2 Blocks:
2 Locations: Copy Shop, Book Store
1 Cool result: Alternative Reading
AfroGeeks
I was handed this sticker with an eye catching image and was told that the sticker was issued to encourage teens to read Afro Geeks books
So I checked it out and found a blog that was heavy on opinion the image of blacks in (sci-fi and pop culture) discussing topics from
- Mixed race archetypes in Black sci-fi
- Joss Whedon Doesn't Care About Black Men( Joss Whedon brought us Buffy the Vampire Slayer series, FireFly and is the current writer of X-men)
- Black Emo
Some of their opinions I support others I would argue, but I like the way his opion's are presented, (IN YO FACE!)
AfroGeeks clearly know who they are taken from the Thursday, May 11, 2006
We are not monolithic or uni-faceted.- We see the importance of both Public Enemy and The Clash.
- We got cable, not for BET or MTV, but for the SCI-FI channel.
- We want to hear Tamar kali alongside E40. (flamingyoni.com)
- We see the parallel between the hyphy movement and punk rock.
- We used Star Trek: DS9 to help our students understand the Iraqi invasion.
- We see the importance of a Pan-Black presence in popular culture.
- We miss Gordon Parks and Octavia E. Butler.
- We have stepped off of our blocks and dreamt of the stars.
- We have passports and have used them more than once.
- We know we are the shit…but, then again, so are you.
- We are Black, Post-Black, and see the advantages and limitations of this existence.
- We are not limited to hip-hop, even though we may love it dearly.
- We do not all know each other, but we do know that we are enormous in number.
- We are not mainstream, even when we are.
- We purchased our computers before we got our cell-phones.
- We rarely ever have to call tech support.
- We hear Digable Planet’s Rebirth of Slick and we still get chills.
- We can name more than 10 famous black folks, who are not celebrities, athletes or musicians.
- We are all around you.
- We are AfroGeeks.
- We are Alterna-Blacks.
Examples:
- Octavia E,
- Mos Def: Alterna-Black
- The Roots: Alterna-Black
- ?uestlove: AfroGeek
- Tamar kali: Alterna-Black
- Living Colour: Alterna-Black.
- Fishbone: Alterna-Black
- Prince Paul: AfroGeek
- Pam the Funkstress: Alterna-Black
- Walter Kitundu: Alterna-Black
- Kelis: Alterna-Black
- Erykah Badu: Afro-Geek
- Talib Kweli: Alterna-Black
- Dave Chappelle: Alterna-Black
- Nalo Hopkinson: AfroGeek
- Steven Barnes: Alterna-Black
- Dead Prez: Real Black!
- Flavor Flav: Damn…I don’t even know
Unfortunately, I didn’t see any of their actual work but they are definitely worth checking out.
Black Futurist Movement
I got into a energetic conversation with one of the founders of Black Futurist Movement and learned that the BFM
is a collective of young black folks: rudies, activists, punks, artist, nerds and grimy backpackers that are dedicated to artistic expression.
BFM operates –with spiritual guidance from:
Lee Perry, Hank Shock Lee, Thelonius Monk, Etta James, Cecil Taylor, Robin Harris, Grace Jones, Dick Gregory, Prince, George Clinton, LKJ, Antoino Fargas, Alice Coltrane, Shuggie Otis, Sly Stone, Ornette Coleman, Don Letts, Jimi Hendrix, Sun Ra, Amiri Baraka, Nina Simone, Bill T. Jones, Earth Kitt, Blowfly, Uncle Cletus, Bad Brains, Basquiat, Melvin Van Peebles, Ismael Reed, Samuel Delany, Jack Johnson, Josephine Baker, Red Fox, Rick James, Greg Tate, Pootie Tang, Bob Newkirk, and nasty freaks just like your momma.
Their publication company Below Radar Publications produces two zines (short for magazine, but you knew that)
Pacificohigh: a fringe black culture zine
Color of Shadow: a 5 year old zine
If you tend to raise your freak flag high you should know that they are looking for artists, musicians, djs, hackers, phreakers, culture jammers, videographers, audio techs, travelers and vendors to put on art shows, parties and assault the world through small press and micro-cinema.
Contact them: at bfminc@gmail.com
I don’t know if the two know of each other but I found this distinction to be interesting
BFM
Afro Geeks
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