"I wanted to think about how fashion designers — particularly 20th- and 21st-century fashion designers — are using their artistic practice to define what it means to be a Black citizen in this international world." – Elizabeth Way, curator of "Africa’s Fashion Diaspora"
Madame Willi Posey, who taught acclaimed multimedia artist Faith Ringgold to sew, used fashion to craft her own narrative in Harlem. Now, designers across the African diaspora are using their creations to reclaim cultural heritage and reshape the narrative of identity and the future itself.
Seriously can’t wait to see how this FIT NYT exhibition brings these powerful stories to life.
"Pre-pandemic I founded my first company, Genetic Intelligence, on the vision of using AI to create new medicines based on the genetic code. Happy to share that Genetic Intelligence (now Genetic Leap) has partnered with Eli Lilly to further this vision in a deal valued at 409M USD." Dr eMalick Njie
Couldn't be more proud or hopeful as my brilliant friend works to create a better healthcare future through AI with Ecotone. This is the potential of Afrofuturistic vision to create a better world for all of us.
Listen to his fascinating story + reach out to inquire about open positions and investment opps in the comment link.
"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing." - Helen Keller
Steer towards risks, crash into the rewards.
titles.xyz/collect/base/0xb2366c30d9eafaf46648346aa8c6f3df7ca9b4f7/3
(Visual designed on @titlesxyz from @juujuumama AI model)
“We're calling builders in Africa to drive real-world impact onchain
What might that look like?
- Onchain micro-loans
- Simple, cross-border onchain payments
- Onchain community savings
- So much more”
(The Mighty) Fall in NY
rodeo.club/post/0x3E8Ae7a90ffc6F932C87A2b125A201F54EF884e3/2
George E. Lewis breaks boundaries, blending jazz, improvisation, and tech in ways that redefine what music - and art - can be. His work is about more than sound; it’s a reimagining of the future, where innovation is the norm, and tradition is just a launchpad.
By fusing human creativity with technology, Lewis shows us what it means to constantly push forward, never confined by the past.
Using AI to reclaim family history from fragments, defying colonial erasure? In "Revisionist History," Tyanna J. Buie humorously reimagines her lineage—including her family's Great Migration—taking agency to craft empowering narratives. An Afrofuturist fusion of art and tech cleverly challenging oppression.
chicagoreader.com/arts-culture/ai-meets-afrofuturism-tyanna-j-buie/
Ending Racism: The Role of Blockchain in Promoting Equality
As we navigate the complexities of modern society, addressing systemic racism remains one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Racism, deeply ingrained in many institutional systems, has hindered progress toward a more just and equitable world. With the emergence of groundbreaking technologies like blockchain, we now have a powerful tool that can help dismantle the structures that perpetuate inequality.
The Decentralized Nature of Blockchain
At its core, blockchain is a decentralized, transparent ledger. Its decentralized nature removes the need for a central authority, reducing the potential for biased gatekeepers to control access to resources, information, or power. This lack of central authority in blockchain systems means that individuals, regardless of their race, gender, or background, can participate on an equal footing.
By decentralizing control, blockchain empowers marginalized communities who historically have been excluded from financial systems, education, or ownership. This technology provides them with the means to bypass traditional institutions, accessing new opportunities in finance, governance, and entrepreneurship.
Transparency as a Tool for Accountability
One of the key attributes of blockchain technology is its transparency. Every transaction or data entry is permanently recorded and visible to all participants in the network. This inherent transparency can serve as a powerful tool in exposing and combating systemic racism.
In industries such as law enforcement, education, and corporate governance, where racial discrimination often hides behind opaque processes and unchallenged biases, blockchain can introduce a new level of accountability. Blockchain-based systems can track hiring processes, police actions, and governmental resource allocation, making it harder for racial discrimination to go unnoticed or unaddressed.
Financial Inclusion and Empowerment
One of the most direct ways blockchain can help combat racism is by promoting financial inclusion. Traditional financial systems have historically marginalized certain racial groups, limiting their access to banking services, loans, and investment opportunities. Blockchain-powered decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms can open new pathways for underbanked communities to access capital, transfer money, and participate in the global economy without relying on traditional financial institutions.
For instance, with blockchain, peer-to-peer lending platforms can provide individuals in marginalized communities with microloans and investment opportunities without requiring collateral or credit scores, which have often been used to gatekeep economic mobility.
Supporting Identity and Ownership Rights
Blockchain also has the potential to strengthen individual rights, particularly in verifying and securing personal identity. For individuals from racial or ethnic groups who have historically been denied recognition or ownership rights, blockchain offers a verifiable and tamper-proof way to assert these rights.
In many parts of the world, individuals have no legal proof of their land ownership, a situation often exacerbated by racial discrimination. Blockchain's immutable records can provide clear and decentralized proof of ownership, helping protect individuals from unlawful land grabs or displacement.
Additionally, blockchain technology enables digital identities that are self-sovereign, meaning individuals own and control their data without relying on external authorities who may be biased or untrustworthy. This reduces the potential for discrimination in services like banking, education, or healthcare, where racial profiling may have otherwise played a role.
Using NFTs to Preserve Cultural Heritage
The rise of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has introduced new ways to preserve and celebrate cultural heritage on the blockchain. Artists, creators, and activists can use NFTs to tell stories of marginalized communities and promote awareness of the ongoing fight for racial justice.
By placing cultural artifacts, artwork, and stories on a decentralized ledger, blockchain ensures that these pieces of cultural history remain permanent and accessible. This can amplify the voices of underrepresented groups and provide them with a new form of ownership over their narrative.
A Global Framework for Inclusion
As blockchain adoption spreads globally, it offers an opportunity to create frameworks that transcend local or national biases. Blockchain-based voting systems can provide more fair, transparent, and tamper-proof elections, preventing the disenfranchisement of racial minorities in countries where they may face exclusion from the democratic process.
Additionally, blockchain can facilitate cross-border remittances, provide secure refugee identification, and support the equitable distribution of humanitarian aid. By reducing the friction in global transactions, blockchain can serve as a bridge that fosters greater equity for racial and ethnic minorities worldwide.
Challenges and the Path Forward
While blockchain holds immense potential, it's essential to acknowledge that technology alone is not a cure-all for systemic racism. Implementing blockchain in ways that actively combat discrimination requires deliberate action from developers, businesses, and policymakers. It also necessitates education and accessibility to ensure that marginalized communities can leverage blockchain to its fullest extent.
We must also be vigilant against the possibility of replicating or amplifying existing biases within blockchain ecosystems. The decentralized and pseudonymous nature of blockchain can potentially be exploited by bad actors if left unchecked. As such, fostering diversity in blockchain development and governance is key to ensuring that this technology serves everyone equally.
Conclusion
Blockchain technology represents a transformative opportunity to challenge and eventually dismantle the systems that perpetuate racial inequality. By promoting transparency, decentralization, and financial inclusion, blockchain can empower marginalized communities, provide accountability, and secure rights and ownership for those who have been historically disenfranchised.
The future is decentralized, but the fight for racial justice remains a collective effort. Blockchain, as a tool, can help us build a more equitable world if we use it with intention and a commitment to justice. Ending racism is not only a societal imperative but also a technological possibility as we progress forward.
The Power of Collecting 7: How This Article Will Drive Change in America
This article, "Ending Racism: The Role of Blockchain in Promoting Equality," is more than just a written piece—it's a symbol of action. We've decided to mint only 7 unique digital copies of this article as a series of NFTs or tokens. These seven tokens represent a tangible commitment to using blockchain for the betterment of marginalized communities.
The Impact of Collecting All 7 Tokens
When individuals or organizations collect all seven of these article tokens, the power of this initiative will be activated. Upon the full collection, we will give back three of the seven tokens to U.S. cities most impacted by systemic racism. Here's how this process will unfold:
- Three Tokens for Impact in U.S. Cities
With the collection of all seven articles, we will take three tokens and return them to specific cities in America where racism has left a lasting mark. These cities will be chosen based on their history and need for systemic change, focusing on:
Economic empowerment
Education reform
Social justice and equity initiatives
- How Each City Benefits from a Token
Each token represents a significant investment in the future of these cities. Here's how the tokens will directly translate into action:
City 1: Education and Opportunity
The first token will sponsor blockchain and Web3 educational programs, providing free access to digital literacy training and career pathways for youth in underrepresented communities.
City 2: Financial Inclusion
The second token will support decentralized finance (DeFi) programs to uplift the local economy. This could involve microloans for small businesses, financial literacy workshops, or blockchain-based local currency systems that allow residents to participate more fully in economic activities.
City 3: Social Justice and Community Development
The third token will fund local activism and community-driven initiatives. This will include sponsoring grassroots movements, addressing issues like police reform, and promoting housing equity, ensuring that the fight for racial justice is well-supported.
- Accountability and Transparency
Blockchain technology will ensure that the collection of these tokens and the resulting giveback are fully transparent. Those who participate in collecting these seven article tokens will be able to track how their action leads to real-world change, creating a cycle of accountability that empowers both the collectors and the communities they support.
A Symbol of Progress
These seven tokenized copies of the article are more than just collectibles; they are symbols of a commitment to fighting systemic racism. By participating in this collection, you’re not only securing a piece of history but directly contributing to initiatives that will impact real lives in cities that need it most.
Through this unique fusion of blockchain, social justice, and community giveback, we can demonstrate how technology can be used to empower those who have been historically marginalized. Together, with the collection of all seven tokens, we will take direct steps to fight racism and support communities across America.
An artist creating lifelike art using just an Android phone and a DIY stylus made from a cotton bud? That's ADAM MOFASA. "The Hyperreal Collection" from Ìtàn: West African Artistry shows how passion and resourcefulness can overcome any limitation. A reminder that creativity knows no bounds.
Khem Fest celebrates 10 years in Newark on September 28th. As we explore Afrofuturism in all forms, this festival embodies the movement's speculative artistic origins and the inspiration it offers.
Key events include the Khem Animation Film Festival showcasing 14 short films from global animators, the "Breaking Boundaries: Black Women in Animation and Gaming" panel, the Animated Visions Showcase, and "The Future is Black: Tesla Light Show."
