Autonomy, AfroFuturism and Making Her Own **** Blueprint

Edxi Betts is a Black, Blackfeet descended trans Pinay multi media insurrectionary artist and organizer. She is also a creator and self distributer of zines, as well as a published writer. She creates both art and media for the sake of propagating resistance culture, counter narrative, and collective liberatory projects that spark discourse, sources of healing, critical thought, dialogue, mutual aid and direct action. 

In this episode, we discuss art-making and its deep political connection to social justice movements. She gives us insight into the creative process under capitalist demands, and breaks down some of the ways in which community practices have been appropriated and misinterpreted as they turn into popular buzz word. We dig into several principles of abolition, mutual aid, and autonomous resistance.  

While exploring the concept of Afrofuturism and its implications today, Edxi says: “So much of it is making real what we're imagining. Black trans women and gender nonconforming people, we are the living embodiments of AfroFuturism, because we literally had to dream ourselves into being. There weren’t certain blueprints for people.” 

Given the current climate we're in, from climate chaos to social collapse, this episode is rich with wisdom, practical advice and words of caution stemming from lived experiences that are too often ignored by mainstream organizing and narrative-making.

Get a copy of their zine here. Listen to their band (Fire Cider) on Spotify. You can also read some of her published work, including her contribution to the 2019 book "Love with Accountability".

If, like me, you learned a lot from this episode and you were in some way energized and riled up by Edxi's words, please consider supporting her work for the long haul. You can find her on Patreon and subscribe to her page directly @bettsurevolt.