ucla2026

[ucla2026]

Rusties

The short stories that we had the chance to study throughout this quarter have strongly impacted me. Not only are the lessons within each story so valuable and relevant to our modern lives, I am also constantly in awe of the creativity of the authors. The “out of the box” thinking employed by these authors are nothing short of astonishing. Especially, since Afrofuturism is something that feels so foreign– these stories are set in worlds that are so different from our current realities, however their lessons hold true for the current climate. One such short story was “Rusties”, by Nnedi Okorafor and Wanuri Kahiu.

This short story is centered around the human made creations that were named “Rusties”, and their original purpose in the African communities in which they were installed was to direct traffic efficiently. These products of Artificial Intelligence had, at first, simply served their functions. However, they began to become highly contested as the jobs of many were being taken over– a topic that is currently being brought up in our world as the capabilities of AI continue to grow. As a form of resistance, a group called the Kazi Bure form and they take actions that are symbolic against the Rusties. The Kazi Bure were criticized by some for their rash actions, however, they represent something so important to our society– the freedom to stand up for what is right. Although this group’s actions were at times too extreme, the Backlash Bracelets were symbolic and nonviolent, something that can serve as an example for the resistance groups that are fighting injustices in our world today.

Then, we are also introduced to our main character, Magana. At first, Magana is one of the rare individuals who likes the Rusties– she even befriends the one that is near her home, Rusty Ndege. However, she too, begins to dislike the Rusties, but for a different reason than the Kazi Bure. She begins this dislike and distrust after Rusty Ndege begins to involve itself in Magana’s life too much. Her boyfriend, Kevo, cheats on her and she is informed of this by none other than Rusty, thanks to its advanced camera systems. She struggles with the fact that the Rusty is getting so involved in her personal life and deviating from its main purpose of guiding traffic. Currently, our AI is not at such a sophisticated level to be involving itself in our intimate lives, however, we may be close to that time. This story serves as a cautionary tale– while AI is exciting and is helping our lives, we really don’t know what its long term impact may be. By reading works such as “Rusties”, we can be more aware of where technology may take us and we can act with more clarity and caution.

[ucla2026]

Lost

In recent weeks, I got to watch Professor Due’s short film, titled “Lost”. The short film centered around the main character who had a horrible nightmare, which ended up being all too similar to reality. The protagonist of the film worked for a private prison company and was supposed to be going on a team building retreat. She arrived at the hiking trail for the retreat, and then this seemingly ordinary day got incredibly strange. She was not able to get in contact with any team mates, and began to get weird signs from the trail around her. Her cell service was lost and she began to try to find her team mates on her own. However, she was unable to find any of them at their designated meeting points and after trying throughout the day, she just made one big loop without finding any of them. Throughout the day, she admitted something: she felt almost like a traitor by working for this company as her family suffered at the hand of mass incarceration. She had a cousin who was put behind bars for 15 years for a minor infraction. In her dream, he was stabbed to death shortly before he was set to be released. At the end of the film, as she woke up from this nightmare, she found out that her cousin did actually meet this tragic fate. 

I found this film to be incredibly impressive and significant for various reasons. Firstly, it is amazing that my own professor created this. I have admired Professor Due as an educator throughout the quarter, but I think that getting to observe her own creative work is something else entirely. The creativity and underlying messages throughout the film were amazing to watch. I also found this film to be so impressive as it shows what one can do creatively, with or without many resources. This film was not taped using any sort of fancy equipment, Professor Due used her iPhone, and it did not lack quality at all. Additionally, she was the only cast member however the film maintained a nuanced plot that included other characters, even if they weren’t physically on screen. However, the most important aspect of the film was the actual messaging. There was an important message that Professor Due wanted to get across during the film, and that was done so effectively with an interesting story. By personalizing the issue in such a way throughout the film, those who view the film may feel more inclined to take action against mass incarceration. Also, by making the nightmare come to life, the viewer understood that, even if something does not seem like a big deal or out of the realm of possibility, it very well may actually come to life and must be prevented before it reaches that point.  

[ucla2026]

Spider the Artist

A critical theme that lies within Afrofuturism is that of science and technology being used to pave a path forward. In our class discussions, we have discussed various works that are sci-fi, and many of them are set in alternate universes. However, in some cases, they are eerily similar to the world we live in now. While all of these pieces, whether they were short stories or films, have had a meaningful impact on me and helped me better understand the meaning of Afrofuturism, I found Spider the Artist to be particularly impactful.

Spider the Artist, a short story by Nnedi Okorafor, centers around Eme, a woman who is suffering in a difficult marriage. She experiences abuse from her husband, identified as Andrew, with no end in sight, and is viewed as simply a wife that must remain domesticated and serve her husband. Andrew is often drunk as he comes home each day, and she must tolerate the insults he sends her way. To deal with what she is going through, Eme plays the guitar behind her home. One day, when playing the guitar behind her home she meets a “zombie”. These zombie/robot creatures were generally feared and hated, but Eme found comfort in the zombie whom she named Udide Okwanda, which means “Spider the Artist” in her language. This friendship and deeply emotional relationship was kept secret, however, as Eme feared the reactions of those around her. At the end of the story, Eme’s husband has died but she survived, and is pregnant, something she longed for. However, Eme is now faced with the challenge of bringing her child into this world in which zombies and humans are at war with one another. 

What I found so interesting about this short story is the various issues that are being tackled by the author. It begins with the issue of misogyny and domestication, as Eme tries to navigate the difficulties of her marriage. Unfortunately, this is something that is not so different from the world we live in today– women face challenging marriages and relationships in which they are entrapped, and must find comfort in the very little that they have for themselves. Then, another challenge is seen as she is keeping her relationship with Udide a secret. Udide is her only source of peace and comfort, and even that is being challenged. Although “zombies” are not something that we experience in our world today, there are many examples of relationships being kept secret out of fear of public opinion. At the end of the story as Eme explains that she is worried about the world she is bringing her daughter into, I think it is something that many have related to. People hope to bring their children into a world of peace and endless opportunities to thrive. However, the reality is that the world we live in is filled with challenges, hurt, and “othering”. It leaves the reader with something to think about– how can we make the world a better place for our future generations?

[ucla2026]

Throughout our class lectures and discussions, music has played a very important role in conveying the themes of Afrofuturism. Before taking this course, I had seen many of these songs and music videos, specifically those of Kendrick Lamar, but did not pick up on the small details and themes that my eyes have been opened to since taking this course. Two of the music videos stood out to be in particular: “Alright” and “All the Stars” with SZA. I had heard the songs before, but had not seen the music videos and I think that viewing the music videos is an essential part in truly understanding the songs. The imagery that stood out to me each time I watched the “Alright” music video was that of Kendrick Lamar singing in his car that is being lifted up by the police. That one part of the music video holds so much power and is symbolic of resistance as he sings that he will be “alright” in the face of all this adversity. 

Prior to this class, I was not at all familiar with Janelle Monae. However, I have found her works to be the most entertaining ones that we have discussed. Her music video for “Many Moons” was not only informative, but also so entertaining. In the music video, she tied in all elements of Afrofuturism: resistance, creativity, and advancement. A line in the song that represents Black resilience to me is “I keep my feet solid on the ground, And use my wings when storms come around”. In this line, Monae is showing that she will not allow others to determine her trajectory– she will be the one to make decisions for herself and push through all the storms brought her way. Her creativity shined through in various elements of the video. Her dress and the dance moves in the music showed even more of her artistic ability, beyond her lyrics and incredible voice. Moreover, there were many futuristic elements seen in the music video such as the very beginning where it seems that she is playing with some sort of chip in her brain. Additionally there were many visual hologram displays seen throughout the music video which were quite futuristic.  

Beyond “Many Moons”, Janelle Monae’s contributions are so impactful. She is taking on such an important role of representing African American women in a field where they are the minority. By making her works reflect this, as well, she stands out and makes a lasting impact. In addition to advancing black women in music, she is also representing the queer community, which is a big undertaking. It is interesting to watch as she weaves in elements of all aspects of her personality into these songs, and there is so much to be learned from her ability to stand firmly as she is and to not fear the reactions from those around her. 

[ucla2026]

Parable of the Sower

Two real life issues that I find pertinent and as cause for the creation of my Earthseed community are misinformation and climate change. As social media has begun to take over our lives, we have also begun to let it overtake our decision making. Individuals are often influenced by creators online and form opinions that are not rooted in their own research or awareness of an issue. The other issue that I believe is worth noting is climate change. Just a few months ago, Los Angeles experienced immense devastation as a result of the Palisades Fire. This wildfire caused severe destruction and heartbreak amongst individuals all over the city and, unfortunately, it is not the first time such environmental instability has impacted such a large community. So, I am seeking shelter from both ignorance and natural disasters. 

One quote from Parable of the Sower that specifically stood out to me was “Beware: at war or at peace, more people die of unenlightened self-interest than of any other disease”. I think this is very applicable to the first issue I brought up, that of misinformation. Those who hold positions of power on public social media platforms often spread ideas that are self-promotional, not necessarily accurate or beneficial towards anyone other than themselves. Another Earthseed verse that I want to highlight is “entropy, the idea that the natural flow of heat is from something hot to something cool-not the other way- so that the universe itself is cooling down, running down dissipating its energy”. This imagery is reminiscent of the fires and natural disasters I mentioned earlier. I think it provides a unique outlook on this issue. Maybe the earth is “angry” at us and needs to release its energy, but we might have to ask ourselves why the earth is upset with us and needs to release this energy.

It is quite difficult to decide where my Earthseed community would be, as these challenges are global issues. I think the best possible location would be on a remote island, anywhere in the world, with no internet access. My earthseed community would be open to all, however these individuals have to be open to growth. Having a one-track mind would not be acceptable in my earthseed community, as we are all there to learn and grow from each other. The leadership model would be democratic– I think it is important to have a few individuals to maintain stability, however there will be a system of checks and balances within this. Therefore, although technically there are individuals in higher positions, it will not lead to dictatorship. A technology that would be helpful is an automatic misinformation filter on devices and social media platforms. Although that technically does exist on Instagram, it only occurs through various individuals reporting a post or account. An automatic filter will ensure that this information will not make it to any other users. 

My earthseed community will survive through collective efforts and understanding. I think it is important for individuals to recognize their strengths and use them to contribute to the community. For example, an individual who has a strength for teaching and has patience will serve as teachers within the community. Two steps that my earthseed community can take towards a better future is ensuring strong education and freedom for the youth and minimizing carbon emissions. The children should be able learn in a judgement-free environment which fosters positive learning experiences. I think that reducing carbon emissions goes back to my point of reducing destruction to our environment and the primary way in which I would implement this is through walking or biking more as opposed to driving. 

[ucla2026]

"White"

This past week, our class watched the short film titled “White”. This film evoked many feelings from members of the class as, although it was supposed to be set in a different reality, it felt all too real. One thing I noticed right away was the intersectionality of two increasing issues in our society today: race and climate change. This film was set in a time period in which global temperatures were soaring, with it being over 120 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter months. Although this is not intended to be representative of our reality now, we must not ignore the fact that, unfortunately, this is where we are headed. In fact, only a couple weeks ago we experienced 90 degree weather in Los Angeles during March. I think that often when we are trying to tackle one issue that is of high importance, such as that of systemic racism, other issues take the back seat. This film does a phenomenal job of, while focusing on the dominant issue here, also providing insight into other issues going on in the world. 

Due to the terrible state of global climate in the film, Colored individuals were paid if they got their melanin extracted to be given to others to protect from the sun. The protagonist of the film was in desperate need of money, and ended up participating in this. However, he first attempted robbery when he was at an intense time of need. The individual he attempted to steal from was actually another Black individual, but he had lost much color from the melanin extraction. All too often, Black individuals are forced to change and conform to the will of the whites. It was incredibly heart wrenching to watch the scene of the extraction of the melanin because it was not just a simple extraction like a blood draw, it was a removal of identity. This was just one example which can serve as a representation of the stripping of identity that individuals of color are regularly faced with.

However, as much as the Black community changes and pushes themselves to conform to the whites, they are still unfortunately shunned out by others. Even once the film’s protagonist gave up his melanin, he was not welcome by any. As Professor Due mentioned in our class discussion following the film, it is something that can bring a tear to the eye even after watching it multiple times. I think that watching this film is incredibly worthwhile and it contains incredibly pertinent themes and lessons that are applicable to individuals of all races, backgrounds, genders, and ages.