AfroFuturism Oasis


A project by AfroVillage PDX, integrating art, culture, technology, and sustainability to create a healing, community-driven space. This initiative aims to empower Black and Brown communities through climate resilience, digital inclusion, and cultural restoration.

Diagram of a train car interior highlighting the photovoltaic array on the roof, the connector module/utility node, and core amenities like restrooms and kitchenette.

How did the AfroFuturism Oasis come to be

In January 2020, TriMet, the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and PSU’s Center for Public Interest Design launched the MAX Reuse Design Challenge - a design competition that invited designers to explore visions for the repurposing of retiring MAX cars to help address Portland’s critical issues including homelessness, climate change, housing insecurity, and racial inequity, while preventing these cars from ending up as waste or scrap. The winning AfroVillage’s design, which secured the People’s Choice Award, envisioned converting three retiring MAX trains to create an “AfroFuturism Oasis” – sanctuary space that integrate nature, clean energy, and Afro-design to create a healing hub for Black and Brown communities to rest, collaborate, innovate, and access pathways to economic empowerment.

Infographic titled 'Eight Steps for Train Repurposing' showing a circular process with steps numbered 1 to 8. Step 1: Consolidate Your Vision, Step 2: Identify a Site, Step 3: Explore Trains & Transportation, Step 4: Secure Funding, Step 5: Strengthen Teams & Partnerships, Step 6: Move from Design to Implementation, Step 7: Celebrate!, Step 8: Maintain & Monitor. The graphic features a train with people around it.
A futuristic outdoor park with children playing, adults walking, and an artistic structure resembling a tree with solar panel canopies. There is a building with a portrait and a flag-like sculpture, and a pathway with stairs. A drone flies in the sky labeled, 'There are black people in the future,' and birds fly in the background.
3D rendering of a modern house with surrounding trees and outdoor parking.
Site plan showing layout with labeled areas including utility shipping container, innovation train, ADA shower, wellness train, cafe train, afrovillage office train, open grass areas, raised decks for events, rain garden planters, ramp, loading zone, parking for cars and bikes, electric vehicle charging stations, PV picnic tables, solar art, pedestrian trail, and various art installations.

How the AfroFuturism Oasis is being funded

A timeline of events for 2025 including Metro NIN Grant interview, AfroVillage site tapping, Earth Day event, Juneteenth event, Winter Light Festival, Certerra Geotechnical Study, and Pickathon Windmill Neighborhood Partnership, with images of people participating in each activity.

This project is BIG. Which requires a lot of money. Like most nonprofits we rely on grants and our donors.

We’ve been fortunate enough to receive a grant a Nature in Neighborhoods (NiN) grant from Metro. One of only two Black-led organizations!

Another large grant we were awarded this year was through the Portland Clean Energy Fund. (PCEF)

Group of people standing outdoors on a grassy area by a road, engaging in conversation and smiling.
Group of five people, two men and three women, standing outdoors on a construction site, discussing plans with one man holding a paper, some people wearing safety vests, in front of a road with cars and trees.

Partners as
collaborators

On May 16th, 2025 , we hosted a site visit with some of our partners and Metro reviewers. Sharing the AfroVillage story, our plans for the Oasis, and how this work supports community healing.

On July 17th, PLACE and KPFF did a site visit to update the design related to pedestrian access to the site, fences, gates, and confirming the parking lot layout. It also helped the Civil Engineer, Josh Lighthipe (KPFF), and the Landscape Architect, Dylan Morgan (PLACE), get to better understand how the width of the site can be developed to maximize how much open space there is to appreciate the existing views of the Willamette River, the Broadway Bridge, and West Portland. Both Josh and Dylan have been critical in getting out site permitting drawings finalized and submitted to the city for their review, so being able to have them join us for in person collaboration and design thinking exercises as been incredible!

Learn more about partnerships
A promotional banner for the AfroFuturism Oasis event, featuring a young girl wearing headphones, surrounded by futuristic cityscape, green technology, and transportation imagery, with event details and speakers' photos listed at the bottom.

AfroVillage at Sustainable Building Week 2025

Dive into our blog post about this presentation that our design team led during Sustainable Building Week in October!

This event allowed us to share about where we’ve come from, we are, and where we are going with the AfroFuturism. We’ve shared our presentation slides and some photos!

Learn more

Thank you to all who believed and continue to believe in this project

Special thank yous

  • Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF)

  • Nature in Neighborhoods (NiN grant from Metro

  • Local businesses and community donors

  • In-kind partnerships

We continue to seek funding for:

  • The next phase of train car renovation

  • Solar energy installation and digital access

  • Art installations and community workshops led by local creatives

  • Long-term site development to anchor the Oasis as a model for equitable urban reuse

    Become a donor, be it one time, or monthly!

Diagram of three train concepts: Service Car, Welcome Car, Food Train, Hygiene Train, and Therapy Train. Each train has designated sections for amenities like beds, restrooms, a kitchen, dining area, hygiene stations, therapy rooms, and information desks. Legend icons indicate services such as free tickets, 24/7 service, info resources, Wi-Fi, restrooms, and six beds.
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