February is Black History Month, the one month to recollect the miseducation of black history. It is the one month to nationally celebrate a history that is evident in our present lives and will be prevalent in the future to come. Some don't agree with constructing such a rich history into only one month. They would rather not have a Black History Month at all. I don't agree. I am proud to have a Black History Month because it is absolutely necessary to widen eyes and take that opportunity to educate ourselves all 365 days in a year. I say let's use what we already have and change history as we know it.

I've been noticing the hashtag floating around, #BlackFutureMonth. It caught my eye when introduced in a couple of media outlets and eventually landed me on the term 'Afro-Futurism.' I decided to do some research and discovered that it was coined by Mark Dery in 1994 as a way to appropriate images of technology and an enhanced future by treating African American themes and concerns.

The earliest forms of Afro-Futurism are seen in the works of W.E.B Dubois and the infamous jazz musician Sun Ra, best known for his cosmic philosophies on life and music. Then there are George Clinton's crazed bands of musical misfits Parliament and Funkadelic. Believe it or not, the concept of brothers and sisters traveling in space on the Mothership Connection became a realistic fantasy for many artists. Afro-Futurism also encompasses the literature of writers such as Octavia E. Butler and Ishmael Reed. Artists have created a space under the Afro-futuristic genre by envisioning a future with a splash of fantasy and magical realism to celebrate the existence of non-western ideologies.

Prior to that, I have heard of the term before expressed in a friend of mine's English thesis, entitled "Alpha Obsidian." She dedicated her thesis on mixing ancient African narratives with the present-day oppression of Blacks by creating an alternative future.

I also recently attended the Black Solidarity Conference at Yale University and sat in a workshop that presented to us an Afro-Futurism in different forms of media. The director and writer of the film "Ori Inu," Chelsea Odufu provided me with an insight of how Afro-Futurism bridges so many aspects of culture such as film, music, language, and art. There are many ways in which the past and present can be interwoven into a new future for Blacks. It is a beautiful concept. Here are seven ways that remind us that the future is now.

1. C-Stunners

I still can't believe what I am seeing. Self-taught Kenyan artist Cyrus Kabiru is best known for his Afro-Futurism series, C-Stunners, an ongoing project consisting of elaborate glasses. They are constructed out of found objects and recyclables. These wearable sculptures depict the attitude of the youth generation in Nairobi. The lenses imaginatively and metaphorically present a fresh perspective of the world and allowing a look into the near future.

2. "Ori Inu"

'Ori Inu: In Search of Self ' is an afro-futuristic coming-of-age story that chronicles the journey of a young immigrant woman who battles with making a choice. She must choose between conforming her identity and spirituality to the cultural norms of America or revisiting roots in the Afro-Brazilian religion. The film's director and writer Chelsea Odufu and her brother Emann come together to regenerate the images and narratives of Candomble religion into the present day. Together they examine the present day of Afro-Brazilian religion which has been known to stay alive in music and art. 'Ori Inu' has been inspired to celebrate the culture and glory of African ancestors to envision a future whereas stigmas of inferiority are no longer attached to images of Blackness and Africanness. HERE IS A TRAILER!

3. Iya-Sol

These beautiful women, Niambi Sala and Thandiwe known as OSHUN have chosen to march to the beat of their own drum. Their name honors a Yoruba river deity (Osun) and her sisters (Yemoja and Oya). The D.C. natives make up a neo-soul hip hop duo with influences from reggae and roots music. Thier latest project, ASASE YAA (West African term for Mother Earth) is a nod to the past, an acknowledgment of the present, and a glance to the future. The album commemorates Mother Earth, focusing on the concept of 'her' as a black woman. This afro-futuristic duo unapologetically educates on social issues in what they call "Iya-Sol"; the combination of a Yoruba term meaning mother, priestess, and your soul, soul music, or the sun.

4. Black Kirby

"Black Kirby" is known as the place Black folks can imagine themselves in as opposed to the reality we live in. It is both a celebration of the superhero genre and also a critique. John Jennings and Sandra Robinson wanted to jump off the earlier Jack Kirby to discuss the lack of diversity in the superhero genre, deal with making historical connections, and investigate new ways of creating meaning. Black Kirby acknowledges representation and re-representation, using the comics page as a space of survival and resistance.

5. Janelle Monáe

This little lady from Kanas takes rock star to a whole new level. She has the outfits to match and her hair undoubtedly defy gravity. Her 2010 album ArchAndroid is a 70-minute, 18 track epic comprising two suites. Grounded in R&B and funk, spinning from genre to genre is conceived as a world unto self. Listen to her music, watch her videos, and you'll understand why she takes Afro-futurism into a whole new direction.

6. Harlem Shake Meets Massai/ Afro-Futurism

Here is a complete drawing of Harlem Shake Meets Massai/Afro-Futurism. There is not much information out there about this art piece, but it was created by Katlego Tlabela, an emerging South African artist in ink wash, wax, and crayons. Take a good look at the images depicted in this piece. The disembodied images are fascinating and I strongly believe that the piece is interwoven with the oppression of the past and the strength of a hopeful future.

7. "Moondust"

Canadian-based artist, Sara Golish celebrates African beauty in her series, "Moondust." The pieces are captivating head shots in oil paint of Black women sporting a full range of hairstyles that include banktu knots, braids, twists and twist outs, afros, and low cuts. Golish also adds a mix of afro-futurism and traditional culture which is displayed in the metallic jewelry and the body markings and paint. Check out "Moondust" and indulge in such an insightful work that in the past has used this space to portray blacks as insignificant.

Look out for other amazing artists!