In this TEDxPVAMU talk, “The Choreography of Black Food Futures: Thinking Out Loud with Alvin Ailey,” Dr. Bobby J. Smith II challenges the audience to think creatively and differently about food through an idea he calls the choreography of Black food futures. This idea blends the metrics of Black choreographic practice with Black food systems-level thinking. Specifically, Dr. Smith draws on prominent Black choreographer Alvin Ailey’s mission of the choreographer—to create movement and search for truth in such movement—to think out loud about the future of food in Black life. Dr. Smith makes clear that the choreography of Black food futures involves coordinated interactions between four sites: Empty space. People. Actionable thinking. Creative analytics. An award-winning author, social scientist, and professor, Dr. Bobby J. Smith II explores the historical and contemporary relationship between Black communities, food justice, and agricultural policy. He is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, with affiliations in food science, human nutrition, and public policy. His groundbreaking book, Food Power Politics: The Food Story of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement, reconfigures our understanding of civil rights, agriculture, and food inequities in America. Dr. Smith’s work has received national recognition, including awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Council of Learned Societies. Bobby is a proud graduate of Prairie View A&M University and its College of Agriculture, and he is a former Student Government Association President. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx