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[1] "Not Like Us": Interventions of Black Popular Culture in Black Cultural Production.
From: Ronique Gillis, Western University, rgillis8uwo.ca

Conference Session Information:
Elements of Black popular culture are significantly intertwined within social media. Be it a meme, Ebonics, or visual representations of the Black body and Blackness, we currently exist in a world where icons appear and vanish daily. Visualizations of Black resistance and celebration, however, are unshakable platforms upon which discussions of race, racism, and the persisting systems of racialization dwell. This session invites submissions that seek to engage in conversations surrounding the complex effects that Black popular culture has on Black cultural production. Amidst prevalent socio-political violence, it asks for contemplations of critical interventions in our understanding of Black epistemes that both empowers representations of resilience and recognizes decolonial approaches to celebrations of Blackness. Those speaking to/from Black diasporic cultures located both inside and outside of North America are welcome. Papers and artistic contributions exploring music, dance/performance, art, literature, film, and fashion rooted in Black popular culture are invited.

Keywords: Black visual studies; Blackness; Black resistance; Black celebration; Black popular culture

The deadline for submissions is Friday, May 30, 2025. Authors will be notified of their acceptance in early June 2025. All questions and submissions should be directed to Ronique Gillis, session chair, at rgillis8uwo.ca. Please visit UAAC's website for submission guidelines: https://uaac-aauc.com/conference/.