Black Stories Build Black Futures: Afrofuturism And Digital Resistance

Black creativity has always been a force of resistance

Written by Michele Y. Smith

Black creativity has always been a force of resistance, a lens for liberation, and a tool for imagining new possibilities. From Octavia Butler’s prescient novels to Janelle Monáe’s Dirty Computer, Black storytelling continues to reflect and shape the world around us. As the CEO of the Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), I’ve seen how these narratives allow us to envision futures where Black storytelling centers into realms of joy, resilience, and boundless creativity.

Recently, a powerful movement emerged that underscores the strength of Black storytelling in transforming challenges into opportunities. Professors and educators have taken to TikTok, creating what’s now being called “HillmanTok University.” Inspired by the fictional HBCU from the TV show, A Different World, HillmanTok is a decentralized, community-driven virtual campus where lessons on civil rights, entrepreneurship, life skills, and content creation are shared with audiences around the world.

This grassroots initiative is more than a clever use of technology in a time when access to education, particularly for marginalized communities, remains fraught with barriers, HillmanTok represents a reimagining of education itself. It transforms an online platform into a space where the Black community can teach, learn, and create together. It’s not just about the lessons shared — it’s about affirming the importance of Black knowledge and the strength of shared learning.

This spirit of collective storytelling and reimagining is what we are celebrating at Black Beyond, MOPOP’s latest exploration of Black speculative fiction and Afrofuturism. With exhibits featuring iconic artifacts such as the manuscript for Samuel R. Delany’s Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand and Geordi La Forge’s VISOR from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Black Beyond honors the countless ways Black creators, from visionary writers like Nnedi Okorafor to groundbreaking filmmakers and artists, have influenced and expanded the science fiction genre. The exhibition is a celebration of Black joy, liberation, and imagining futures where Black lives thrive in galaxies and realities that transcend the everyday.

Afrofuturism, Black speculative fiction, and movements like HillmanTok share a common goal: they center Black people in worlds that have historically excluded them. They demand we consider not only what is, but what could be. They challenge us to imagine futures where Black joy and freedom are limitless, where we have the agency to build better systems, and where we are heroes in our own stories.

The stories we tell matter. They are the roadmaps we use to envision a freer, more equitable world. Black storytelling reminds us that Black history isn’t just about looking back, it’s about envisioning and building forward. This Black History Month, I invite you to celebrate the power of Black creativity not just as entertainment but as a vital force shaping the future. Whether it’s through the lens of Afrofuturism, the platforms of digital innovation, or the walls of a museum, Black storytelling reminds us what is possible when we dare to dream expansively.

Michele Y. Smith is the CEO of the Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), known for her mission-focused leadership in the nonprofit sector, emphasizing business development, operations, and finance. Her approach prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and mentoring, advocating for philanthropy’s democratization through pop culture.