The Village is thrilled to announce that acclaimed mythologist, scholar, and multidisciplinary artist Li Sumpter is our new Afrofuturist-in-Residence. Li has made her mark on the arts scene in Philadelphia and beyond by employing “mythic literacy and eco-conscious design as modes of creative resistance and community empowerment.”
The Village first began imagining this residency following a series of traumatic events in 2020, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd, which exposed how America’s systems and policies exploit and endanger Black and Brown communities and our profound national failure to imagine, much less implement, systems and policies that could ensure Black and Brown thriving, joy, and access to justice.
The residency proposes a series of narrative workshops that employ community members in North Philadelphia to imagine a city designed for them to thrive rather than their exploitation and marginalization. Li will create, coordinate, and compile the results of this research in a Report from the Future.
To help kick off this residency, we interviewed Li to allow you to learn more about her vision.
Can you introduce yourself to The Village community?
Peace to the Village! My name is Li Sumpter. I’ve been looking forward to introducing myself as your new Afrofuturist-in-Residence. Since the Fall of 2022, I’ve been working with The Village to plan how this residency and its proposed Report from the Future project will unfold. This blog post marks its public launch! Consider this my first chance to share a bit about myself and what I’ll do at the Village in the coming months. It’s my hope that I’ll be able to meet, connect, and even create with many of you on The Village campus sometime soon.
Can you explain what Afrofuturism is to those who are less familiar with the concept?
Afrofuturism is far from a new concept and has a long, deep history. It is a way of seeing the world that combines the traditions and technologies of Africa and the Diaspora with imaginative, magical visions that connect the Black experience to our past, present, and future. But just like art, Afrofuturism can mean a lot of things to different people. It can also be considered an aesthetic or a narrative genre. It’s a cultural movement and a tool for survival and liberation. The meaning and uses of Afrofuturism across society and within Black culture have always depended on the intentions of the creator and the application of the art and ideas being created. For me and my practice, I use Afrofuturism as a path to radical dreaming and a framework for world-building.
What do you do?
I’m a mythologist and a multidisciplinary artist creating at the intersection of history and fiction, ecology, and technology. I describe my practice as the art of survival. I’m a scholar of apocalypse and a maker of new myths with a focus on Afrofuturist visions of tomorrow. In my own wildest dreams, I imagine black futures pushing beyond the darkness of survival to a multiverse of infinite rebirths. I bring this hope and imagination to the questions that fuel my work. How do we cultivate light in a shadow culture focused on disaster? How can we use art and myth to build better, brighter worlds of our own design?
Where are you from?
I’ve lived in quite a few cities over the years – Atlanta, Brooklyn, and LA. But for me, my family and friends, my growth as an artist and educator, my purpose, and my spiritual source – have all been rooted in Philly. It’s the place where I made my first and most cherished memories. I believe our memories define us. Meaningful experiences we remember and carry with us over time shape who we are and, ultimately, who we will become—for better or worse. To be honest, it’s my own fears and anxieties about future worst-case scenarios that led to my passion for speculative and apocalyptic fiction. My passion for this narrative subgenre wasn’t about the spectacle of horror but the creative solutions to current issues these speculative stories can bring into view.
Why are you here? What are your goals for the residency?
Speculative stories (including science-fiction) are always sparked by the small but mighty question – What if? This magical hypothetical prompt helps us to imagine a reality beyond what we know. When told with good timing and the right intention, these stories can transform the way we see the world and our place in it. I’m here at The Village to help you uncover the “What if?” stories that reflect your personal hopes and fears and your collective voice and visions about tomorrow.
During my residency, I’ll be inviting you to speculate on the future of your community, the city of Philly, and even the fate of Planet Earth. Together, we will make time and intentional space to dig deep and dream big. You’re invited to join me in radical acts of world–building using the power tools of our own imaginations and sometimes with the help of A.I. (artificial intelligence). In the process of exploring answers and creating stories from your “what if?” questions, we will gain valuable insight into your community’s possible futures. More importantly, we move closer to understanding the liberatory power of telling our own stories – whether it be tales of the past, present, or future.
When is this happening? What are some opportunities to connect with you during the residency?
I’ve met some of you already through the recent research project I was conducting for the upcoming Futures Gallery (more details coming soon). You may remember I facilitated a few workshops with The Village staff, community members, and Village Industries last year. As the Futures Gallery project enters a new phase of production and before Black History/Futures month comes to an end, I’ll step into my role of Afrofuturist-in-Residence with the mission to co-create The Village’s Report from the Future with you. This report will be based on the real-life and speculative stories you share with me, so your participation is essential! Soon you’ll receive a schedule of upcoming residency workshops and events. I’ll be activating this project with the support of collaborating artists like Theatre in the X, M. Asli Dukan, Andrea Walls, John Morrison, Rashid Zakat, and Sham-e-Ali Nayeem. Your visions and voices will be documented in a podcast series and companion zine called Illadelph Dreams, to be produced in the Civic Power Studio. Please stay tuned for residency announcements!
Any final thoughts?
Again, big thanks to The Village for the opportunity to deepen my practice through what I know will be an unforgettable residency experience. I’m excited to be back at The Village, and I hope to get you all excited about imagining a future for your community you can all believe in and look forward to. If you see me on campus, please don’t hesitate to say hello. Your positive energy and ideas are welcome anytime.