3: Afrofuturist Evaluative Thinking: Reimagining Evidence Through Relationship

This presentation explores Afrofuturist evaluative thinking as a transformative approach that prioritizes responsibilities and relationships over traditional metrics. We integrate two theoretical frameworks: Sylvia Tamale's Afrofeminism and decolonization theory, which challenges power dynamics, and Octavia Butler's speculative science fiction tradition, which encourages radical reimagining of possibilities. The Afrofuturist Evaluative Framework, central to UBUNTU Research and Evaluation's praxis, comprises five iterative phases: Ground, Build, Gather, Share, and Use. UBUNTU's mission focuses on resisting anti-Blackness and building intellectual and political defenses for Black communities through education, facilitation, and evaluation. We suggest this framework has broad applicability across evaluation fields. Participants will engage with core concepts of Afrofuturist evaluative thinking, Afrofeminism, decolonization, and speculative fiction, exploring their interconnectivity and practical applications. Our roundtable aims to inspire innovative evaluation practices that honor diverse cultural narratives and promote collective well-being within our interconnected world.