Liberation of the Black imagination

The world we live in today was built by many black hands but under systems developed by the white imagination. These systems—slavery, laws making it illegal for black people to read and write, segregation, discriminatory schools and neighborhoods, lynching, redlining, and more—were all created by the white imagination. These systems were imagined, designed, and built to oppress and marginalize black people, in hopes of ensuring that they remained second-class citizens. In fact, there's an old negro proverb that says any time you see a group of white men brainstorming, just know that we black people will probably be the ones drowning in the results of their ideas.

Thank God niggas can swim.

The collective white imagination has never envisioned a world where black people exist as equals. The same white imaginations that created systems of oppression in the real world are the ones leading the manufacturing of imaginative worlds. Just as their ancestors failed to imagine a world that included black people, the white creative leaders heading these institutions have also failed to imagine worlds that include black people.

It is no surprise that when it comes to creative industries, black people are underrepresented both in scenes and behind the scenes. Every major creative company in the USA is, after all, a white institution. They didn't want us in their educational institutions, so why would they want us in their creative institutions?

Why would they fund and build imaginative worlds that they don't see themselves in? They didn't do it with schools, neighborhoods, banks, pools, sports, restaurants, books, cities, roads, or buses—why the fuck would they start imagining inclusive worlds now?

Historically, white institutions did not even consider black people to be fully human—3/5 of a human to be exact. The Three-Fifths Compromise was a clause in the United States Constitution, which might I add was dreamed up in the white imagination, this clause counted each enslaved person as three-fifths of a person for purposes of taxation and representation. This dehumanizing measure is a clear-cut reminder of how black lives have always been undervalued and marginalized.

If the world is only imagined by white people and manufactured by white institutions, whether real or fictitious, black people will never see a true reflection of themselves in it.

In response to all of this bullshit, black people have had to use their imaginations to innovate, create, design, and organize to gain access to all the things that white people were born with access to, white privileges. We've used our collective black imagination to convince white people who were manufacturing all aspects of America to include us in the world they were imagining. All this for a seat at the table full of unseasoned food.

This imaginative resilience has been a powerful tool in the struggle for equality and representation, allowing black people to envision and work towards a world where they are seen and valued. And while we've made a lot of progress, the next phase is for black people to imagine themselves thriving outside of white institutions and to manufacture the world that we are imagining on our own.

We cannot continue to give white institutions so much power over how the black imagination is manufactured. The black imagination must be liberated from the constraints imposed by these institutions.

We cannot be sharecroppers of our own imaginations, allowing others to dictate the terms and conditions under which our creativity flourishes.

Blackness filtered through white lenses always comes out gray, diluted and stripped of its vibrancy and authenticity.

The leadership of the white institutions manufacturing these products plays a crucial role in shaping the narratives and representations that reach the masses. When the leadership is predominantly white, the stories that are told often reflect their perspectives and experiences, leaving little room for authentic black voices.

This lack of diversity at the top trickles down to every level of production, resulting in a significant underrepresentation of black creators and characters in all forms of media.

In animated films, black characters make up only 5% of main characters. In children's literature, only 12% of books feature black characters. The situation is even more diabolical in video games, where black leads are present in only 3% of the most highly rated games.

The impact of this underrepresentation on the collective imagination of the black community is profound. When black children grow up without seeing themselves reflected in the media they consume, it stunts their ability to envision themselves as heroes, adventurers, and leaders.

It reinforces the notion that their stories are not worth telling and that their experiences are not important. This can have a detrimental effect on their self-esteem and aspirations.

Moreover, the lack of representation at a mass scale perpetuates stereotypes and biases. When the majority of media portrays black characters in limited and often negative roles, it shapes the perceptions of both black and non-black audiences. It reinforces harmful stereotypes and contributes to the systemic racism that exists in society. Every nigga didn't grow up in a single parent house hold, every nigga didn't sell drugs, jesus christ!

Jesus was also black by the way. At least in my imagination.

The next phase of our journey is to reclaim and redefine our imaginative spaces. We must build and fund our own creative institutions, where black voices are not just included but are leading the way.

By doing so, we can ensure that our stories are told with the richness and depth they deserve. This means creating our own publishing houses, film studios, animation companies, and game development firms. It means fostering environments where black creatives can thrive without having to conform to the expectations and limitations set by white-dominated industries.

The power of the black imagination is boundless, and it is time for it to be fully unleashed.

By taking control of our own narratives, we can create worlds where black people are not just present but are central, vibrant, and fully realized.

We can build spaces where black children see themselves as heroes, adventurers, and leaders, without having to search the background for a character who looks like them.

This is not just about representation; it is about ownership and agency. It is about ensuring that the black imagination is free to explore, innovate, and inspire without being constrained by the biases and limitations of white institutions.

It is about creating a future where black creativity is celebrated and valued on its own terms.

The liberation of the black imagination means building spaces where black imaginations can roam freely, unencumbered by the constraints of white-dominated perspectives and narratives.

My work is a testament to this vision—by creating stories, characters, and experiences that reflect my reality and the people I know, I am actively challenging the status quo.

As black kids, we grow up wondering if all the adventures we see and read about white characters going on through fictitious worlds are for us.

Is Hogwarts for all of us, or just a few exceptional black people?

Is there any room for any more niggas on the Millennium Falcon?

Are all the best toys white by default in Toy Story?

These questions highlight the need for imaginative spaces where black children can see themselves as integral parts of the narrative, not just as sidekicks or reduced to what can be referred to as BLACKGROUND characters—black characters created to eat up space in the background to make a scene, a movie, or a world feel more diverse than it truly is.

The liberation of the black imagination is also about the ability to create worlds and not feel like we need to include everyone else out of necessity for funding.

It is about the freedom to tell stories that represent the full spectrum of blackness, not just the same narratives that white institutions continue to put out where the main objective for the black lead is to overcome the fact that they are black and oppressed.

This means exploring a wide range of genres and themes, from fantasy and science fiction to romance and comedy, where black characters can experience joy, adventure, and complexity without their race being the central conflict.

By imagining beyond constraints, we can build spaces where black imaginations are free to explore, innovate, and inspire.

We can create worlds where black children see themselves as wizards, samurai, spies, detectives and leaders of apocalyptic revolutions, without having to search the background for a character who looks like them.

The liberation of the black imagination is about creating a paradigm shift. It is about ensuring that black creative thoughts are heard and valued in every room where stories are created.

It requires a conscious effort to dismantle the existing structures that have historically excluded the full spectrum of the black imagination.

It means advocating for diversity not just on the screen but behind the scenes as well. It involves pushing for black leadership in creative institutions, creating more black creative institutions, and ensuring that black creatives have the resources and support they need to bring their visions to life.

The liberation of the black imagination about ensuring that the imagination of black people is free to flourish on its own terms.

Together, liberated, we can reimagine the world that we live in and the worlds that we dream about.

with love + imagination

-MR. TOMONOSHi!