Case Study: Using Futures Thinking to Explore Racial Equity in 2050
Grainy image of Charlotte's skyline with caption, "Charlotte 2050" in blue and orange text.
Client/Project Overview:
This workshop was part of the Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative (MREI) in Charlotte, and was hosted by the Community Building Initiative. The goal was to use futures-thinking tools to explore long-term racial equity goals and identify actions to ensure these goals are achieved by 2050. Over the course of two-hours, participants actively engaged in envisioning how racial equity could unfold in the coming decades.
Objectives:
The workshop aimed to help participants:
Envision a future where racial equity is realized in Charlotte.
Co-create strategies to drive long-term social transformation.
Reflect on current actions and how they can shape future outcomes.
Methodology:
The workshop utilized futures thinking methodologies, focusing on immersive and imaginative tools to explore “unthought” futures—a concept developed by the Centre for Post-Normal Policy and Futures Studies. Participants engaged in sensory imagination exercises, journaling, and scenario-based discussions to challenge their thinking about racial equity in the year 2050. A key element of the workshop was an adapted version of Jane McGonigal’s First Five Minutes game, which encouraged participants to immerse themselves in unexpected and disruptive future scenarios, prompting them to consider their emotional and strategic responses to these imagined futures.
Workshop participants share what 2050 tastes like.
Key Activities/Process:
The session began with an introduction to futures thinking, followed by a warm-up exercise called “Image of the Future,” where participants reflected on historical depictions of the future. Key activities included:
First Five Minutes Game: Participants explored scenarios set in 2050, such as “The Digital Surveillance Reversal” and “The Corporate City-State.” They journaled responses to questions about how they would react in the first five minutes of encountering these futures, helping to ground them in the “unthought”—possibilities that lie outside current patterns of thinking.
Pair-and-Share Discussions: After each scenario, participants shared their emotional and strategic reflections, focusing on immediate actions and how these could shape longer-term solutions.
Key Insights:
Equity can be Fragile: Participants noted how quickly progress in racial equity could be undermined by future disruptions, underscoring the need for ongoing, proactive efforts to safeguard equity.
Imagination as a Catalyst for Change: The First Five Minutes game revealed the importance of bold, imaginative approaches in addressing future challenges. Traditional methods may fall short when dealing with unprecedented shifts in society.
Collaboration is Critical: The discussions emphasized that racial equity requires collective action across sectors and communities. Long-term success depends on building alliances and engaging diverse voices.
Emotional and Community Preparedness: Immersing participants in the emotional first five minutes of future crises highlighted the importance of not only policy and strategic responses but also emotional resilience and community readiness.
Impact/Reflection:
The futures thinking approach helped participants shift their focus from immediate solutions to broader, long-term possibilities. By adapting the First Five Minutes game, participants were able to immerse themselves in unthought futures, generating creative and transformative ideas. The co-creation process left participants with a renewed commitment to integrating foresight into their current racial equity planning, inspiring actionable steps to prepare for and shape future disruptions.
Call to Action:
Interested in shaping the future of racial equity? Contact us to schedule a participatory futures workshop and help co-create bold visions for tomorrow.