for the video!
My recent video: th-cam.com/video/wGDdwFysYLQ/w-d-xo.html
I have! I can't believe it myself. Sorry it took so long to get back to you here. I'm glad you liked the video!
Outkast/ Andre 3000
Timely subject. Note by 2050 the African continent will be home to close to 25% of world's population approaching 40% by 2100 according to UN. Think about that, Asians and Africans will be over 4 out 5 of humanity. Does future sci-fi show the more realistic view of humanities diversity? Causes one to look at films from Star Trek to Blade Runner with new lens. Thanks for video.
That's an incredibly important point, something I thought about a lot while making this video. I think not seeing Asians and Africans represented in sci-fi aids in us thinking that we shouldn't be involved in conversations about the future. Something I came across while researching this video was that some black people (especially children) are so engrossed in issues specific to them like police brutality, immigration, racism and violence that it's hard to look past those things and imagine what the future looks like. When some kids were asked what kind of future they wanted to see they said things like "I want to see a world without gun violence," instead of talking about technology or even spaceships. So I found that quite interesting to think about.
diana in colour Thank you for the response. I too think about the youth. Today (2018) the youth that is Northern American (US, CA) or European is less than 15%, the exclusion of Latin America/the Caribbean in addition to Africa and Asia representation will be problematic if we do nothing. Thanks again for the thoughtful dialogue.
:-) I thought you'd mention Goerge Clinton, Parliment/Funkadelic?
Bring the Mothership in, free your mind and your ass will follow!
some more research(?) and the music is good :-) LOL
Hey, yeah there was so much to mention I had to cut it down a bit! I'm writing a longer blog post with a little more detail but this is just the basics! Thanks for watching!
I barely got through a minute of this. Never once have I watched a movie or read a book set in the future and thought or cared about anyone's skin tone - not mine, not anyone else's.
The only thing more disturbing than seeing this open racism is the multiple comments here praising it.
Congratulations on forming an opinion based purely on your fragile feelings. That is some sound critical thinking.