#BlackTrust: Black Utopias, Then & Now

On November 13, 2024, we held this year’s first Black Trust: Chuck Turner Arts + Lecture Series event at justBook-ish! This special edition, #BlackTrust: Black Utopias, Then & Now, featured voices in Black utopian thought and solidarity economy practices: we welcomed Aaron Robertson, author of The Black Utopians: Searching for Paradise and the Promised Land in America, and Stacey Sutton, Associate Professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago, for an imaginative and contextual conversation on Black utopian visions and solidarity economies.

The event was held in collaboration with justBook-ish, a newly-launching Fields Corner-based bookstore (at 1463 Dorchester Ave); justBook-ish will foster community literacy and relationships through their curated selection of books and events which challenge political paradigms. The new development at 1463 Dorchester Avenue, including the store itself, was funded via crowdraising and community investment, including from our own fund. The store hopes to serve as a hub for radical storytelling within our neighborhoods—and they were a fitting partner for Black Trust’s mission to empower Boston’s communities through public and shared learning. 

Special thanks to the team at justBook-ish, including founders Porsha Olayiwola and Bing Broderick, for collaborating with us; to Black Leaf Tea—a Black-woman-owned tea business in Providence, RI—for providing the tea for our mocktails; and to our incredible speakers, Aaron and Stacey. Our gratitude also goes out to photographer Blessing Nwogu and videographer Leudox Ipanga for beautifully capturing the evening, and to our organizers, Cierra Peters and Alula Hunsen, as well as the entire Ujima staff for their support.

Watch full lecture on our youtube here.