Afatasi

Afatasi is a member of what San Francisco Human Rights Commission identifies as “…the only racial group in San Francisco to consistently decline in every census count since 1970,” and the only community in the city which fit all 10 stages of genocide as defined by Genocide Watch.

Her work is a powerful act of cultural preservation, with a specific dedication to the rituals and living traditions that anchor her community to their roots in the American South, while honoring the city as a sacred landscape that holds the collective identities and memories of her dwindling community through deeply personal and community-driven work.

Her practice is rooted in deep-placemaking, truth & reconciliation, and critical consciousness work, reflected in initiatives like Where’re Yo’ People’s’ From?!?, a genealogy and bookmaking workshop in it’s third year, and the San Francisco Belles, a parade group that honors shared Southern roots and San Francisco heritage through archival-inspired costumes and float themes.

As a master welder and tradeswoman, she honors her grandfather’s legacy in the industry, crafting scrap-metal sculptures coveted by collectors worldwide. Her groundbreaking AR STELE PROTOTYPE 1, an augmented reality-inscribed scrap-steel sculpture, reinterprets the concept of memorial markers, blending technology and historical narrative.

Her textile work ranges from fine-art tapestry to costume design, most notably showcased in her annual Futurism Fashion Experience (FFE)—a fusion of art exhibition, panel discussion, and fashion show that explores themes of identity, and transformative community building.

Amid rapid gentrification, Afatasi holds space for community as the proprietor of Sunbelt Gallery, a transformative hyperlocal fine-arts gallery meets one-room classroom, offering free access to wellness through creative expression. There, she curates intimate experiences, cultural activations, workshops, and educational initiatives as part of The Bayview Café Collective, a collaboration of four Bay Area women and culture workers—the barista, the chef, the baker, and the fine artist.

“I am creating work, projects, and events that are specific to being from San Francisco, living in Bayview, and honoring my cultural traditions of the American South. Some of these events include: Black History Month Programming, a Futurism Fashion Show, Art Exhibitions, The Kentucky Derby, Juneteenth & Mardi Gras.”