Futurism Now: Limitless Hope through Speculative Fiction
Black Magnolias x Black Quantum Futurism
Saturday, February 9, 2019, 2–5pm
Free and open to the public

What if your future dreams for society became the dominant narrative for hope in the present? How do we imagine a more liberated future for ourselves? This discussion group and creative workshop led by Black Magnolias will use speculative fiction–Afrofuturism, science fiction and fantasy–as a tool to create new worlds of hope and change. Participants will be engaged in using ideas of limitless technology, fantasy, and science to rewrite the world and walk away with a sci-fi story that replaces negative narratives with possibility and power.

Responding to a newly commissioned essay by Rasheedah Phillips written for the exhibition by Black Quantum Futurism, this three hour workshop will be accompanied by presentations, short films, and free coffee. Pens and writing materials will be provided.

Initiated by Marielle Smith and Richmond Wills, Black Magnolias was created as a creative space to share, build and develop a strong community of writers of color. This transient workshop series responds to a need for space for Black & Brown, Queer and LGBT+ writers of all platforms and extend the invitation to those that belong to this community. This event is open to participants ages 14 and up.

Marielle Smtih is a Buffalo native and mother of two, who enjoys writing and performing poetry, essays, and folklore that are reflective of her life experience and ancestry as a queer Black person. Marielle has been organizing with Just Resisting since 2016, a people of color community organization that focuses on social justice. She believes one of the greatest acts of resistance is finding healing through artistic expression. She currently co- facilitates Black Magnolias, a Black and people of color creative writing workshop with Richie Willis.

Richmond Wills (He/Him) is a poet, storyteller and cultural organizer currently based in Buffalo New York. He co-founded Black Magnolias, an ongoing creative workshop series targeting black/brown inner-city populations. He also coordinated outreach for Words on the Street, an initiative to make literary arts more accessible to disenfranchised communities. From being a social justice activist with Black Love Resist in the Rust, a not for profit grassroots organization currently involved in a lawsuit against the city of Buffalo over illegal checkpoints to being a sexual health advocate and tour de force for youth who identify as LGBT+, Richmond hopes to mobilize and grow with Black & Brown communities to work towards collective solidarity and liberation.

This event is presented as part of the public programming accompanying Black Quantum Futurism: ON THE EDGE OF THE BUSH / A LONG WALK INTO THE UNKNOWN, on view at Squeaky Wheel, Jan 25–April 20, 2019.

Banner image by Richmond Wills.