Black and Indigenous Futures

From slavery to stolen land, African Americans and Indigenous peoples have been harmed by settler colonialism from pre-revolutionary times to today. Their histories are unique and intertwined, with examples of distrust and violence as much as solidarity and alignment. At ArtsEmerson, our leadership is Black (David Howse) and Indigenous (Ronee Penoi, Laguna Pueblo/Cherokee)—a rare occurrence in a major arts institution. We see our shared leadership as a unique opportunity to imagine a better, liberated future together for Black and Indigenous peoples and, by extension, all peoples. As part of a year-long Black and Indigenous Initiative, we are collaborating with our colleagues at HowlRound on the Black and Indigenous Futures Convening and on this series that reflects on Black and Indigenous shared leadership, solidarity, kinship, identity, and artistic practice.