In this 250th year of the United States, how do we envision a better future for all? And how can we make this visioning a practice? Join Urban Consulate to continue our Daring Ideas for the Future series with a special trilogy of virtual interactive Afrofuturist World-Builds led by Ingrid LaFleur of The Afrofuture Strategies Institute to imagine the United States 250 years into the future.
Convening 3 times this Fall 2026, these 3-hour interactive virtual sessions are open to community builders of all ages and all zip codes who are curious about the future.
Attend a single session or all 3 to develop your practice:
1. LIFE - Sat, September 19, 2026, 9am-12pm ET
2. LIBERTY - Sat, October 17, 2026, 9am-12pm ET
3. HAPPINESS - Sat, December 5, 2026, 9am-12pm ET
Whether you are already shaping change in your community or seeking new ways to think about what comes next, these Afrofuture World-Builds will offer practical futures-thinking tools, creative inspiration, and the opportunity to imagine alongside others. Using the foresight tool of backcasting, we will envision what a thriving future could look like and identify the conditions, choices, and actions needed to help bring it into being. Together, we'll explore not only where we want to go, but how we might get there.
Free & open to the public, all ages welcome
Advance registration required
Before you come, please listen to this meditation to begin visualizing 250 years into the future. [Link]
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Ingrid LaFleur is a futurist, curator, cultural strategist, and pleasure activist whose work advances Black intellectual traditions through futures research and decolonial practice. Working at the intersection of emerging technologies, race, and cultural production, she brings over twenty years of experience in contemporary art curation and community-centered inquiry. LaFleur holds a Master of Science in Foresight from the University of Houston and continues to develop methodologies that bridge curatorial practice, Black cultural studies, and strategic foresight to support thriving futures across the African diaspora. She has presented lectures and facilitated engagements at institutions including Princeton University, Harvard University, and University of Oxford. Her work has been featured in major publications including The New York Times, Time Magazine, and NPR. Learn more at The Afrofuture Strategies Institute.