Afrocentrism and Afrofuturism: Black Students Need Both

By Aziah Siid | Word In Black This story is part of& “Black to the Future,”& a series that examines how Afrofuturism pushes us to imagine and create a world where people of African descent thrive. (WIB) – As the discourse around Afrofuturism gains momentum, fueled by the visionary works of Octavia Butler and contemporaries like Questlove, Janelle Monae, and all things Wakanda, a necessary dialogue is unfolding about the need for the futuristic movement in educational spaces. Sam P.K Collins, staff writer for The Washington Informer and a gifted teacher and writing workshop instructor, underscores the urgency for both the young and the old in the Black community to embrace the idea of Black people existing in realms not just of our present reality but in new and innovative worlds. RELATED:& When Afrofuturism Enters The Classroom& “Afrofuturism, for all intents and purposes, is what Rastafari people call Ancient Future,” Collins tells Word In Black. “It is the past and the present, and the future where there’s always a chance for renewal and regurgitation.”& Embedding Afrofuturism Into the Curriculum& In an era marked by the banning of& books by Black authors or about Black history, and where the implementation of&...