It started with a DM. A few years ago, Jenna Wortham, New York Times Magazine staff writer and co-host of the podcast “Still Processing,” reached out to writer, curator, and activist Kimberly Drew on Twitter and said she had an idea for a Black art zine. The enthusiasm was instant and, five years later, the resulting project is Black Futures, which seeks to answer the question: What does it mean to be Black and alive right now?  

Featuring work from over 100 Black contributors in pursuit of the answer, the collection of art, photos, essays, memes, dialogues, recipes, poetry, and tweets tells the story of the radical, imaginative, and resilient world that emerging and renowned Black artists are producing today. Sparking an important dialogue about this moment in contemporary Blackness—both what we are celebrating and what is at stake—the book explores everything from wellness practices and global interconnectivity to social activism and digital identity.

Drew and Wortham will be in conversation with Camonghne Felix, the vice president of strategic communications for Blue State, former director of surrogates and strategic communications for Elizabeth Warren’s 2020 presidential campaign, and author of the poetry collection Build Yourself a Boat, which was longlisted for the 2019 National Book Award for Poetry.