our story
The year was 2019 — the location, The Glitterbox in Bloomfield. In a room pulsing with laughter, art, and the electric energy of friends and collaborators, founder Ahmed Tacumba Turner Jr. experienced an epiphany: what began as his 25th birthday party could become something transformative. That night wasn't just a gathering—it was a manifesto of Black creativity, resilience, and brilliance. Drawing 100+ people to an art show when no one knew he'd ever curated one? Revolutionary.
Our FOUNDER
Ahmed Tacumba Turner Jr. is a multidisciplinary curator, photographer, and community organizer working at the intersection of arts curation and social change in Pittsburgh. As Founder and Creative Director of The Future Is Black since 2019, he has produced 10 major exhibitions featuring 200+ Artists at venues ranging from grassroots spaces like Bloom Craft Theater to institutional partnerships with August Wilson African American Cultural Center and Brewhouse Arts.
​
Tacumba's curatorial practice is rooted in Afro-futurism and community-centered design, creating platforms that celebrate Black joy, healing, and cultural transformation. His exhibitions have consistently drawn audiences of 100+ attendees and distributed over $15,000 in direct artist stipends, demonstrating his commitment to equitable compensation and artist sustainability.
​
Before founding The Future Is Black, Tacumba spent eight years in urban agriculture and community development work. As a Teaching Artist with the Hazelwood Youth Media Justice Program, he taught photography and visual storytelling to high school students, creating project-based learning experiences that culminated in community exhibitions documenting environmental justice narratives.
​
Tacumba's work has been recognized with the John Kingston Food Sovereignty Award (2021), Breakout Change Maker Award (2022), and Transformative Leader Award from the Equity Impact Center (2024). He brings authentic community roots and lived experience to his curatorial work, building trust-based relationships with artists often marginalized by traditional arts institutions.
CORE PRINCIPLES
REMEMBRANCE
Honoring ancestral wisdom and lineage. Situating ongoing discussions within historical context. Understanding current struggles as part of a continuum. Introspection through archival connection.
JOY
Presence and mindfulness as radical acts. Celebration, dancing, laughter, and beauty as resistance. Refusing the narrative that Black life is only struggle. Playfully exploring future potentialities.
HEALING
Spiritual autonomy and direct access to the divine. Individual and collective practices of restoration. Acknowledging trauma without being defined by it. Creating space for vulnerability and transformation.
CONNECTIVITY
Building and sustaining community across difference. Upholding our responsibility to each other. Learning from collective wisdom and varied experiences. Understanding interdependence as fundamental to survival.
CRITICAL THOUGHT
Rigorous examination of systems, narratives, and assumptions. Intellectual engagement with art and culture. Challenging conventional frameworks. Centering analysis alongside creation.
OUR MISSION
Supporting artists
The Future Is Black is dedicated to providing a platform for artists to thrive, express themselves, and contribute to the Afro-futuristic movement.
Community Building
The movement fosters a community that rejects societal norms, embraces authenticity, and encourages individuals to express themselves freely.
Event Curation
Throughout the calendar year, we curate events focused on Joy, Healing, Remembering, Critical Thought, and Connectivity, providing diverse experiences for the BIPOC community.
Mission Statement
The Future Is Black is committed to empowering underrepresented creatives by providing mentorship, resources, and platforms that amplify their artistry and economic potential. Rooted in an Afro-futuristic lens, we cultivate spaces of joy, healing, remembrance, critical thought, and connectivity bridging the gap between creative vision and tangible impact.
Our IMPACT
10+
EXHIBITIONS
$15,000+
IN DIRECT ARTIST STIPENDS
6+
YEARS OF PROGRAMMING
