Harlem — This Juneteenth, the Black Thought Project and Media 2070 will spotlight a variety of creatives and writers in the first-ever “Black Future Newsstand.” The significance of this event is insurmountable to any other for Black culture! The Black Future Newsstand is utilizing the ability to highlight Black media completely, as it’s immersed in their culture and gives people a glimpse into the future. The Black Thought Project and Media 2070, taking this opportunity to align themselves with Black-owned media conglomerates, aid in creating a space for Black creatives and writers to be embraced and appreciated by their community. Moreover, the representation of Black-owned media conglomerates in one space alludes to the diversity of the African diaspora. With magazines, mini-zones, newspapers, art, and other forms of media, the installation poses an introspection into the question, “What does a media that loves Black people look, feel, sound, and taste like in a future where reparations are real?”
Artists Alyssa Bardge, Amtah Naazim, Ingrid Yuzly Mathurin, and Jermel Blu Moody are included on the roster of outlets. Their Afrocentric artworks push the national discourse on safety to confront systemic injustices and call for the protection of Black lives.
“Black artists, writers, and creators are often censored and constrained when expressing ourselves in dominant media outlets,” said Alicia M. Walters, creator of the Black Thought Project. “The Black Future Newsstand provides much-needed distribution and exposure for these artists and publications while inviting Black communities to engage in media-making.
“Black Future Newsstand is a nourishing departure from how the U.S. media system has always perpetuated anti-Black racism,” said Media 2070 co-creator Collette Watson. “With media reparations, Black creators could have resources to make this type of newsstand a reality.” As a Black disabled and neurodivergent artist and designer, Black futures are incomplete without uplifting Black disabled futures,” said disability art activist and educator Jennifer-White Johnson. “An estimated 3.5 million Black women have a disability, and our perspectives must be uplifted in the media. My contribution to Black Future Newsstand aims to ensure that the Black disabled voice is present!”
Through its curated display of talented Black artists and magazines, Black Future Newsstand embraces inclusivity, diversity, and a collective vision for a brighter future where the media loves Black people.
The Black Future Newsstand Project is made possible with the generous support and collaboration of Free Press, Maven Collaborative, and Borealis Philanthropy’s Racial Equity in Journalism Fund. Institutional partners include The Africa Center and The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
Some of the nation’s top Black-owned zines and outlets will be showcased on the newsstand, all of which use their editorial space to center the Black experience and tell important stories around social issues.
Learn more about the outlets featured:
● CRWNMAG celebrates natural hair, beauty, culture, and self-expression for Black women.
● Gumbo highlights the Black artistic expression centered on Black experiences.
● New York Amsterdam News is a cultural hub for news and commentary for New York City’s Black community.
● Jackson Advocate provides coverage of social, political, and economic issues affecting the Black community in Mississippi.
● Find Peace. Keep Peace. is a space for introspection, self-care, and mental well-being using art.
● Vinegar Hill Magazine explores art, culture, politics, and entrepreneurship within Central Virginia’s Black community.
● Maple:Koyo curates Black artifacts through art, poetry, love, and enlightenment.
● Knoxrox and Kids Solidarity Mini Zine Pack amplify disability justice, autistic joy, and storytelling through the lens of a Black mother and child.
● Slumber Mag is an erotica magazine exploring desire, pleasure, wellness, and art from a BIPOC perspective.
● Umber centers on the experiences of Black people, Indigenous people, Latinx, and people of color worldwide.
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