What is Afro-Existentialism?
It is a philosophy created by co-host and community psychologist, Blaine Teamer. It is based on his reaction to certain elements of existentialism. An influential philosophy that declares each person is a free and responsible agent determining their development through acts of the will. Teamer disagreed with the notion that “acts of will” are the sole determining factor in a person’s development and re-examined the philosophy through the filter of marginalized populations. Afro- Existentialism consists of three basic points:
1. "Free will" alone is not the sole determining factor in a person's development. Factor in known and hidden biases.
2. Biases have always existed against the disenfranchised. No further evidence or explanation is required for the privileged.
3. Strategize your life with this evidence in mind to avoid getting stuck in the cycle of rage.
An Afro-Existential Crisis can be triggered by a significant event. The event provokes introspection about your level of awareness. It is the uncomfortable feeling of having the awareness and having to decide to ignore the reality that caused your trauma or accept the reality of Afro-Existentialism figuring out how to strategize your life accordingly. It is choosing to stay "woke" or going back to sleep.
