Ytasha L. Womack
*Ytasha L. Womack's birth is celebrated on January 22, 1965. She is a Black writer, filmmaker, and cultural critic.
Womack was born and raised in Chicago. After graduating from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, Womack attended Clark Atlanta University, where she received a bachelor’s in mass media arts. Womack continued her education at Columbia College Chicago, where she studied Arts, Media, and Entertainment Management. She also holds a Metaphysics Studies (Better Living) certificate from the Johnnie Coleman Institute.
Her work contributes to discussions about race, technology, and the future, and she is an influential figure in contemporary cultural conversations. Womack blends storytelling with academic analysis to provide perspectives on how Black culture interacts with ideas of the future and technology. As a writer, she has published Beats, Rhymes and Life: What We Love & Hate About Hip Hop (2007) and Post Black: How a New Generation is Refining African American Identity (2010).
Womack is known for her book Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture (2013). The book is deemed an overview of Afrofuturism by community members, as it explores the intersection of science fiction, futurism, and culture. The book is also a 2014 Locus Awards Non-Fiction Finalist. She has also published Rayla 2212 (2014) and Black Panther: A Cultural Exploration (2023). In addition to being an author, Womack has contributed to the film, showcasing various short films at festivals. She is also a frequent speaker and educator, lecturing at universities on Afrofuturism, speculative fiction, and cultural studies.
Her works include Tupac: Before I Wake, a documentary, Co-producer, 2001. Love Shorts, drama, Producer and writer, 2004. The Engagement: My Phamily BBQ 2, Comedy, Director, 2006. A Love Letter to the Ancestors from Chicago, Afrofuturist dance film, Director, 2017. Couples Night, romantic comedy, Screenwriter, 2018. Womack’s work combines writing, film, and cultural analysis. This has made her a well-known voice in Afrofuturism.
