The Indigenous Studies scholar Gerald Vizenor coined the term “survivance.” Survivance is the combination of survival and resistance, it “describes practices that transcend endurance; it emphasizes active agency, cultural innovations and the creation of alternative futures.” Survival in this case takes on the meaning of “persisting through systemic violence (e.g. racism, colonialism, economic exploitation). It often implies a reactive stance focused on meeting immediate needs.”
Blackgirlhood is a concept that enacts survivance. LeConté J. Dill in her article “Maroons: Blackgirlhood in Plain Sight” explains how blackgirls’s existence is a form of endurance akin to resistance. The mere ability for blackgirls to exist in groups and build community is a demonstration of resilience and marronage—their survival and persistence quite literally creates “alternative” futures (what is not expected for them).
Works Cited
Bowles, Laurian. “Refusal as Agency.” Humanities 104, 3 April 2025, Davidson College. Lecture.
Dill, L.J. “Maroons: Blackgirlhood in Plain Sight.” Feminist Anthropology, vol. 3, no. 3, 2022, pp. 263–273, doi:10.1002/fea2.12089.
