Your Future and Mine: The World of Afrofuturism and What It Means to Be Represented
Major
English – Literature
Submission Type
Oral Presentation
Area of Study or Work
English-Literature
Faculty Advisor
Joanne Diaz
Location
CNS E102
Start Date
4-11-2026 11:15 AM
End Date
4-11-2026 12:15 PM
Abstract
Afrofuturism is a genre defined by the intertwining of the culture and history of the Black diaspora within the world of science fiction, advanced technology and fantasy. Like most sub-genres of science fiction, it has been used by many writers to reimagine the experiences of the Black “other” in an attempt to bridge gaps, uplift Black voices and reimagine their lives in the same contexts other science fiction narratives reimagine colonial societies. However, this also means that it carries some of the same issues that we see within science fiction when it comes to that reimagination of diasporic communities. Work that grounds itself in afrofuturism of course places Black folk in the forefront but also relies heavily on emphasized cultural stereotypes, purposeful misinterpretation, and distasteful appropriation of culture. Popular characters’ histories, such as that of Marvel’s Storm and Black Panther, are known from their time established as Black heroes with narratives made by white writers and their existence was not always valued on the same level as other characters. Both being African characters have also seen the use of forced mysticism in their continuities and many of these themes have long been solidified as distinct pieces of their identities. Consumers and creatives of afrofuturistic comics have seen stark shifts in the development of the genre, as more of these stories are written by Black creatives who have attempted to tend to the sensitive issues of representation. Despite this, there still remain views of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ when it comes to properly portraying characters and the goals of Black afrofuturists and non-Black writers don’t necessarily seem to be the same. I plan to use my research to analyze the relationship of afrofuturism and those which put the genre into practice, to better understand its role in cultural interpretation as a whole.
Your Future and Mine: The World of Afrofuturism and What It Means to Be Represented
CNS E102
Afrofuturism is a genre defined by the intertwining of the culture and history of the Black diaspora within the world of science fiction, advanced technology and fantasy. Like most sub-genres of science fiction, it has been used by many writers to reimagine the experiences of the Black “other” in an attempt to bridge gaps, uplift Black voices and reimagine their lives in the same contexts other science fiction narratives reimagine colonial societies. However, this also means that it carries some of the same issues that we see within science fiction when it comes to that reimagination of diasporic communities. Work that grounds itself in afrofuturism of course places Black folk in the forefront but also relies heavily on emphasized cultural stereotypes, purposeful misinterpretation, and distasteful appropriation of culture. Popular characters’ histories, such as that of Marvel’s Storm and Black Panther, are known from their time established as Black heroes with narratives made by white writers and their existence was not always valued on the same level as other characters. Both being African characters have also seen the use of forced mysticism in their continuities and many of these themes have long been solidified as distinct pieces of their identities. Consumers and creatives of afrofuturistic comics have seen stark shifts in the development of the genre, as more of these stories are written by Black creatives who have attempted to tend to the sensitive issues of representation. Despite this, there still remain views of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ when it comes to properly portraying characters and the goals of Black afrofuturists and non-Black writers don’t necessarily seem to be the same. I plan to use my research to analyze the relationship of afrofuturism and those which put the genre into practice, to better understand its role in cultural interpretation as a whole.