BLACK IDENTITY,MOBILITY,AND AGENCY IN ONYEBUCHI’S RIOT BABY

Abstract

This article examines the representation of Black identity, restricted mobility, and emergent agency in Tochi Onyebuchi’s Riot Baby through the lens of Afrofuturism. The narrative traces the lives of siblings Ella and Kev, whose experiences of racial violence, surveillance, and incarceration reflect the systemic oppression facing Black communities in the United States. By blending speculative elements with real historical trauma, Onyebuchi crafts a powerful commentary on how Black identity is shaped and resisted under carceral and racialized systems. Ella’s psychic abilities allow her to transcend physical and temporal boundaries, offering a unique form of resistance and reparation, while Kev’s journey through confinement and emotional awakening reflects a deeply embodied struggle for selfhood and autonomy. Employing nonlinear temporality, metaphysical mobility, and emotional intensity, Riot Baby subverts dominant narratives and imagines liberatory futures. The article argues that Onyebuchi’s work exemplifies Afrofuturism’s potential to reframe Black existence not through passive survival but through active reclamation of power, memory, and movement.