Afrofuturism in Societal Norms: An Interview

 Sierra Barrera

Dr. Harris

ENGL 2016

December 3, 2024

Afrofuturism in Societal Norms:

Black culture is undeniably an influence in society worldwide. Its influence stems from entertainment, music, literature, all the way to foods, clothing styles, and hairstyles. Afrofuturism encompasses these elements of the past and the present and introduces a reimagining of the future- ultimately it is the past with the future. Examples of this broad genre can be found nuanced in many things most people encounter on a daily basis. This project intends to shed light on how Afrofuturism is encountered in life, and how one could be more aware of it in their own.

This project was done in the form of an interview where text from Dark Matter, a compilation of speculative fiction under the genre of Afrofuturism, was used as a background and introduction to the meaning of Afrofuturism. After reading excerpts of The Comet by W.E.B. Du Bois and The Becoming by Akua Lezli Hope, volunteers were then asked these series of questions: What comes to mind when you hear the term “Afrofuturism”? How do you think history has affected black culture and society today? Do you think gender roles in black communities have changed over time? Do you think that there are still racial differences the black community is faced by today? Can you think of an achievement made by the black community that has opened the door for future expansion of black influence? Can you think of a prominent black person that has pushed for or against societal norms today? And, how do you think Afrofuturism has had an effect in your own life?

Generally, the answers provided showed that the understanding of Afrofuturism was either new or limited, yet its idea was still able to be seen in almost every person’s life. Overall, society has been changed by black influence and culture. This fact is indisputable as we hear about the viewpoints from the American perspective, as well as German and British perspectives which brings diversity into the responses of each question.


Interview Link: 

Interview

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