Kheprw 2026 Translocal Afrofuturism Conference with BHIM

Kheprw 2026 is the Translocal Afrofuturism Conference, happening in Indianapolis on Friday, October 30. It's presented by the Kheprw Institute in partnership with Black Humanities in the Midwest (BHIM), whose programming works to keep Black humanities scholarship in the Midwest alive and in view.

This year's theme is Griot Futurisms, which takes its cue from the sacred technologies and cultural practices of the African Diaspora. The conference frames that through High Hoodoo, Hekatech, and the Sacred Technologies of the Diaspora. If you're not familiar with the term, a griot is a traditional West African storyteller, historian, and musician—the kind of figure who carries a community's memory. Griot Futurisms looks at those roles and practices from the diaspora and pushes them forward into the future, mixing ancestral knowledge with speculative and futuristic ideas.

It's a hybrid event, so you can join in person or tune in remotely. That makes it easy to fit in regardless of where you are in the city. The day is split into two sessions: one from 10 AM to 11:30 AM and another from 2:30 PM to 4 PM. You can catch one or both. Admission is free.