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WHAT IF . . . IF ONLY . . . IF THIS GOES ON . . . These questions addressed by writers and artists working in speculative fiction “challenge and subvert the status quo,” said writer and critic Nisi Shawl. Through Black to the Future, the CD Forum will celebrate writers and artists that challenge the status quo through their work every day. Black to the Future is a groundbreaking 3-day multidisciplinary festival featuring some of the nation's most accomplished science fiction novelists and essayists including Octavia Butler, Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes, and Walter Mosley. This festival, the first of its kind, will explore science fiction in not only literature, but also in film, music, and other forms of creative expression. For three days, we will celebrate the remarkable accomplishments black artists have made to speculative fiction through engaging and exciting programs including:
“Black to the Future will provide a welcome networking opportunity for writers who are currently published, but it would electrify young writers and fans, black and white, who have never considered the degree to which writers of color have been a part of this field,” said science fiction/fantasy writer Tananarive Due. To get festival updates delivered directly to your Inbox, e-mail us at info@cdforum.org and ask to be added to the Black Sci-Fi mailing list. Ticket Information/How to Purchase Tickets (See Schedule for detailed event information and locations) * * Tickets now on sale! * * Please purchase tickets in advance as space is limited!
Workshop - "Writing the Other: Bridging Cultural Differences in Genre Fiction" * * THERE IS A SEPARATE FEE FOR THE WORKSHOP AND REGISTRATION IS DONE THROUGH THE WORKSHOP LEADERS. The workshop will take place in the Seattle Center’s Orcas Northwest room. The Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas is pleased to host the “Writing the Other” workshop at the Black to the Future Festival. “Writing the Other” is an intensive four-hour workshop by authors Nisi Shawl, Victoria Elizabeth Garcial and Cynthia Ward that will teach you to write sensitively and convincingly about characters of diverse backgrounds and cultures. Appropriate for all fiction writers, the workshop combines lectures, discussions, and writing exercises in a safe, supportive atmosphere. Students should bring a current story or novel chapter to use in some of the exercises (the exercise results will not be shown to the class). For more information and to register please contact Ms. Shawl at Nisis@aol.com or visit http://www.writingtheother.com. Co-sponsored by Humanities Washington and the Carl Brandon Society Black to the Future Youth Outreach The Read On! Project, funded by SAFECO is a partnership with Garfield High School supported by the Seattle Public Library Douglass Truth Branch. The project will expose Garfield students to the role of people of color in Science Fiction and why writers of color are important to the field. Through an introductory lecture and a writing workshop, students will explore the present state of the genre, developing characters, and world building. Those students taking the writing workshop will produce works later to be published on-line and will participate in a reading of their work on Saturday June 12th at the Black to the Future Festival. Led by local writer and critic, Nisi Shawl, the Read On! Project will foster civic dialog and engagement and expose youth to some the nations leading writers. Information Room/Vendors We are looking for artists, services or organizations who want to reach out to our patrons. Our primary focus is Black science fiction related products and information, we also welcome artists and organizations from all cultures. As a table sponsor you will have the opportunity to display and to sell your art, crafts, services or hand out materials to those attending the festival. Sponsor tables are available June 12 & 13 only, the space fee for both days is $80.00. You will be provided limited display space, an 8’ table and electricity is available on a first come first serve basis. Please click here to download the sponsor rules and regulations sheet and send it in quickly to reserve the best space available. If you need a faxed copy please call 206-374-9051 and ask for Patricia De Vol or email at patriciadevol@comcast.net. Volunteer Opportunities Support the Black to the Future Festival and attend events for free! Volunteer for pre-Festival distribution and support, Set up, Production, Opening Night, Will Call, Information table, Floater and Film Festival. We ask that you volunteer for at least 2 shifts. You may attend the specific event you are assisting free of charge before and/or after your shift (depending on the hours of the shift). For example, Will Call volunteers during the day will be able to attend daily events on the day they volunteer and Film Festival volunteers may see the film(s) during their shift. One volunteer training session will be required June 7, 8 or 9. Volunteers should be 18 years or older, unless you have previous work or volunteer experience and references. To sign up, please email Stacie at CDForumVC@aol.com with your full name, email address, mailing address, all contact telephone numbers and emergency contact information and the volunteer positions and shifts you are interested in. We will contact you with your schedule and additional information. If you are interested in being a production assistant, please see contact info below. Volunteer Positions Pre-Festival flyer distribution and office support. Help us get the word out by becoming part of the street team or helping out in the office with administrative support. You can set your own hours and get comps for Festival events. Opening Night. Friday 6:00-11:00 pm. See detailed descriptions below. (1) Will Call, (2) Ushers, (2) Floaters, (3) Reception set-up. Information Room set up and take down. (2) volunteers. Saturday 7:00-10:00 am and Sunday 3:30-6:30 pm. Production (1) or (2) Production Assistant/Interns to assist for Friday evening, and all day/evening Saturday and Sunday. Splitting shifts is possible for the right candidates who can commit to the schedule. Assist with all aspects of program coordination, set up, take down and presenter services. No experience necessary but please have a flexible, can-do attitude! If interested, please contact Patty at pattyp@cdforum.org (attach a resume if possible) or 206-323-4032. No pay is available but this is great experience. Will Call Saturday (2) volunteers 8:00-11:00 am and (1) volunteer 10:45 am-2:30 pm and 2:15-5:00 pm. Sunday (2) volunteers 8:00 am-11:30, 11:15-3:15 pm. Usher Saturday (2) volunteers 8:30-11:30 am, 11:15 am -3:00 pm, 2:45-6:30 pm. Sunday (2) volunteers 8:30-11:30 am, 11:15-2:30 pm, 2:15-5:00 pm. Information table Saturday (2) volunteers 8:00-11:30 am, 11:15 am -3:00 pm, 2:45-6:00 pm. Sunday (2) volunteers 8:30-11:30 am, 11:15-2:30 pm, 2:15-5:00 pm. Floater Saturday (2) volunteers 8:00-11:30 am, 11:15 am -3:00 pm, 2:45-6:00 pm. Sunday (2) volunteers 8:30-11:30 am, 11:15-2:30 pm, 2:15-5:00 pm Film Festival (1) Will call, (2) Ushers per shift. Saturday 6:00-9:00 pm and 8:00-11:00 pm. Sunday 4:00-7:00 pm and 6:00-9:00 pm. Volunteer duty descriptions Will Call: Welcome guests, distribute tickets, direct guests Usher: Pass out surveys, door and crowd control, direct guests Floaters: Be a runner or do whatever task is most needed Reception: Set up, service and take down for party Information Table: Answer questions about festival (schedule, building logistics, etc.) Season Sponsors The Norcliffe Foundation The Hugh & Jane Ferguson Foundation The Microsoft Corporation Presenting Sponsors National Endowment for the Arts The Allen Foundation for the Arts Cultural Development Authority of King County The City of Seattle Media and In-Kind Sponsors KUBE The Stranger Grand Hyatt Seattle Pepsi The Warren Report Workshop Sponsors Humanities Washington The Carl Brandon Society If you are a representative of a Seattle area business and would like to be a sponsor of this event, write to sponsors@cdforum.org to receive a list of sponsorship opportunities. |
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To learn more about Blacks in Science Fiction check out the links below: http://www.afrofuturism.net/ The official web site for Afro Futurism http://www.carlbrandon.org/ The Carl Brandon Society http://www.daathrekh.com/menu.html Black Animation On-Line http://www.jahsonic.com/BlackScienceFiction.html Jahsonic - Black Science Fiction http://www.tananarivedue.com/ Tananarive Due http://www.lionsblood.com/ Steven Barnes http://www.sff.net/people/nalo/writing/index.html Nalo Hopkinson http://www.firsttvdrama.com/central/bgirls.php3 Black Women in Science Fiction http://www.sfwa.org/members/shawl/ Nisi Shawl http://www.dpo.uab.edu/~moudry/ Sun Ra http://www.gs.howard.edu/archives-scifi.htm Howard University Science Fiction Academic Conference http://www.blacksuperhero.com/ Museum of Black Superheros http://www.twbookmark.com/books/34/044653093X/ Those Who Walk in Darkness DVD Clip (by John Ridley) http://www.twbookmark.com/features/waltermosley/ Walter Mosley http://www.sfwa.org/members/butler/ Octavia Butler Articles http://www.africana.com/reviews/moviestv/mtv20030515scifi.asp They Came Before the Matrix: Black People and Science Fiction by Gary Dupin http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m0KAY/4_5/95266760/p1/article.jhtml Under Strange Stars: Black Writers Explore Race Through Science Fiction by Libero Della Piana http://www.thestranger.com/2001-05-03/books.html Space Race: Black Science Fiction Writers Explore Future Worlds by Charles Mudede http://www.africana.com/articles/daily/ht20031023space.asp The Final Frontier: Blacks in Space by Arlene McKanic http://www.playahata.com/pages/morpheus/xmen.htm "Beyond Children of the Atom: Black Politics, White Minds and the X-Men" by Morpheus Reloaded |
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