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- Science Fiction < Visionary Fiction
This was a big week for science fiction. On December 13, Kindred premiered on Hulu, becoming the first cinematic masterpiece to bring to life the stories of Octavia Butler - the mother of Afrofuturism herself. I started the series the day it was released and was so passionate about it that I enrolled a friend to watch the rest of the series with me via a watch party. The show is packed with time-travel, wonder, and surprise.
As if this wasn't enough, James Cameron's Avatar 2 came out on December 16 after a 13-year-long wait. As an admirer of the cutting-edge technologies employed to create the film, I can't wait to travel to the magical land of Pandora to see how the story unfolds. Unfortunately, I am forced to live in a state of crippling suspense as I promised my little sister I would wait to watch it with her over the holiday break.
On top of Hollywood's two most highly-anticipated sci-fi stories being released this week, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Philip K. Dick Science Fiction and Supernatural Festival where the 3D animated short film I directed, Afro Algorithms, was screening. I was thrilled to learn that Afro Algorithms won an award for "Best Animation" at this acclaimed event.
Science Fiction < Visionary Fiction
When I say "science fiction", what's the first thing that pops into your mind? A futuristic touch screen or something to do with a spaceship? Science fiction often features advanced technologies or intergalactic adventures. However, at its best, science fiction serves as a vehicle to present new visions for how our world has the potential to function.
Visionary fiction, on the other hand, highlights the power of storytelling to help us imagine new worlds. This genre, coined by Walidah Imarisha, exists to pave pathways to ethical futures. It inspires us to actively participate in building a better future from the bottom up. It speaks into existence entire paradigms we can aspire to evolve into.
Octavia Butler, the author of acclaimed sci-fi novels such as Kindred, Parable of the Sower, Dawn, and Wild Seed (all of which you ought to order right now if you haven't read them already) is claimed to be a visionary fiction writer by Walidah Imarisha and adrienne maree brown, the pioneers of visionary fiction.
Of course, Butler is not the only force of visionary fiction we have in our midst. Ever heard of Beyoncé? The "Formation" singer and Queen to many is also credited as being a leader in visionary fiction. adrienne maree brown wrote a whole essay on how Beyoncé's "Formation" was visionary fiction at its finest due to how it centered marginalized communities and its visual hints advocating for widespread systematic change.
What's Your Vision?
A few months back, my friend sent me the link to a quiz where you can determine how visionary you are. I didn't expect much from an assessment on what to me was a random site on the internet, but its results actually liberated me and pretty much reframed my entire identity.
Taking the EOS Visionary or EOS Integrator Quiz left no doubt in my mind about where I stood in the spectrum. In answering its questions, I found that while I always thought that the word "visionary" was too grandiose a term to describe me, I couldn't deny it was true. It was why it felt unnatural for me to be an assistant at a leading media company and why I always dreamed of being my own boss.
You can discover where you land on the visionary spectrum by taking the quiz here. Keep in mind that the quiz is specifically oriented toward career and business. And remember, there is no hierarchy when it comes to visionary thinking. While integral in propelling our society forward, "integrators" (which the quiz positions as the opposite of a visionary) are equally needed in building the world of tomorrow.
Practice Makes Perfect
The imagination is a tool that can be stretched, exercised, and strengthened just like any muscle can be. This visionary fiction exercise created by Walidah Imarisha can help ignite your imagination to turn you into a visionary creator in your own right.
As humans, we create from what we can imagine. By telling positive stories about our shared futures, no matter the size or scale, we actively shift the collective imagination in a positive direction. As a result, we become one step closer to creating a more just world.
Visionary Fiction Exercise:
Imagine it’s 50 years in the future, and social justice movements have continued winning and advancing liberation. What would your life be like? What would your everyday routine be? You could write out your daily schedule, you could write a journal entry from the year 2070. You could write a letter to a loved one talking about the changes that have occurred over your life.
Learning List:
"We’re not going to have a perfect society until we get a few perfect humans, and that seems unlikely."