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A New Year, A New Vision: Let’s Begin Together

A New Year, A New Vision: Let’s Begin Together
Photo by Dima Solomin / Unsplash

About 6 months ago, I was preparing for one of the biggest changes in my life: leaving New York City, the home I’d known since I was a 19 year old who decided to transfer to college there behind my parent's backs (more on that at another time, maybe) to move upstate and step into a new role as faculty at the University at Albany. The move brought excitement, but also uncertainty. Would I find my rhythm? Would I create the kind of community that sustains me?

As I reflect on 2024, I realize that this change was not just a relocation—it was a reclamation. It was about carving out space for my work, my creativity, and myself. Now, as I look to 2025, I see the promise of what happens when we step into new worlds, even when we’re unsure of what we’ll find.

2024 Recap

This past year was about laying the groundwork for a more expansive vision of my life and work. Some highlights include:

  • Relaunching AieshaTurman.com, a space where my academic and creative worlds converge.
  • Creating a tiered subscription system to share in-depth insights, creative reflections, and behind-the-scenes updates.
  • Navigating my first semester as a faculty member at a new university—a role that has stretched me in ways I couldn’t have imagined.

Most importantly, 2024 reminded me of the power of space—not just physical space, but the space to dream, to create, and to reflect. Moving upstate has given me more room to breathe, both literally and figuratively, and I’m learning to embrace the quiet expanses as part of my process.

Looking Ahead: 2025

This year, I’m leaning even further into the themes that define my work: creativity, liberation, and reimagining. Here’s what’s on the horizon:

  • Expanding my teaching and writing: I’ll be exploring new ways to integrate Afrofuturism, speculative fiction, and cultural critique into my pedagogy.
  • More exclusive content for subscribers: From personal essays to creative projects, 2025 will bring even more depth to the work I share with you.
  • Big projects in the works: Stay tuned for announcements about new initiatives, collaborations, and opportunities to engage directly with my work.

For me, Afrofuturism has always been about reclamation—of time, space, and self. My move reminded me of this deeply. Upstate, I’ve been thinking about the ways space influences the stories we tell and the futures we imagine. How can more room allow for more possibility? How does shifting our perspective open the door to new ways of being? These are the questions I’ll be exploring with you in 2025.

About Me (or Welcome, If You’re New Here)

If this is your first time hearing from me, welcome! I’m Aiesha, an academic, creative writer, and educator passionate about storytelling as liberation. My work focuses on Afrofuturism, speculative fiction, and the intersections of memory, identity, and culture.

Whether I’m teaching a class, crafting a narrative, or writing about pedagogy, my goal is the same: to invite us to reimagine the world and our place in it. I believe in the power of creativity, not just as an escape but as a tool for transformation.

Join the Community

This year, I’ve created a space for deeper engagement through my subscription tiers. Here’s what you can expect when you subscribe:

  • The Reader’s Circle (Free): Stay connected with public posts and reflections.
  • The Thoughtful Scholar ($5/month): Access exclusive insights, teaching notes, and short creative pieces.
  • The Creative Catalyst ($10/month): Get behind-the-scenes updates, deep dives, and personal reflections that explore the heart of my work.

If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen so far, I’d love for you to join me in one of these tiers. Subscribing is a way to support this work and gain access to a vibrant, growing community of thinkers, dreamers, and creators.

Subscribe Here

Let’s Connect

Finally, I want to hear from you! What are you dreaming of for 2025? What themes or questions are lighting you up right now? Let’s make this a space for dialogue, growth, and discovery together.

Thank you for being part of this journey—I’m so excited to see where it takes us next.

Here’s to a year of imagination, creation, and transformation.

Warmly,
Aiesha