Institute for the Future (IFTF)'s video: IFTF Foresight Talks: Agents of Change: Teaching Futures Literacy to Youth

We all know that "young people are the future." Yet we rarely enable them with the tools they need to think more strategically about what they want that future to look like. Much less young people of color. But what if we did enable them? With over 75 high school aged youth involved in the summer of 2021 alone, the Community Futures School at the Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA) leverages the power of Afrofuturism, immersive digital tools, and art-centered practices to help its participants imagine a transformational vision for the city of Oakland, California, all while empowering them with the tools and skills to lead us there. IFTF Research Director Sara Skvirsky spoke with renowned Afrofuturist Dr. Lonny Avi Brooks, Professor at California State University, East Bay, about the ins and outs of his experience developing and running the Community Futures School, and the lessons he's learned along the way. Aired Wednesday, August 31 • 9am PDT. Lonny Brooks At Cal State University, East Bay, Lonny has piloted the integration of futures thinking into the communication curriculum for the last fifteen years. Emerging in recent years as a leading voice of Afrofuturism 2.0, Brooks contributes prolifically to journals, conferences and anthologies on the subject, as well as serving as executive producer and co-creator, with Ahmed Best, of The Afrofuturist Podcast. IFTF Foresight Talks webinars host leading-edge foresight practitioners in practical, inspiring conversations about how and why they do their work. Join us to hear insights and reflections on the evolving futures landscape - and to ask your own questions directly in a Q&A session. These talks are free, open to all, and ideal for graduates of the IFTF Foresight Essentials training. Each session lasts one hour, includes a period for questions from the audience, and is archived below one week after its airing. Foresight Talks occur monthly. Learn more at www.iftf.org/foresightessentials © 2022 Institute for the Future