This illustration represents a joyful future for all black people. A lot has been said about black joy being used as a way to resist oppression in the current era. While this is true, I feel that we as a people position our joy in opposition to oppression too often. Our joy in and of itself is worthwhile, it does not always have to be as a statement of resistance to oppressors. We as a collective black community exist independent of those who are trying to belittle us.

I chose to focus on the motif of optimistic space travel because that removes us as Black people from the context of earth and the oppressors on it. This space travel theme positions us and our joy as the centre piece within the context of exploring the stars. In focusing on the space travel motif, I am tapping into the joyous optimistic feeling that humanity collectively had during the era of human led space exploration. New worlds and frontiers to explore is an inherently exciting venture. Children of all races grow up wanting to be astronauts and in referencing space travel, I have harnessed that childlike sense of joy and wonder.  

I chose to represent the astronauts in my illustration as a Black Man and Woman. In choosing to explore the stars on behalf of humanity this illustration depicts a joyful future not just for us as Black people but for the entire human race. In this instance, black joy is manifesting as a uniting force for humanity writ large through the frontier of space.