Black Future Festival

Join BCM for a week of reflection and future-forward fun inspired by the national celebration of Black History Month and the African Diaspora! We’re partnering with Kendra J. Bostock and STooPS to honor Black culture with incredible dance performances, powerful storytelling, dynamic workshops, and more!

Schedule

Future Leaders Paper Crafts

🕒 11:00 am – 11:45 am

Imagine your future self and the kind of career you might have. Are you a teacher? A doctor? An astronaut? Use a variety of materials to create a large paper doll of your future self! Receive a coloring sheet representing different careers to take home. Led by Ovila Lemon.

Making Colorful Mandala Ornaments

🕒 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm

Create your own unique mandala ornament on a circular wood pine disc! Design your mandala pattern using washable markers and stencils on one side, add your name or initials to the other, and attach twine to hang your finished creation. Led by Ramona Kearns.

My Community Looks Like…

🕒 2:30 pm – 3:15 pm

Rep’ your ‘hood through paper collage! Use a variety of multi-colored, multi-patterned and multi-textured paper to represent who and what makes up your community. Add an instant photo of yourself to draw a personal connection to the place you call home. Participants may choose to take their collages with them or add them to a larger collective collage that will represent the community that attends the workshop that day. Led by Pia Monique Murray/PMMDC.

Jazz Dance and Storytime

🕒 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm

Let’s get jazzed up for a swingin’ storytime! Join STooPS Bedstuy performer/teaching artist Carmen Carriker as we explore jazz through dance, music, pictures, books, songs, and games. This fun workshop is designed for youth under 10 years old. Led by Carmen Carriker.

Future Reflections inspired by muse artist Larry Brown

📍 ColorLab

🕒 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Create future-forward “mirrors” inspired by artist Larry Brown’s “I See You” series! Using reflective paper, air-dry clay, beads, and twine, design mixed-media sculptures that give us a glimpse into the bright future ahead.

Cool by Design

📍Nature’s Engineers

🕒 10:30 am – 12:30 pm & 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Discover the science of keeping spaces cool in our STEM makerspace! Design and build your own shade structure using textiles, then put your engineering skills to the test: Can your creation protect an ice cube from melting?