AfriKin Talks: Ethical Practices in the Arts

As the global art world converges on Miami, AfriKin Talks 2025 offers a vital counterpoint—an urgent and values-driven conversation on conscience, culture, and community. This year’s roundtable, Ethical Practices in the Arts, convenes artists, curators, cultural scholars, and creative entrepreneurs to address the pressing ethical challenges shaping the future of African and African Diaspora art.

At a moment when the market faces scrutiny over extractive practices, performative DEI initiatives, and the erasure of cultural memory, AfriKin Talks creates a rare forum for intellectual rigor and moral clarity. It is here that thought leaders and practitioners come together to envision an art world grounded in empathy, equity, and cultural stewardship.
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The Conversation

Guided by the theme of ethical engagement, this year’s discussion explores questions at the heart of cultural accountability:
•    How can site-specific projects be approached with empathy and local responsibility?
•    What roles must artists and institutions play in historical repair?
•    How can we sustain meaningful social investment in artists and their communities?
•    How do we invite diverse publics into the future of art from a Global African perspective?
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Featured Speakers

Moderator
Dr. Allison K. Young
Art Historian, Curator, and Associate Professor at LSU
A leading voice in African and African Diaspora art history, Dr. Young’s scholarship explores the intersection of art and social justice. Her work has been published in Artforum, Art Review, and Brooklyn Rail. She is the author of the forthcoming book Freedom as Form (Duke University Press).

Panelists

•    Allison Glenn
Curator of the 2026 Toronto Biennial of Art
A nationally recognized curator with more than 15 years of experience, Glenn is celebrated for her groundbreaking work in public art and placemaking, curating projects at the intersection of art and civic life.

•    Gia M. Hamilton
Applied Anthropologist & Founder of Gris Gris Lab
Hamilton is a visionary leader in community-centered arts programming. Her Social Magic™ framework addresses land, labor, and culture, informed by deep roots in both spiritual practice and social activism.

•    Lisa Anderson
Curator & Cultural Strategist
Based in London, Anderson is renowned for her innovative work in curatorial repair, cultural memory, and heritage justice. She is also the founder of @blackbritishart, a platform amplifying the contributions of Black British artists.

•    Joseph L. Underwood
Art Historian & Curator
Underwood’s scholarship and curatorial projects focus on artists from Africa and the Diaspora, particularly during the modern and contemporary periods. His research explores post-colonialism, (trans)nationalism, globalization, and biennialism within postwar art histories.
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More Than a Panel

AfriKin Talks 2025 is not simply a conversation—it is a commitment to doing better, together. This distinguished gathering of thought leaders offers both critical rigor and visionary strategies, setting a new standard for cultural dialogue during Miami Art Week.

Why This Matters

For academic partners, philanthropists, collectors, and cultural institutions, AfriKin Talks represents an unparalleled opportunity to:

•    Engage directly with global thought leaders in African and Diaspora art discourse
•    Explore actionable frameworks for reparative practices and conscious cultural engagement
•    Position your institution or brand at the forefront of meaningful dialogue and transformative justice
•    Contribute to a growing legacy of thought leadership that is reshaping the ethics of the art world

The AfriKin Difference

Distinguished by its curatorial vision and intellectual depth, AfriKin Talks is not simply a panel—it is a platform for cultural accountability. It sets a new benchmark for what critical dialogue can look like during Miami Art Week, cementing AfriKin’s reputation as both a cultural celebration and a forum for global thought leadership.

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