Ytasha L. Womack is an award-winning author, filmmaker, narrative experience designer, independent scholar, and dance therapist. She is a leading expert on Afrofuturism along with imaginative creative practices and lectures on the imagination and its applications across the world. Her book Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci Fi and Fantasy Culture (Chicago Review Press) is the leading primer on the subject and is taught in colleges and universities. Afrofuturism is also a Locus Awards Nonfiction Finalist and inspired the Afrofuturism themed restaurant Bronze in Washington D.C. Her book The Afrofuturist Evolution: Creative Paths to Self Discovery (2025) continues the space, time, and self exploration. She was featured in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture’s Afrofuturism exhibit running through February 24. She is also featured in the Smithsonian’s documentary Afrofuturism: An Origin Story. She was a co-curator for Carnegie Hall’s 2022 Afrofuturism Festival, a national event which includes music showcases, dance, workshops, and panels. She is an inaugural resident with Black Rock Senegal helmed by celebrated artist Kehinde Wiley, was a creative in residence with Kickstarter Spring 2019, a writer-in-residence with Emerson College in Boston Fall/Spring 2018-2019, and a Writer with Writers on the Wall (WOW) in Liverpool, England. Her zine Liquid, an exploration of oceans and rhythm, was part of the Black Rock Senegal exhibition at the Dakar Biennial in 2022. The work was featured in Vogue. Ytasha was honored among DesignHub’s 40 Under 40 designers for social good and innovation, a Filmmaker to Watch in The Chicago Tribune, and identified as a thought leader in design in The Black Experience in Design.
A Chicago-native, Ytasha has several books slated for upcoming release. Black Moon Ritual, a graphic novella with Alitha Martinez (AWA/FUTURIFIC, February 2026), Spider-Man Miles Morales- An Exploration, (Marvel Age in Comics Series, Bloomsbury June 2026) and Blak Kube (Megascope), with Tanna Tucker, debuts in 2026. She also wrote the award winning Afrofuturist themed skyshow animation, Niyah and the Multiverse with Tayler Witten for The Adler Planetarium.
A prolific writer, her other works include Black Panther: A Cultural Exploration (Becker & Meyer),the Rayla Universe including Rayla 2212, Rayla 2213, Eartha 2198. The Rayla Universe was also recreated as an immersive experience in a themed world of music, dance, and as an augmented reality game for the Adler Planetarium’s Afrofuturism nights in Feb 2019 and Feb 2020. She also created a live action role play experience with Rayla at the Chicago History Museum in partnership with the Carnegie Hall Afrofuturism Festival in 2023.
Ytasha began her career as a journalist covering arts, entertainment and business. She was guest editor for NV Magazine; a former editor-at-large for Upscale Magazine, a former columnist for the Chicago Defender, and a special guest on WVON Radio Chicago. Her work has appeared in Essence, VIBE, The Chicago Tribune, and more. A Chicago native, she has a B.A in Mass Media Arts from Clark Atlanta University and studied Arts, Entertainment and Media Management at Columbia College in Chicago. She has a Masters Certificate in Better Living, a study of Metaphysics and New Thought Philosophy from the Johnnie Colemon Institute.
