Home #Hwoodtimes Black Future Newsstand Goes Live in Harlem Throughout Juneteenth Week

Black Future Newsstand Goes Live in Harlem Throughout Juneteenth Week

June 14, 2023

By: T. Felder

Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 6/14/23 – The Black Thought Project and Media 2070 have come together to create something truly special – the Black Future Newsstand. This innovative project aims to create a media outlet that truly centers Blackness and provides a space for Black folx to share their experiences, perspectives, and stories.

To celebrate the launch of the Black Future Newsstand, a week of events will take place in Harlem leading up to the June 19 national holiday Juneteenth. The Museum Mile Festival, held in partnership with The Africa Center at Aliko Dangote Hall, will kick off the festivities on Tuesday, June 13, from 6–10 p.m. This will be followed by a private reception at The Africa Center on Friday, June 16, at 7:30–9:30 p.m. Donors, artists, collaborators, members of the press, and special guests will have exclusive access to the content and artists behind the work.

On Saturday, June 17, the Schomburg Center Literary Festival will take place from 11 a.m.–6 p.m. This event will bring together writers, scholars, and artists who are committed to uplifting Black voices and experiences.

Finally, on Monday, June 19, the public is invited to attend an interactive zine-making workshop centered on Black disabled joy and futures. Led by neurodivergent collage artist and designer Jen White-Johnson, this event is free and open to all.

Alicia Walters, creator of the Black Thought Project, spoke about the importance of creating a media outlet that truly centers Blackness. “We envision a world that Centers Blackness, which means that the experiences, perspectives, and precious lives of Black folx are protected, witnessed, and honored,” she said. “The Black Future Newsstand invites Black folx to not only imagine a media that loves us but to step inside it, pick it up, read it and also create it.”

Co-creator of Media 2070, Collette Watson, added that “media reparations will create the conditions for all kinds of justice. A critical aspect of media reparations is Black people owning and controlling our stories from ideation through publication. This newsstand is a portal to that future and a chance to begin moving toward it now.”

The Black Future Newsstand is an exciting and important project that is sure to make a difference in the world of media. With events taking place throughout the week, there are plenty of opportunities for people to get involved and show their support. This is a chance to celebrate and uplift Black voices, to create a space where Blackness is truly centered, and to work towards a more just and equitable future for all.