Tomorrow, Feb. 2, the Student Leader Fellowship Program will be hosting a guided discussion on “Black Panther” and Afrofuturism. Lead by Leah Milne, assistant professor of Multicultural American Literature at the University of Indianapolis, and Lesley Larkin an English professor at NMU and director of the English MA program, the event serves to teach students about Afrofuturism and antiracist activism.
“Although we miss getting together in person, virtual events also make it possible for folks to join us from anywhere, including our Afrofuturism expert Milne, who will be zooming in from the University of Indianapolis. The ‘Black Panther’ screening will take place in person, but students will also be able to stream the film at home for 48 hours after the in-person screening, so they will be prepared for the discussion on Tuesday,” Larkin said.
Larkin asks students to come prepared, having already watched “Black Panther” and ready to discuss. The event will have a presentation from Milne about Afrofuturism and “Black Panther”.
“Afrofuturism is an artistic and intellectual movement that explores rich intersections among the cultures and peoples of the African diaspora, science, technology and alternate pasts and futures. Afrofuturist works not only insist that Black people should be centered in science fiction—historically a very white and male genre, but also that Black people belong in the future,” Larkin said.
The event comes at the beginning of February, also known as Black History Month. It is a time of cultural celebration and a moment to take action for freedom and equality. This year in particular is significant as the country saw much turmoil and racism during the Black Lives Matter movements.
“Afrofuturism is a significant movement in Black literature, film and art. From the ‘Black Panther’ comics and film to the music of Janelle Monae and the novels of Nnedi Okorafor and N. K. Jemisin. It’s a really exciting cultural movement that is also linked to antiracist activism. As the writer and activist Walidah Imarisha has argued, when activists work to imagine a freer and more just future, they are engaging in a kind of ‘science fiction’ designed to change our world.”
To attend the meeting visit the event listing on The Hub.
