Food, Media, and Afrofuturism

The Connection of Afrofuturism and Food Media

Food, Media, & Afrofuturism

Afrofuturism is "speculative fiction that treats African-American themes and addresses African-American concerns in the context of 20th century technoculture — and more generally, African-American signification that appropriates images of technology and a prosthetically enhanced future." (Grinell)

African food and its prepareation are "deeply ingrained with social and cultural meaning, rooted in tradition and hold an intrinsic role in creating, preserving, and transmitting expressions of ethnic cogesion and continuity". (Diaspora Collective)

Food media gives opportunity to utalize technology to express and spread such culture and traditions through food, bringing reclamtion and liberation of African culture and lives, and gives rise to a possible better black future.

Maxine Miller

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PAST

BLACK RECLAMATION

PRESENT

FUTURE

Today, food media such as TikToks, Mukbangs, news articles, etc. are often utalized to spread recepies and traditions from African culture into modern American society as well as aorund the world.

BUILDING TOWARDS

A BETTER FUTURE

Food media brings connections and African culture of the past into modern day and will continue to grow and integrate into modern society, revisioning the past and predicting the future.

Overall, the use of social media and technology to share food and tradition from African culture creates a marriage of the past and present, and builds towards a better black future.

Illuminating the true history and beauty of African foods and culture, brought to the United States via the African Diaspora, brings reclamation of Black culture and identity.

Food media gives way for the African community to take back their culture through food and integrate it into their modern lives and community in the United States, creating greater understanding that leads to a safer and more accepting world, bringing liberation.

The power and reach of technology in food media provides opportunity to grow African food businesses and Black owned restaurants, creating growth of wealth and the economy of the community and the possibility of a better Black future.

Bringing awarenss and love of African food and culture utalizing technology brings support to Black and African-owned businesses, creating economic growth and genderational wealth and prosperity. It additionally brings representaton and appreication for black culture, creating a more supportive, safe, and afro-futuristic future

In 2019, Pinterest searches for West African recipes increased by 311%. The same year the Specialty Food Association named West Frican cuisine as one of the top growing food trends, with the region's flavors and spices integrating into more and more recipes and food products around world. (Smith)

The African Diaspora spurred a cullinary revolution by bringing foods such as rice, spices, palm oil, bananas, yams, and much more to the United States and around the world. (Diaspora Collective)

Food media can be used to exemplify the beautiful aspects of African culture that still exist in Africa, but were also stread throughout the US and the world by the African Diaspora.

This allows the African community in the United States to share the true hisotry of the past, reclaim their culture that is often unjustly accredited to others, and illustrate the important resources, beauty, and culture that stems in Africa and still exists today.

Food media has already increased awarenss, accessibility, and appreciation of African food and culture and will continue to do so, further increasing liberation and reclamation of African culture, heritage, and lives.

BLACK LIBERATION

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Food media brings Black liberation by taking back thier culture through food and integrating it into post-Diaspora modern life and american society.

Africa has been a major contributor to the cuisine of North and South America, however its contribution has often been overlooked, trivialized, and denied. (Spivey)

Media displaying African food and its origins has brought awareness to the origins of such foods and the stories of the African Disaspora.

“I have loved having TikTok for the ability to showcase local businesses. It’s been amazing to hear the stories of people who have sold out because of a video that we’ve done or have gotten customers from all over, even out of state,” Serna says. (Dallas News)

"Because of that video, people are coming in and saying, ‘I want to try fufu, I want to try red sauce"

Food media has brought Black reclamation by illustrating where African foods come from and the origins of many ingredients we take advantage of today.

One example of this is soul food and BBQ, which are often thought of as foods from the Southern US, but actually origionated in Africa and were passed down to decendents in the South and altered to preserve tradition with the resources availible. (Diaspora Collective)

Food can often bridge the gap betwen cultures and bring understanding of other's backgrounds and lives that often mitigate violence, discrimination, and ignorant hatred.