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The Lesson of Trees

 

Years ago, I wrote a story called "The Lynching". In American history, lynchings were mostly associated with the public execution of black men, usually on a Sunday afternoon in a picnic setting. White families would gather, drink lemonade, and gleefully celebrate the killing of a human being because he may have walked on the wrong side of the street.

My story is different. One Hundred white men are hanging from a tree. An African sorceress uses her powers to get revenge and teach a lesson to a Black writer during his journey in the deep South.

How will AI Affect Medical Education In Africa?

Black Doctors and AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds significant promise for transforming healthcare and has the potential to revolutionize medical education in Africa. Let’s delve into the impact of AI on medical education in the African context:

1. Global Situation and Effects:

   • A systematic review highlights that AI can be applied at different stages of medical education:
     • Teaching Implementation: AI can enhance teaching methods by providing real-time feedback and personalized learning experiences.
     • Teaching Evaluation: AI can accurately assess student performance, aiding in objective evaluations.
     • Teaching Feedback: AI-driven feedback can guide improvements in teaching quality.
   • Challenges include improving AI performance, verifying effectiveness, and addressing data sample limitations
     
     

2. Why AI Matters for African Medical Education:

   • Complex Healthcare Needs: Africa faces unique healthcare challenges due to epidemiologic and demographic transitions. Well-trained doctors are essential to address these needs.
   • Soft Skills Development: Traditional pedagogies often focus on hard skills (knowledge and clinical acumen). AI can complement this by fostering soft skills like communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and lifelong learning
     
     

3. Team-Based Learning (TBL):

   • TBL offers a robust alternative for holistic medical education in Africa.
   • Advantages of TBL include increased learner enthusiasm, creativity, accountability, peer mentorship, deep learning, and better knowledge retention.
   • Challenges during initial implementation need to be addressed
     
     

4. Financial Constraints and Resource Challenges:

   • Limited educational infrastructure and chronic resource constraints affect medical education in Africa.
   • Increased student enrollments and faculty shortages pose barriers to active-learning strategies.
   • TBL, being cost-effective, can mitigate some of these challenges
     
     

5. Balancing AI and Teacher-Led Teaching:

   • Medical educators should strike a balance between AI-driven approaches and traditional teaching methods.
   • Students need to think independently and critically, even as AI assists their learning journey.
   • Interdisciplinary research teams can ensure AI’s applicability in medical education.

In summary, AI has the potential to bridge gaps in medical education, enhance learning outcomes, and prepare Africa’s fit-for-purpose doctors. By embracing AI strategically, medical schools can better equip future healthcare professionals to meet the continent’s evolving needs.

Ask ChatGPT About Black Sci-Fi

ChatGPT is an incredible artificial intelligence program that answers your questions. The software is free to use. Go to:  https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

I asked ChatGPT to provide me with keywords and concepts that best describe African-American Science Fiction. Within seconds, I received a response. The AI spoke in a soft female voice, saying the following:

__________________

African American science fiction can be described with several keywords that capture its unique themes, perspectives, and cultural influences. Some of these keywords include:

1. Afrofuturism: A cultural aesthetic that combines elements of African diaspora history, science fiction, fantasy, and technology to explore themes of race, identity, and social justice in futuristic or alternate realities.

2. Identity: Exploration of racial identity, cultural heritage, and the intersectionality of various identities within the context of speculative fiction settings.

3. Social commentary: Critique and examination of contemporary societal issues, including racism, systemic oppression, colonialism, and cultural resilience, through the lens of speculative fiction.

4. History and mythology: Incorporation of African and African American history, folklore, and mythology into science fiction narratives to create rich and diverse storytelling landscapes.

5. Speculative futures: Imagining alternative futures for African diaspora communities, envisioning utopian or dystopian societies, and exploring the impact of technology and science on marginalized groups.

6. Resistance and empowerment: Themes of resistance, resilience, and empowerment in the face of oppression and adversity, often featuring protagonists who challenge existing power structures and forge paths of liberation.

7. Diasporic connections: Exploration of connections between African diaspora communities across the globe, highlighting shared experiences, cultural exchanges, and collective struggles.

8. Hybridity: Embracing hybridity and cultural fusion, blending elements of science fiction with various cultural traditions, languages, and artistic expressions to create innovative storytelling forms.

9. Intersectionality: Representation of diverse experiences and perspectives within African American communities, including gender, sexuality, class, and ability, and their intersection with issues of race and identity.

10. Futuristic aesthetics: Visual and stylistic elements that reflect an Afrocentric vision of the future, incorporating vibrant colors, futuristic fashion, and innovative design inspired by African and African American cultures.

These keywords provide a glimpse into the rich and multifaceted world of African American science fiction, which continues to evolve and expand with each new generation of writers and artists.

Using AI to get Hip with the Tech

 AI or Artificial Intelligence is not new; although AI's latest applications/uses are almost magical. The genie is out of the bottle. Black folks need to be aware and willing to take advantage of AI as well as know its dangers to our freedoms. 

The image above was created using an AI drawing program called Wonder AI. It is very easy to use and assists us in expressing our thoughts in new, educational, and entertaining ways. It is important to remember that humans will always be superior to AI. AI is merely a tool that we master. Using AI, anyone can create impressive images, music, videos, books, and research. 

AI also has its drawbacks. For instance, artists and writers have complained that AI steals their work and represents it without compensation to the human creator. Also, there are privacy issues. No one wants to be tracked by computer. Law enforcement has erroneously used AI to arrest the wrong people. 

So, get with the program. Many AI applications are free to use and require no knowledge of computer programming. Only your creativity and imagination are required.

The Architects of AFROFuturism

 

Black Santa's Helpers?

Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UFOs/flying saucers) could impact Africa as the world acknowledges the existence of other celestial intelligence visiting Earth during the 2023 holiday season.

We may need more parking spaces where we shop. 

 

Get Ready for AFROCentric Social Media Explosion

Explosion may be overstating but not by much. There is excitement and momentum building that we should pay critical attention to.

People of Color are not strangers to the technology of social media. We have been involved with the tech since the first newsgroups went online at 300 baud and dial-up modems. Social media platforms are the hot new tech. There are many options. AFRO developers are challenging the failing "X" (formerly known as Twitter, and the anemic Facebook). New Social Media platforms are being promoted.

Vote with Social Media. Spread your message via Social Media. Revolutions have been spread via Social Media. Now, Black people have a choice in their Social Media. This is important.

Join me on The Backroom.

Last Note:

If anyone claims that they are "old school" and aren't familiar with current Social Media, web conferencing (Zoom), chat, streaming or email apps, remind them that this is not new tech. It has been around for decades and is available to anyone willing to take advantage of useful apps that are important in our lives. No advanced expertise is needed, only a willingness to learn and adapt.

AFROFuturist Poetry: The Cold War Poem #1

 

They say,

 

nuclear politics,

like drool from a rabid dog,

is safe when kept at bay;

 

They say,

 

reinforced concrete

and chains of command

isolate the mindless rage;

 

They say,

 

they won’t be the first

to lift the latch

set the gears to grind and lurch;

 

and They say,

 

even if suddenly it leaps unleashed,

the dripping jaws will viciously clamp

on all bare flesh no less

-- sbattle

 Revenge of the Waters

A Lake Swallows a Prosperous Black Town Because . . . White People Were Afraid

Artifacts of African's smiles, tears, and achievements were drowned and covered over by deep river water.  The bones of churches, banks, and schools lay scattered on the muddy bottom. Ripples remained and propogated. And, so, did revenge. 

The lake is dangerous to swim in. Currents, gators, thick snakes and demonic predators rise from the depths to snatch victims. 

On muddy shores were footprints of monstrous size, bone shards, jagged tooth fragments and long bloody smears over the swamp grass. Not a safe place to be at night, alone.

In the next installment of the AFROFuturist Bible, we explore the revenge of African Mermaids when one of their princesses is captured.

 

What's Next for AFROFuturism?

Peer into the near future. What are the prospects for Black people? What should we prepare for?  

AFROFuturism is gaining more traction in the mainstream. People talk about it. However, few individuals can clearly define it. It is more than catchy pop tunes or Black Panther's Wakanda. 

Octavia Butler most likely never used the term, yet, her writings -- especially the "Parable" books -- are definitely AFROFuturistic. Historically, there have been AFROFuturists who never would have considered themselves to be AFROFuturists. The word didn't exist. But the concept did. It has changed our lives for the better. (See my Architects of AFROFuturism post.)

What's next for AFROFuturism?

Africans have always been advanced technological people. Africans built stone structures that remain to be the greatest marvels in all of human history. 

Music, art, dance, movies, and editorial are all part of AFROFuturism. The next phase is tech. AFROFuturism will embrace, expand and exploit new technologies to better our world. 

More on that in future posts.