This year’s theme for Afrofuturism Week 2025, “Furious Joy,” draws inspiration from Alice Walker’s powerful phrase in her book Hard Times Require Furious Dancing. The theme embodies the idea of embracing joy as an act of resistance and resilience—a celebration of Black existence, creativity, and futurity in a world that has often challenged these. “Furious Joy” is more than happiness; it’s a fierce, determined joy that stands boldly in the face of adversity. It’s about defiance, about choosing joy as a transformative force, and about imagining and claiming spaces of freedom, dignity, and boundless creativity.
In the realm of Afrofuturism, “Furious Joy” acknowledges that within the collective struggles of the Black experience, there are rich spaces of laughter, vibrant creativity, and life-giving joy. This theme serves as both a declaration and a celebration of Black life, heritage, and the strength to shape one’s own narrative. It evokes images of vibrant colors, energetic art, and speculative stories, alongside designs that reclaim technology, spirituality, and identity.
Join us for a celebration Zora Neale Hurston and the written word as we share favorite passages from Their Eyes Were Watching God and related works. Have a favorite passage of your own that you would like to share? We welcome all members of the UF community to participate.
Join us for a in-person book discussion of Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. Need a copy of the book? Contact Jennifer Hofer at jennh@ufl.edu.
This event is free and open to the public.
As part of Afrofuturism Week 2025, Dr. Porchia Moore will lead a panel discussion on Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God.
In partnership with the Center for Arts, Migration, and Entrepreneurship. Co-sponsored by Dept. of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies.
Join us for a virtual book discussion of Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. Need a copy of the book? Contact Jennifer Hofer at jennh@ufl.edu.
Register for this event to receive the Zoom link. Registration is free and will remain open through the end of the event.
Visit the historic Smathers Library to learn about the archival collections at the University of Florida. Florence Turcotte, the Literary Manuscripts Archivist, will provide an introduction to UF's special collections and how members of the public can access the archives. Attendees will be able to see items from the Zora Neale Hurston Collection and learn about how her papers wound up at the University of Florida.
Missed the event? Contact our presenters for their slides and more information about the archives.
Florence Turcotte (floturc@uflib.ufl.edu)
Dr. Porchia Moore (pmoore@arts.ufl.edu)
Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God dealt with some of the most controversial topics of her day, including race and racism, sexual violence, sexual liberation, and women’s personal and economic independence. In this workshop, we’ll explore how to craft clear, effective prose on the controversial topics of our own time, with a focus on empowering participants to publish opinion pieces in leading publications.
This event is free and open to the public.
Join the University of Florida as we launch our National Endowment for the Arts Big Read program exploring Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God. This kick-off event will feature a discussion of Hurston, her work, and it's connection to our community. Hear from Dr. Porchia Moore, Dr. Jacque Micieli-Voutsinas, and Florence M. Turcotte as they highlight themes of the novel and preview upcoming events. Free copies of the book will be available (as supplies last).
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