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Black Imagination: Black Voices on Black Futures
"Close your eyes—make the white gaze disappear." What is it like to be black and joyful, without submitting to the white gaze? This question, and its answer, is at the core of Black Imagination, a dynamic collection of Black voices curated by artist and poet Natasha Marin. Born from a series of exhibitions and fueled by the power of social media (#blackimagination), the collection includes work from a range of voices who offer up powerful individual visions of happiness and safety, rituals and healing. Black Imagination presents an opportunity to understand the joy of blackness without the lens of whiteness.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2020
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1574 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
February 9, 2021
Near the front of the book, there is a section...:
In that vein, I will respectfully remain silent except to say I recommend reading this book.
7 STEPS FOR THE WHITE-IDENTIFIED READER
STEP 1: RELAX.
You have claimed all the things already, except silence. ...
In that vein, I will respectfully remain silent except to say I recommend reading this book.
March 22, 2020
The experience of reading this book is like being gifted a glimpse into the innermost vulnerable thoughts of people's lives, to hear their voices as they navigate hopes & fears & resistance & understanding & dreams & battles & safety & healing & TRUTHS. It blesses readers with such an immense sense of community - whether or not you are part of the black community.
The brilliant curation of the pieces in this collection is like the best mixtape - it takes you up, down, & sideways through so many emotions & mental modes:
* sadness ("If I felt safe, valued, and/or loved, I wouldn't be the person you know of as me. I was raised up with fear. The hood was a scary place to grow up. I was brought up as disposable")
* surreality ("There is a middle atmosphere that holds the fluff/There, you are free to come and go")
* goofy humor ("Dear Ms. Dirty Look, If we're all going to be stuck here side-by-side like black crows on a bough shivering against the winter wind while waiting for the gods of Public Transport to rescue us, I'm going to take the opportunity to bust a proverbial move")
* poetry ("Before the tragedy of my mother meeting my father, I was salt. I was a grain of salt in a pile on the Manila Bay dock. Once, I was a bead of sweat on the jawline of Lapu-Lapu")
* investigations of identity ("My origin story is being object and subject ... pressed into something that I didn't know I needed to be or could be to survive to the next day or the next week ... the origin of me was the origin of theft")
* luscious language ("My name is Empire Red. My Mother's name is Luminous Red. My Father's name is Ambidextrous Red - to his face, I call him Mammoth Red and behind his back, I call him Juvenile Red")
* celebration & resolve ("Despite and beyond time, I am. In this way, I am both the creator and the created ... despite and beyond time, there is at all times a black woman who is creating herself").
If you feel alone, read this book. If you feel like you've lost the thread of the world, read this book. If you want to surround yourself with song, read this book. If you wonder if anyone else in the world feels like you do, read this book. If you've forgotten how to be kind to yourself, read this book. If you are looking for strength, read this book. If you want to revel in the gorgeousness of black voices & black imaginations, read this book.
The brilliant curation of the pieces in this collection is like the best mixtape - it takes you up, down, & sideways through so many emotions & mental modes:
* sadness ("If I felt safe, valued, and/or loved, I wouldn't be the person you know of as me. I was raised up with fear. The hood was a scary place to grow up. I was brought up as disposable")
* surreality ("There is a middle atmosphere that holds the fluff/There, you are free to come and go")
* goofy humor ("Dear Ms. Dirty Look, If we're all going to be stuck here side-by-side like black crows on a bough shivering against the winter wind while waiting for the gods of Public Transport to rescue us, I'm going to take the opportunity to bust a proverbial move")
* poetry ("Before the tragedy of my mother meeting my father, I was salt. I was a grain of salt in a pile on the Manila Bay dock. Once, I was a bead of sweat on the jawline of Lapu-Lapu")
* investigations of identity ("My origin story is being object and subject ... pressed into something that I didn't know I needed to be or could be to survive to the next day or the next week ... the origin of me was the origin of theft")
* luscious language ("My name is Empire Red. My Mother's name is Luminous Red. My Father's name is Ambidextrous Red - to his face, I call him Mammoth Red and behind his back, I call him Juvenile Red")
* celebration & resolve ("Despite and beyond time, I am. In this way, I am both the creator and the created ... despite and beyond time, there is at all times a black woman who is creating herself").
If you feel alone, read this book. If you feel like you've lost the thread of the world, read this book. If you want to surround yourself with song, read this book. If you wonder if anyone else in the world feels like you do, read this book. If you've forgotten how to be kind to yourself, read this book. If you are looking for strength, read this book. If you want to revel in the gorgeousness of black voices & black imaginations, read this book.
January 18, 2024
Damn, this collection of poems/essays was raw, vulnerable, inspiring, deep, poignant, touching, and beautiful.
Some of the stunning quotes I encountered:
"I once read the phrase 'Live life intentionally'. Unable to get it out of my head, I began to question my intentions for the world I live in. The conclusion I came to was to encourage people to share their stories. So often in life, we only get the abridged version, filled with agenda/personal bias of a third party... it's almost impossible for anyone to accept information unless it already confirms their experience."
"I wonder what it would be like to automatically be given the benefit of the doubt. That it would be assumed that I and my opinions have merit. That my contribution is worthy of consideration - even if it is ultimately rejected. To not be dismissed out of hand... I wonder what it's like to be considered the default."
"Sometimes, you have to put up a peace sign and a middle finger simultaneously."
"To become stronger, I studied. To become better, I dreamed. To become more powerful and to recall my strength, I learned sigils and spells. Today, I stand remembering my past - before this time and during this time. Today, even though I wear protective sigils upon my body, I continue to feel weak. Those bouts of weakness make me stronger, though I wish they would end. I can be strong with them."
Some of the stunning quotes I encountered:
"I once read the phrase 'Live life intentionally'. Unable to get it out of my head, I began to question my intentions for the world I live in. The conclusion I came to was to encourage people to share their stories. So often in life, we only get the abridged version, filled with agenda/personal bias of a third party... it's almost impossible for anyone to accept information unless it already confirms their experience."
"I wonder what it would be like to automatically be given the benefit of the doubt. That it would be assumed that I and my opinions have merit. That my contribution is worthy of consideration - even if it is ultimately rejected. To not be dismissed out of hand... I wonder what it's like to be considered the default."
"Sometimes, you have to put up a peace sign and a middle finger simultaneously."
"To become stronger, I studied. To become better, I dreamed. To become more powerful and to recall my strength, I learned sigils and spells. Today, I stand remembering my past - before this time and during this time. Today, even though I wear protective sigils upon my body, I continue to feel weak. Those bouts of weakness make me stronger, though I wish they would end. I can be strong with them."
Read
February 21, 2020This was an impulse library borrow via the online interface (meaning I didn't even see the book, just the cover and cover text) and I'm so glad for that.
I want to write more about it, but Shabbes is close, so IY"H tomorrow or the day after. (It will be a recommendation, read this book, it is awesome)
I want to write more about it, but Shabbes is close, so IY"H tomorrow or the day after. (It will be a recommendation, read this book, it is awesome)
April 3, 2020
This is an utterly gorgeous collection of writings by Black people for Black people. I as a white person was of course not the target audience for this book, but I felt honored to have been given the opportunity to witness it as a reader.
February 20, 2023
"Black Imagination is a book that listens
while it tells and questions while it answers. Then when the
silt settles, it muddies the water again. Each voice sharing
this space equally offers unique insight as to what it
means to imagine and to heal, as well as what origins
themselves mean."
Natasha Marin asks a variety of people from the Black
community all over the states to imagine a world where
they are safe, valued, and loved, allowing many unheard
voices to imagine a brighter, inclusive, supportive future. This is such a beautiful read. Wish more people knew about it!
while it tells and questions while it answers. Then when the
silt settles, it muddies the water again. Each voice sharing
this space equally offers unique insight as to what it
means to imagine and to heal, as well as what origins
themselves mean."
Natasha Marin asks a variety of people from the Black
community all over the states to imagine a world where
they are safe, valued, and loved, allowing many unheard
voices to imagine a brighter, inclusive, supportive future. This is such a beautiful read. Wish more people knew about it!
April 23, 2020
This was a such a beautiful, raw & honest collection of stories & poems about the Black experience. Each narrative was prompted by sharing origin stories, healing rituals (my favorite section) and imagining & describing a world where we are safe, valued & loved. I really loved that the whole spectrum of Blackness was represented in this book, as we often get put into a box. This spoke directly to me and was beautifully curated! I could see myself picking this one up again, highly recommend.
May 2, 2023
Beautiful collection of poems and short stories from Black voices about community, love, and mental health.
January 30, 2022
A beautiful and unwaveringly honest collection of stories, poems and essays all about the black experience.
August 3, 2020
Black Imagination feels like a love letter that's both to and from our ancestors. Natasha Matrin has curated a raucous embrace and uproarious celebration of the tragedy, fatigue, joy and incorporeality of Blackness. Thank you for this.
April 4, 2021
I love hearing stories from different points of view and different life experiences so this book allowed me to read and process many at once in a very poetic compilation. It’s not my typical genre of book, but as Black woman I realize we all have different journeys that lead us to who we are today and I think this is an excellent book to get a glimpse into the hearts of multiple Black artists. And I also love that this was a healing project for the author.
December 24, 2025
excellent narration and curation
April 19, 2021
Let me just say this book gets all the stars from me! Natasha Marin created something truly beautiful. Daveed Diggs and Lena Waithe narrated this book to perfection.
This book has a unique structure consisting of testimonials, interviews and poetry. People from a wide variety of backgrounds in the Black community were asked: What is your origin story? How do you heal yourself? Imagine a world where you are safe, valued and loved. The foreword alone gives you a flavor for this book: "Blackness is expanded, layered, multiple and lush like we already know it is, but which isn't always recognized and valued by whiteness."
There is a lot of vulnerability, honesty and joy on these pages. The portion of the book where the phrase “In a world where I feel safe, valued and loved I…” was explored really resonated with me:
A world where I feel safe, valued and loved "would be one where other humans are not an existential threat. Love and value would have to fall in line for such a world to exist." -- William Wallace, III, Philadelphia, PA
For me, in a world where I feel safe, valued and loved there is equal access to education and opportunities; a world where there is acceptance, not just tolerance that is performative but produces real change. Imagine the possibilities because they are endless! There is so much packed into this powerful work of art!!
This book has a unique structure consisting of testimonials, interviews and poetry. People from a wide variety of backgrounds in the Black community were asked: What is your origin story? How do you heal yourself? Imagine a world where you are safe, valued and loved. The foreword alone gives you a flavor for this book: "Blackness is expanded, layered, multiple and lush like we already know it is, but which isn't always recognized and valued by whiteness."
There is a lot of vulnerability, honesty and joy on these pages. The portion of the book where the phrase “In a world where I feel safe, valued and loved I…” was explored really resonated with me:
A world where I feel safe, valued and loved "would be one where other humans are not an existential threat. Love and value would have to fall in line for such a world to exist." -- William Wallace, III, Philadelphia, PA
For me, in a world where I feel safe, valued and loved there is equal access to education and opportunities; a world where there is acceptance, not just tolerance that is performative but produces real change. Imagine the possibilities because they are endless! There is so much packed into this powerful work of art!!
March 21, 2020
I have been overwhelmed, crushed and reborn in the excerpts I have read from this must read. Prescient, challenging and whole.
Read
August 10, 2020This is a collection of black voices musing about imagination, healing and their origins. Obviously some voices resonated more deeply that others, but as a collective it’s good. The origins section is my fave.
One line to remember: “see how gentle failure can be when people are watching. / Touch it like gravel, or a rough tooth”
One line to remember: “see how gentle failure can be when people are watching. / Touch it like gravel, or a rough tooth”
May 23, 2022
This book is a collection of responses to the prompts:
- What is your origin story?
- How do you heal yourself?
- Describe/imagine a world where you are loved, safe, and valued.
I read it in two and a half hours on the plane. Some helped clarify my own vision for liberation, some made me wonder if we can ever build a blackness that is not in response to our in opposition to whiteness.
- What is your origin story?
- How do you heal yourself?
- Describe/imagine a world where you are loved, safe, and valued.
I read it in two and a half hours on the plane. Some helped clarify my own vision for liberation, some made me wonder if we can ever build a blackness that is not in response to our in opposition to whiteness.
March 30, 2021
Awe sooo good, giving a voice to black people of all walks of life and what they imagine for their life or lives around them. It’s like you just want to breath the words in and exhale them. It’s almost like a hug from your grandmother you feel the love, and pride in our blackness.
August 25, 2020
Each testimonial, poem, ritual, and narrative is an act of generosity and resilience. This is a beautifully curated collection.
April 1, 2021
Amazing!!! Such a great audiobook.
April 30, 2021
yes! just what i needed: honesty, vulnerability, humorous beautiful black art.
August 7, 2021
Really amazing and necessary work if art. This was not what I was expecting at all when u ordered the book but I'm very glad with it and happy to have read through the journey. 4 stars mainly because that journey in the last quarter of the book became a bit too poetic and confusing for me to pick up everything that was being put down. So I kind of lost the steam I had going into the Finale. That being said, still a great work of art, and someone more poetically inclined than I will enjoy this even more. Highly recommended!
September 29, 2021
A lyrical, powerful, humorous and heart rending exploration of Black identity and experience, this book is a collection of essays that were originally part of a multi-media installation curated by Natasha Marin. The essays are grouped loosely by subject, from imagining a safe space, to healing, origin stories, spirituality and rituals.
Highly recommended. The audiobook on Scribd is excellent.
Highly recommended. The audiobook on Scribd is excellent.
November 21, 2021
This book held court at my bedside stack of books for much of this year. It provided a portal to a wide variety of voices ("black children, black youth, LGBTQ+ black folks, unsheltered black folks, incarcerated black folks, neurodivergent black folks, as well as differently-abled black folks") speaking on three essential prompts: "What is your origin story? // How do you heal yourself? // Describe/Imagine a world where you are loved, safe and valued." Beyond these voices, poetic interludes shared rituals by Natasha Marin (who curated the various versions of the project). I'm grateful to have had the chance to spend time with the stories and ideas shared in this book.
December 10, 2025
essential.
June 21, 2021
Creative voices of the African-American community resilient imaginations that dream of a day when black people don't have to be resilient. Good stuff.
December 11, 2021
Feels like a hug reading this book.
August 21, 2020
“my art would be art and not always be “brave”
it wouldn’t have to be political because of who i am.
my art would be art and not always be activism
when i wasn’t even trying to be.
my art would be happy (sometimes).
people would consume my art because it was art.”
black imagination is a collection of black thought and expression without the veil of the white gaze attached to it. natasha marin, amber flame, rachael ferguson, and imani sims spent months using field recorders to collect responses from a myriad of black people to these three questions: what is your origin story? how do you heal? and describe/imagine a world where you are loved, safe, and valued.
going into this collection i wasn’t sure what to expect, but i easily devoured its pages within a few hours, and i know it is something i will go back and reference again and again. it is not often we as black people are allotted the time and space to speak our truths or what dwells in our imagination. we are not given room to dream because we are often so busy dealing with reality and the many ways it tries to silence and harm us. which is why what natasha marin has curated within these pages is so special.
take time to read this one, to explore all the responses and the many ways in which we differ yet remain the same.
it wouldn’t have to be political because of who i am.
my art would be art and not always be activism
when i wasn’t even trying to be.
my art would be happy (sometimes).
people would consume my art because it was art.”
black imagination is a collection of black thought and expression without the veil of the white gaze attached to it. natasha marin, amber flame, rachael ferguson, and imani sims spent months using field recorders to collect responses from a myriad of black people to these three questions: what is your origin story? how do you heal? and describe/imagine a world where you are loved, safe, and valued.
going into this collection i wasn’t sure what to expect, but i easily devoured its pages within a few hours, and i know it is something i will go back and reference again and again. it is not often we as black people are allotted the time and space to speak our truths or what dwells in our imagination. we are not given room to dream because we are often so busy dealing with reality and the many ways it tries to silence and harm us. which is why what natasha marin has curated within these pages is so special.
take time to read this one, to explore all the responses and the many ways in which we differ yet remain the same.
June 25, 2020
This book is so beautiful. Black people from all walks of life were asked the same three questions about their origin story, what they do to heal themselves, and what a world would look like where they are safe, valued, and loved. The responses range from funny to heartbreaking, but as a whole this book is a beautiful celebration of Black resilience, Black dreams, and Black indulgences in the little things that make life feel good in the moment.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews