Universal Belonging, 2017

In Cultural Hybridity in the Americas by Josef Raab and Martin Butler, Raab and Martin propose that “there exist multiple forms of hybrid spaces that bring forth a polyphonic range of cultural practices still waiting to be explored.” In 2017, Prizm will present a global program examining and unpacking complexities inherent in transcultural dialogue and how Africa and its Diaspora preserve a sustainable dialogue with its identity relative to the dynamics present in the discursive transformation of cultures. To that end, Prizm will explore an array of narratives shaping the Diasporic experience in widespread geographies across the globe including Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, the Caribbean, Europe and the United States to reveal a contemporary discourse that addresses forces defined by an evolved assessment and understanding of the effects of colonialism, the cultural adaptations that have emerged as a byproduct of relocation and displacement and the prescription for an illuminated future. The result, we posit, is a trans-culturalism that supersedes the invasive forces of agendas that place limitations on the exchange of positive polyphonic cultural narratives which honor and support cultural differences whilst negotiating, and understanding the histories that have led to our current transcultural state.