#building black civilizations

[cerealdigitalgallery]

Asamando by Ekow Nimako, from his solo exhibition “Building Black Civilizations: Journey of 2,000 Ships”

Glenbow Museum, Mohkinstis, Canada

April 2024

[searchfactory]

Ekow Nimako / Building Black Civilizations / Journey of 2000 Ships / Exhibition / 2022

[solarpunkpolliwog]

Do you have any recommended books for solarpunks?

Hi oh my goodness I'm sorry I didn't notice this at all, I've never gotten an ask before haha 😅

But regardless, hello!!! I'll admit that I have more thorough recommendations for video essayists than books. I've been living in an impoverished state for the past 6 years or so, so books have had to be a lower priority and youtube is free* 🥲That being said, you caught me at a good time cus a month ago I finally got some of the books I've been meaning to buy! So below I'll share some videos and creators I'd recommend, the books I put a priority on buying, why they were a priority, and my thoughts so far!

My values & ethics in the Solar Punk community

For me, being a part of the solar punk community means being very dedicated to mutual aid, the right to the city, and environmental justice. I can talk more about those concepts in future posts if you're interested in learning more about them!

But one of the risks of identifying with the solar punk movement is the trap falls of aesthetics like cottage core- As an individual, it's possible to get sucked into the aesthetic of things, and to focus on easier concepts like valuing environmentalism and still not address systemic racism, or your own internalized biases. One line that I read from a blog on The Years Project had a line that did a nice job of discussing this as a concept.

"[It's not] news that [environmental] movements have intentionally marginalized Black, Indigenous and Latinx communities in particular—though white environmentalists often deny this truth. After all, it took two months of national protests after George Floyd’s murder for the Sierra Club to finally even acknowledge the anti-Black and Indigenous racism engraved into the Club’s history and its founders."

So in finding resources likes books or videos to learn from, the biggest importance for me is dedicatedly learning about as many facets as I can, and not just focusing on the environment. The planet is important, but humans are complicated and I place a lot of importance on finding out about different cultures, their relationship to the planet, and how colonization and capitalism impacts that.

1. Books I Recommend

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

This has been the biggest book for me this year- It perfectly matches my philosophies on human relationships to the planet, focusing on the dichotomy of the author's experiences as an indigenous woman learning from her people, and the experiences around colonizers learning about scientific approaches to nature. This matches some of my experiences in different ways, and getting to learn more about the world, and be inspired to connect with my ancestral heritage. I can't recommend enough. I'll make sure to update more about reading this book later too!

Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next) by Dean Spade [FREE PDF]

This is a book I've just started, but already has given good vibes. I prefer books that speak as plainly as possible, and this one fits the bill for giving information and practical advice for mutual aid work. I'm only in the first third of the book, but so far I've been really appreciating learning about the history of mutual aid movements, and how the government the ballooning of the non-profit sector has impacted those movements, especially those led by minority groups trying to rise against our government. It has been really awesome so far!

Books I Haven't Read But Are On My List:

Racism without Racists by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva [FREE PDF]

Social Justice For the Sensitive Soul: How To Change the World In Quiet Ways by Dorcas Cheng-Tozun

Resistencia: Poems of Protest and Revolution by Red Poppy

The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water by Charles Fishmen

Build It And They Will Come: A Guide To Architecting Intentional Community by Cat Lantigua

2. Video Essayists I Recommend

Andrewism

I think the most influential person to me in my journey is Andrewism. He does a lot of videos on socialist/anarchist concepts, including mutual aid, third places, and direct action. While I have some differences in viewpoint than him, his videos have primarily served as a way for me to learn new concepts and challenge my existing thought structures, with a number of them giving good starter guides to direct action. If you decide to check him out, I'd recommend these videos!

How To Build a Solarpunk City

Solarpunk is Not Enough

How We Can Make Solarpunk A Reality

How We Can Spread Our Ideas

Not Just Bikes

Why City Design Is Important (and why I hate Houston)

Not Just Bikes is a channel that talks about Urban Development and examples of amazing urban design compared to the United States and Canada. For Solarpunk topics, this is a fabulous one since many of the dreams of Solarpunk ideology comes from the idea of connection with people, the planet, and technology in ways that are productive and kind rather than at odds with each other. Good urban design lends itself to that connection: Of people being able to walk and gather, of not needing to rely on cars, and being able to help one another because we are in common spaces rather than isolated through single family housing and a car-driven society that has to deal with inefficient sprawl. I'd highly recommend these vides for learning more about what cities and suburbs can look like!

One note and critique is that Not Just Bikes does have a series on Strong Towns, which as an organization has some compelling points and arguments, but does have a background in right leaning conservative thought processes. You can read one of the critiques I found here. For me, even the Strong Towns series still a good exercise in getting started learning about urban design, and getting used to direct action, and they also have plenty of other videos outside of Strong Towns!

Car-Free Streets Are Amazing and We Need More of Them

Traffic Calming is everywhere in the Netherlands

Shelbizleee

I'm usually very hesitant to recommend "eco friendly" youtubers since it often falls into greenwashing, which is a tactic to make things sound like they're environmentally sustainable. But I've followed Shelbizleee for many years and they've consistently done a good job with educating about doing research into what companies you "vote" for, and tips for reducing hyper-consumption and waste. She does tend to focus on social media trends and some amount of click-baity titles as a framing device to educate, which is no longer my cup of tea, but it's a great starting place for things you can do in your life to decrease your personal impact to the environment and living things!

How To Tell If A Brand Is ACTUALLY Sustainable

How Our Recycling System Went From Broken To Shattered

How You're Funding Climate Change Without Knowing

F.D. Signifier

F.D Signifier is absolutely incredible. His channel focuses on black experiences and black masculinity, and he does a fantastic job with exploring different aspects of U.S. cultural issues. Listening to the thoughts of different BIPOC folks is a great exercise in exploring how every cultural group is impacted by capitalism and colonization. Some starter videos I'd recommend by F.D. is his videos

Bo Burnham's Inside and 'White Liberal Performative Art'

Micro-Aggressions of the Online Left

The Problem with Black Cops

Black Boys Aren't Safe

Khadija Mbowe

Khadija's focus is on pop culture landscapes and how that intertwines with how people act and view themselves and the world around them. I have a special interest in emotional wellbeing and introspection, and they do a great job delving into interpersonal and emotional wellbeing while challenging the patriarchy and capitalism. If you decide to check them out I'd recommend their videos

Critical Race Theory (a beginner's beginner guide)

Are "black girls less innocent" Adultification explained

The Media and 'Missing White Woman Syndrome'

Jessie Gender

Jessie Gender is someone I appreciate for the mix of nerdy and social issues in her channel, but may not be everyone's cup of tea! She does a lot of longer format videos on Star Trek, Transgender, Autistic, and anti-fascist topics. It has been helpful for me to choose when I'm encountering transphobic news topics, and gain information that has helped me with reducing my own internal transphobic biases towards myself, which was a huge win for my self esteem~ If you're into those things, here are some starter videos I'd recommend!

Earthsea & The Magical Power of True Names

Trans Protests Show How to Fight Fascists

How Transphobes Weaponize Burnout Against Neurodivergent Trans People

3. Other Video Recs

The Tragic Optimist's Guide To Surviving Capitalistic Nihilism by Dasia Sade

Third Place vs. Right to the City by Radical Planning

Why don't companies want you to repair your stuff? by TedEd

Pay-what-you can tool library saves residents millions in rentals and purchases in first 4 years by Localish

Fixing what's broken: How Repair Cafés can help reduce waste by Maine Public

Edits:

Corrected pronouns for Khadija Mbowe, my bad 😖

[bookishfeylin]

I know you don't usually do these kinds of posts, but you're probably one of the most implicated in black history month people that I follow so I wanted to ask you, as I already value your opinions in Acotar, what do you think of the documentary where actual historians claim Cleopatra was a black woman? Lately, this has been a pretty active topic on my fyp on TikTok, and I wanted to know a black woman's perspective on this.

Thank you in advance, and if you usually don't answer these questions or don't want to answer this one, I'll totally understand, and there's no problem at all.

I didn’t know there was a new documentary out, but when I saw the name Cleopatra I automatically sighed because I knew what was coming. This is a subject a know a little 🤏🏾 about, actually, because I researched it a bit myself in my last year of high school (and stopped because of the uh. NASTINESS associated with this particular subject) and though it’s been a few years I remembered some main, basic things, and I wanted to check a few things first.

At best, in the most CHARITABLE interpretation as far as I in my limited knowledge can tell, it would be correct to say that’s it’s POSSIBLE that she MAY have been mixed Black because, though she was part of the GREEK Ptolemaic dynasty that ruled Egypt (Ptolemy being one of Alexander the Great’s generals who got the Egyptian portion of his empire after Alexander died), that’s on her fathers side; her mother’s exact ethnicity isn’t known. Not that this won’t stop the hoteps from running off and claiming her and all of ancient Egypt as Black though So some have ***speculated*** that her mother—and thus Cleopatra—may have potentially been part Egyptian (and that goes into the issue of deciding that the “Egyptian” in this instance had to have been Black rather than MENA but that’s again a whole other can of worms). BUT it’s more likely that her mother was Greek due to the uh, PRACTICE™️ of inbreeding and it not being common for the dynasty to marry Egyptians. So it’s more probable that she was fully Greek/Macedonian and not part Egyptian, much less part Black. (Also some historians speculate she may have had Persian blood? I guess? Again it’s a can of worms, not something i’m digging deep into because of the nastiness that you often stumble across) Unless there’s a new study confirming her mother’s identity or something that I missed, it’s simply incorrect to claim that Cleopatra was undeniably Black, because though it is ***possible*** she most likely ***wasn’t.***

But this topic really upsets me, because there are LEGITIMATE Black kingdoms and empires who were mighty and well developed and powerful like the Aksumite empire and kingdoms of Kongo and Loango and the Great Zimbabwe empire and the empires of Ghana and Mali and Songhay and the Ashanti kingdom and the WHOLE SWAHILI COAST THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE INDIAN OCEAN TRADE ROUTE and they had their own great rulers, their own kings and queens and emperors and empresses, their palaces and castles, their own cities and towns, their own complex civilizations and dynastic royal families that deserve the attention Cleopatra and ancient Egypt get. They were erased—and Egypt was not—by white people to prop themselves up as the only race capable of forming civilizations and advanced societies as a means of justifying colonization and imperialism to “civilize” the rest of the world and as a result many of those other empires have been erased from our education system here in the states and many people cling to ancient Egypt as proof that we’re not inferior and aren’t savages like white people claim due to believing that since Egypt’s in Africa it had to have been mostly Black when Egypt, and the Ptolemaic dynasty and Cleopatra in PARTICULAR, are literally the worst example that could’ve been chosen and were the only African kingdom spared erasure FOR A REASON.

Anyway, I don’t like it, it’s disingenuous and does US wrong because we need to give that energy to other African kingdoms that need and could use the fame Egypt + Cleopatra get, and we deserve a better education system to teach us this stuff. I hope this answers your question? And I don’t mind any kinds of asks 🥰

[orange-photoproject]

1, 2 CZY 3? Nie mogłem się zdecydować 😅

[zouisalmightie]

we took our kids to the museum of tolerance and they got racially profiled by the tour guide and got kicked out. i feel like i was in a bad snl skit.

[pinksheepheart]

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[jaylee202-blog]

From Slave to Millionaire. The Alonzo Herndon Story

[sirtbhopal]

जानिये काली मिट्टी पर Crack free घर कैसे बनाएंगे | Explained by Prof. Surbhi Awasthi from SIRT

[kolkena]

Scenes from Selma, Alabama.

[arctic-hands]

[Image Description: initial tweet by Ana Kasparian, @ AnaKasparian. It's dated July fifth, Twenty twenty-three and says "The Civil Rights Movement did not use the same strategies as the trans movement. They didn't barricade speakers they disagreed with in a classroom for three hours. They persuaded through non-violence and showing America their humanity." In reply, Stop Cop City, @ JoshuaPHill tweets "When people say shit like this you know exactly where they would've stood during the civil rights movement". End I.D.]

[jcmarchi]

MIT Leads the Way in AI-Driven Warehouse Efficiency

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/mit-leads-the-way-in-ai-driven-warehouse-efficiency/

MIT Leads the Way in AI-Driven Warehouse Efficiency

In an era increasingly defined by automation and efficiency, robotics has become a cornerstone of warehouse operations across various sectors, ranging from e-commerce to automotive production. The vision of hundreds of robots swiftly navigating colossal warehouse floors, fetching and transporting items for packing and shipping, is no longer just a futuristic fantasy but a present-day reality. However, this robotic revolution brings its own set of challenges.

At the heart of these challenges is the intricate task of managing an army of robots – often numbering in the hundreds – within the confines of a warehouse environment. The primary obstacle is ensuring that these autonomous agents efficiently reach their destinations without interference. Given the complexity and dynamism of warehouse activities, traditional path-finding algorithms often fall short. The difficulty is akin to orchestrating a symphony of movements where each robot, much like an individual musician, must perform in harmony with others to avoid operational cacophony. The rapid pace of activities in sectors like e-commerce and manufacturing adds another layer of complexity, demanding solutions that are not only effective but also expeditious.

This scenario sets the stage for innovative solutions capable of addressing the multifaceted nature of robotic warehouse management. As we will explore in the next sections, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have stepped into this arena with a groundbreaking approach, leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to transform the efficiency and effectiveness of warehouse robotics.

MIT’s Innovative AI Solution for Robot Congestion

A team of MIT researchers, applying principles from their work on AI-driven traffic congestion solutions, developed a deep-learning model tailored to the complexities of warehouse operations. This model represents a significant leap forward in robotic path planning and management.

Central to their approach is a sophisticated neural network architecture designed to encode and process a wealth of information about the warehouse environment. This includes the positioning and planned routes of the robots, their designated tasks, and potential obstacles. The AI system uses this rich dataset to predict the most effective strategies for alleviating congestion, thus enhancing the overall efficiency of warehouse operations.

What sets this model apart is its focus on dividing the robots into manageable groups. Instead of attempting to direct each robot individually, the system identifies smaller clusters of robots and applies traditional algorithms to optimize their movements. This method dramatically accelerates the decongestion process, reportedly achieving speeds nearly four times faster than conventional random search methods.

The deep learning model’s ability to group robots and efficiently reroute them showcases a notable advancement in the realm of real-time operational decision-making. As Cathy Wu, the Gilbert W. Winslow Career Development Assistant Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at MIT and a key member of this research initiative, points out, their neural network architecture is not just theoretically sound but practically suited for the scale and complexity of modern warehouses.

“We devised a new neural network architecture that is actually suitable for real-time operations at the scale and complexity of these warehouses. It can encode hundreds of robots in terms of their trajectories, origins, destinations, and relationships with other robots, and it can do this in an efficient manner that reuses computation across groups of robots,” says Wu.

Operational Advancements and Efficiency Gains

The implementation of MIT’s AI-driven approach in warehouse robotics marks a transformative step in operational efficiency and effectiveness. The model, by focusing on smaller groups of robots, streamlines the process of managing and rerouting robotic movements within a bustling warehouse environment. This methodological shift has led to substantial improvements in handling robot congestion, a perennial challenge in warehouse management.

One of the most striking outcomes of this approach is the marked increase in decongestion speed. By applying the AI model, warehouses can decongest robotic traffic nearly four times faster compared to traditional random search methods. This leap in efficiency is not just a numerical triumph but a practical enhancement that directly translates into faster order processing, reduced downtime, and an overall uptick in productivity.

Moreover, this innovative solution has wider implications beyond just operational speed. It ensures a more harmonious and less collision-prone environment for the robots. The ability of the AI system to dynamically adapt to changing scenarios within the warehouse, rerouting robots and recalculating paths as needed, is indicative of a significant advancement in autonomous robotic management.

These efficiency gains are not just confined to the theoretical realm but have shown promising results in various simulated environments, including typical warehouse settings and more complex, maze-like structures. The flexibility and robustness of this AI model demonstrate its potential applicability in a range of settings that go beyond traditional warehouse layouts.

This section underscores the tangible benefits of MIT’s AI solution in enhancing warehouse operations, setting a new benchmark in the field of robotic management.

Broader Applications and Future Directions

Expanding beyond the realm of warehouse logistics, the implications of MIT’s AI-driven approach in robotic management are far-reaching. The core principles and techniques developed by the research team hold the potential to revolutionize a variety of complex planning tasks. For instance, in fields like computer chip design or the routing of pipes in large building projects, the challenges of efficiently managing space and avoiding conflicts are analogous to those in warehouse robotics. The application of this AI model in such scenarios could lead to significant improvements in design efficiency and operational effectiveness.

Looking to the future, there is a promising avenue in deriving simpler, rule-based insights from the neural network model. The current state of AI solutions, while powerful, often operates as a “black box,” making the decision-making process opaque. Simplifying the neural network’s decisions into more transparent, rule-based strategies could facilitate easier implementation and maintenance in real-world settings, especially in industries where understanding the logic behind AI decisions is crucial.

The research team’s aspiration to enhance the interpretability of AI decisions aligns with a broader trend in the field: the pursuit of AI systems that are not only powerful and efficient but also understandable and accountable. As AI continues to permeate various sectors, the demand for such transparent systems is expected to grow.

The groundbreaking work of the MIT team, supported by collaborations with entities like Amazon and the MIT Amazon Science Hub, showcases the ongoing evolution of AI in solving complex real-world problems. It underscores a future where AI’s role is not limited to performing tasks but extends to optimizing and revolutionizing how industries operate.

With these advancements and future possibilities, we stand on the cusp of a new era in robotics and AI applications, one marked by efficiency, scalability, and a deeper integration of AI into the fabric of industrial operations.

You can find the team’s research paper on the technique here.

[hurtspideyparker]

In a timeline where Civil War didn't end in divorce and everyone lives in the compound:

Steve, walking into the living room: Don't worry Buck I think you'll really fit in around here. Everyone is super nice

Peter: Oh my god you're living here too?! Can I please look at your arm? Please please please please please-

Bucky: *turns around and leaves*

-

Clint: So... wanna test if your spider-sense defeats my perfect aim?

Peter: Oh my god do I ever

Tony & Steve: NO.

-

Peter: Hi. Big fan. Y'know we're like a spider duo. Crime fighting spiders. Arachnid pals

Natasha, staring blankly:

Peter: Web friends? SPY-ders?

Natasha:

Peter: Spinneret associates?

Natasha: Leave.

Peter: Yes okay sorry ma'am

-

During a meal:

Bucky: *glaring at Sam*

Sam: Ay Rogers come get your dog

Steve: Bucky, leave it

Bucky: *glares down at soup instead*

-

Peter: Mr. Rogers could you help me with my homework?

Tony: What the hell kid, I'm right here

Bruce: I have... so many degrees

Steve: Hey I know a thing or two myself. Sure Queens, what do you got?

Peter: Great! I'm just gonna ask some questions for my essay. What would you say the role of war propaganda was in your decision to enroll in the military? Was being poor a factor? Actually, how was the Great Depression for you?

Steve: Less depressing than this conversation.

-

Steve: Take a jacket, it's chilly

Wanda: Okay thanks dad

Steve:

Wanda:

Peter: Ha! That's so embarrassing, it's like calling your teacher dad

Wanda: Shut up Peter, you call Tony dad all the time

Peter: Yeah but I do it on purpose so it's not embarrassing. I'm very open about my daddy issues

-

Tony: I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth

Steve:

Tony: Looking at me with your angelic blue eyes, like a freak

Steve:

Tony: Stupid Dorito ass build. Making me wanna take a bite

Steve: I feel harassed but I'm not sure what kind

-

Natasha: Hey bird brain!

Clint and Sam both turn:

Natasha: Hm, that's a problem. You have thirty seconds to decide who gets bird brain. The other will be feather head

Clint and Sam: *start arguing*

Tony: I can't believe they're fighting to be called an insult

Steve: She has that effect on people

Peter: Aw man, I wish the Black Widow gave me a nickname :(

-

Peter: Hey old man

Bucky:

Peter: I'M SO SORRY SIR MR. WILSON MADE ME DO IT PLEASE DONT KILL ME

Sam: *cackling in the background*

Bucky: *stands up and turns to Sam*

Sam: Oh shit- kid you're not getting the money if you're gonna snitch!

Peter: That's okay, I'd like to think my life is worth more than twenty bucks

-

Bucky: I need your... help

Tony: Sure, what's up?

Bucky: *glances back at Steve who stands in the doorway and nods approvingly*

Bucky: Arm.

Tony: Ok... this conversation is killing you isn't it?

Bucky:

Tony: Say please

Bucky: Nope can't do it-

Steve: Do I need to get out the get-along shirt?

*Bucky and Tony share a look of alarm*

Bucky: Please fix my arm

Tony: Yep of course no problem buddy

-

Read Part 2 and Part 3

[crunchy--milk]

i read Being Heumann a few years ago and seeing how glossed over disability milestones such as the sit in for section 504 are so incredibly glossed over is so frustrating

[skelet-bone]

in my humble opinion, minecraft has plenty of material to make a movie out of, it just has to be an artistic movie that is damn near silent all the time. also animated

like imagine a man wakes up alone not remembering who he is, he’s scared but ultimately finds a way to live, getting a dog, building a farm etc. one day while exploring he finds that he’s not the only person alive, he finds alex who’s been living with villagers.

imagine the movie deals with themes of mortality and immortality and being higher level beings. why are steve and alex different from villagers and pillagers? why are there lost civilizations? and what’s with the other dimensions? who were these old beings? are they one of them?

it could be a beautiful movie about purpose and how to live. especially with that end poem. the take away is you make you’re own meaning. or something like that

but no. we have jack black building blocks and shit.

[comicchannel]

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