'Blackwards' to the Future: Past, present, and futures of the African American community of South Phoenix, AZ

Faculty of Environment

Illustration of a bird reaching to eat a circle hovering over its back. Text surrounds image reading: "Blackwards to the future; South PHX"

Research project description

Blackward to the Future is a community-led, participatory action research initiative dedicated to reclaiming the past, present, and future of the African American community in Phoenix, Arizona. The project seeks to address the erasure of Black histories from the city’s cultural landscape by documenting oral histories, preserving community archives, facilitating intergenerational dialogue, and co-creating future urban visions. Drawing on the Adinkra concept of sankofa—the principle of looking to the past to move forward—the project emphasizes joy, resistance, and self-determination over damage-centered narratives.

Fields of research

  • Oral histories and social memory
  • Community-driven archives
  • Futures and the imagination
  • Digital humanities
  • Documentary and film studies
  • Environmental and social justice
  • Black studies

Qualifications and ideal student profile

Prospective graduate student researchers must meet or exceed the minimum admission requirements for the programs connected to this opportunity. Visit the program pages using the links on this page to learn more about minimum admission requirements. In addition to minimum requirements, the research supervisor is looking for the following qualifications and student profile.

  • Strong interest in community-based, justice-oriented research
  • Experience with or interest in learning qualitative research methods (e.g., oral histories, interviews)
  • Experience with or interest in developing digital storytelling skills (e.g., documentary, AR/VR)
  • Strong facilitation skills, familiarity with futures and foresight methods, would be an asset
  • Familiarity with African American history of the American Southwest and Afro-futurism in general would be assets
  • Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal abilities

Faculty researcher and supervisor

Graduate programs connected to this project

Important dates

'Blackwards' to the Future: Past, present, and futures of the African American community of South Phoenix, AZ is accepting expressions of interest for intake in the spring 2026, fall 2026, winter 2027, and spring 2027 terms.

Express interest in 'Blackwards' to the Future: Past, present, and futures of the African American community of South Phoenix, AZ

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