Chicanafuturism

Chicanafuturism proposes to disrupt preconceived notions put forward in mainstream science-fiction that the future should be a place devoid of gender and racial diversity.

The term 'Chicano' primarily held a negative connotation prior to the Chicano Movement until it was reclaimed as an identity of solidarity and pride in their Mexican American heritage.

[8] This can be seen in the term itself which uses the feminine ending of the word Chicana rather than the masculine Chicano, thus creating space for the experiences of women and people who are not cisgender men to be centered in speculative art forms.

[16] Chicanafuturism takes influence from Afrofuturism, which creates speculative fiction art forms through the lens of people of African descent living in the United States.

[17] Afrofuturism addresses themes and concerns of the African diaspora through technoculture and science fiction, with a shared interest in envisioning black futures stemming from Afrodiasporic experiences.

[18] “Chicanafuturism articulates colonial and postcolonial histories of indigenismo, mestizaje, hegemony, and survival”[3] similarly to how Afrofuturism utilizes science fiction themes such as abduction, alienation, slavery, and displacement to reflect the experience of the African diaspora.

Her book Parable of the Sower depicts the struggle of a community in the collapse of 21st century America, with the perspective of a young girl of African American descent.

The book comments on socio-political issues present in modern-day by highlighting challenges to survival due to poor environmental stewardship, corporate greed, and the growing wealth gap.

This book, like many of her others, proposes alternate philosophical views and religious interventions as solutions to such possible dilemmas in the context of female empowerment and African American cultural stances.

The feminist nature of Octavia Butler's Afrofuturist novels inspired Ramírez to utilize similar theories for other minority groups such as Latinx/o/as, Spanish-speaking Americans, and Chicanas.