Considering the unique, intersectional temporal experiences of Black women, femmes, and girls and their active erasure from the objective, linear future, the Black Womxn Temporal Portal is a temporary temporal sanctuary for self-identified Black women, trans women (included in women and womxn), femmes, non-binary (NB) people, gender non-conforming (GNC) people, and girls. The portal spans multiple mediums: it is a physical capsule/portal, an image in this lightbox, and a web-based toolkit of Black womanist temporal rituals and tech. The Portal challenges gender-essentialist, non-intersectional, and otherwise limited statements about what an objective, linear, singular, future is (e.g. "The Future is Female") that disinclude Black women, femmes, GNC, NB folks, and girls. The Black Womxn Temporal Portal recognizes the plurality, subjectivity, and quantum nature of the future(s) where Black women, femmes, girls, NB, and GNC people exist and are safe, loved, and valued.

Sharing an approach to Afrofuturism, quantum physics, and Afrodiasporic concepts of time with many of Black Quantum Futurism’s other projects, the Black Womxn Temporal Portal challenges notions of linear progress and an equal orientation to the “future,” to which we are said to be moving at a shared rate and pace. The project considers historical and present-day contexts of temporal inequalities connected to systemic racism that impact quality of life issues such as housing, employment, and parenting. It considers cultural and communal survival mechanisms and temporal techs that Black womxn have developed to combat temporal oppression—and reclaim their time.

Presented in this lightbox is an image of the IRL Black Womxn Temporal Portal, first activated at Painted Bride Arts Center in Philadelphia. The image also invites viewers to visit a web-based portal at blackwomxntemporal.net that shares access to an interactive toolkit of Black womanist temporal rituals and tech, and requests submissions of images, videos, songs, quotes, memories, or other temporal technologies that will ensure Black Quantum Womanist Futures.

For participants who identify as Black womxn and girls, the portal serves as a temporal sanctuary where they can reclaim their temporalities and alleviate linear-time oppression. For any participant, regardless of identity, the portal prompts consideration of how they are working toward reducing temporal inequalities, creating or ensuring futures where Black womxn and girls survive, thrive, and are happy, healthy, and celebrated.