A new mecca for art, culture, technology, and gaming threw a soft launch over Labor Day weekend. Subsume Studios, located in Underground Atlanta, was founded by Dendren Snead with the intent to develop equality in the technological world.

“You’re standing in the world’s first Afrofuturism lab here,” explained Snead. “We’re looking at taking afrofuturism and making it a template for the solutions of tomorrow.”

The lab will heavily feature Black narratives throughout Black history. 

“We’re looking at a way and a space that Black stories and experiences are portrayed — past, present, and future,” continued Snead. “Such as AI machine learning. Looking at how that can portray into making sure that Black stories exist in all mediums. And so what we’re looking at is building data science, building engineers, but also building a creative class of Atlanta to be a part of the narratives of tomorrow.”

Part of the lab’s emphasis also lies in assisting students and teachers attain “access to technical tools or equipment or high-speed internet or experience training and development. What we’ll be looking at here is that we’ll make a space for our educators and students to come in as a primary component, and look at being able to connect across a creative class in both technical and creative careers for those who are already here in the Greater Atlanta area and make a space for them to come in and engage,” said Snead.

Following the soft launch, the studio is still under construction and plans to officially open its doors in February of 2024. In the meantime, they will host a fundraising event on October 1st to help cover equipment and building costs.