People of Colour SF Carnival

State Of...

2009-12-31T13:41:00.003-05:00

It has been a year and oh what a year; exhausting, draining, somewhat (or more) depressing, definitely illuminating. And all through it I had no impetus whatsoever to tap signed hosts or look for new ones, and get things rolling on The PoC in SF Carnival.

I felt no need to get anyone involved in collecting links to the, quite frankly, bullshit white privilege that coated the entire year. And for a good part of the year LINKSPAM took on that role, while conversations happened in public and in private; wearying and sometimes repetitive.

I gave myself till December to see how I was feeling, cause quite frankly looking at the Carnival, after looking at those conversations made me cry. Yes, I'm admitting it - I saw white people (acting the fool) and they made me cry.

And while I was recovering from those injuries (what, did you think Strong Black Women Feel No Pain?), my focus shifted. I am no longer comfortable just trying to be a presence, just trying to prove PoC; have conversations about SF; are consumers and creators.

As stated before: I Want To Have A Conversation.

A certain type of conversation, this is true. It's THE CONVERSATION I WANT TO HAVE and the PoC In SF Carnival, as it was in 2008, doesn't quite fit.

I could, it is true, hand the Carnival over and if someone really wanted to gather links under that title with added commentary and seemed sincere and contacted me, I believe I would hand it over.

What I would like to do, what has occurred to me to do, is drop the CARNIVAL part of the title.

PoC in SF

As a blog centered in and promoting THE CONVERSATION I WANT TO HAVE. With regular bloggers and guest posts.

Not something that happens once a month, but something, somewhere to go to on any day. Somewhere to have the conversation, versus mainly/only pointing out where parts of the conversation have been happening.

Something more inclusive of the myriad voices that are Non White Peoples.

Something more inclusive of the myriad Non English Speaking (or at least English Secondary) voices.

So now I understand what I want, why the Carnival was not enough, to be used in 2009. All that's left is figuring out how I will go about creating the space I want for the community I want - and where.

Additional Note aka Some Harsh Truths: The PoC In SF Carnival was started because of my frequent pointing out at how other carnivals with related issues consistently left out non-white povs. The response to which was essentially - go make your own. To which I did. And I will always be grateful that Ragnell put that idea into my head, even if it was because I couldn't put intersection of issues into hers.

But I don't want to even unconsciously follow that mold anymore, because part of following that way of doing things involves exclusion; a certain navel gazing and kind of grubby space guarding.

I want to create my own space, my own institution, my own node and I don't want to do it alone. Moreover, I want it to actively include those non-white romance writers, for example, who're trying to write something that doesn't fit the mold of 'What Their People Are Supposed To Write About'; which in terms of Blacks in the US would be ghetto lit and Christian Romance (occasionally).

The story of ~~Millicent~~Millenia Black has never left my mind (Sorry Penguin Books, you can't purge people's memories).

And 2009 has shown me and shown me and shown me that such a space for discussion is needed. Actually more than one space for such discussion is needed, because one singular space cannot be everything to a varied group of people.

PoC & Non White Peoples In Genre Fiction.

Not a monolith.

Bulletin: This Is What DC Refuses To Do

2009-11-14T23:48:00.000-05:00

Back in August I mentioned a project being done, one named:

Everyone Survives To The 31st Century

I was hesitant then to promote it outside of emails and twitter dm's because it was so wonderful to me. I did not want to see some white jerkarse from DC slap a cease & desist on it and try and or succeed in getting it pulled down.

The Legion Of Superheroes as multiethnic and diverse. Truly reflecting the complexity that is human physical appearance on Earth with hints of sociological diversity as well.

But the project is over now. It is three issues and a coda showing what could have been had DC not been filled with individuals who put more stock in tokenism and propagating white supremacy and authority above even good storytelling.

Oh, they won't describe themselves as such, but a future where everyone from humans to very humanoid aliens are all white? And their general strain of only light skinned minorities have even bit parts to play? That colourism? The combination of the two? That's white supremacy plain and simple. That's the sociological disease that says only white people have been, are and will ever be important.

Odditycollector, in her social experiment (one of the few times the phrase means something positive on the internet) has thoroughly shamed DC.

And thoroughly delighted me.

Issue #1, Issue #2, Issue 3 & #Coda.

A space opera odyssey I could invest in, if DC had any interest in telling stories outside the echo chamber of white (& male) power.

xposted: Seeking Avalon

Bulletin: State Of...

2009-07-27T21:04:00.002-04:00

2009 has been 'The Fail Year'. Everytime one turns around, someone's being idiotic in a spectacular way, about race. The spectacular is the way it's different from all the other years. But spectacular is exhausting. Spectacular, you see, equals 'Post Racial' and that lie is one overfed, over indulged, blood sucking leech on the arm of activism.

Or at least my activism.

January to March took up all sorts of energy with Race Fail - Part 1.

Then came Part 2 (Mammoth!Fail) in April and May and Part 3 (Cover!Fail / Cover!Gate) in July, with Harlan Ellison being Harlan Ellison and using the word n****** and, Justine Larbalestier's blog hosted discussion on the whitewashing of book covers - including her newest YA book, LIAR.

There's still August, September, October, November and December to go, for five to three more big things. Big as in, not counting the little OMGWTF indignities and outrages. And this is all Speculative Fiction associated. This does not include the vetting process for soon to be Justice Sonia Sotomayor or the Philly Pool 'Complexion' situation, or Henry 'Skip' Gates or The Brooklyn Lesbians Of Colour Victims of Police Brutality situation.

This isn't counting the email with the photoshopped watermelons on the White House Lawn.

This isn't counting the email with the photoshopped 44th POTUS as a black square with jigaboo eyes.

And I'm pretty sure there was a third email incident I'm just not remembering.

This also isn't counting the racist political cartoon of a dead chimp with cops discussing the stimulus bill

Or Pat Buchannan talking about how 'White Men Built America'

This Week In Blackness put it succinctly: 2009 is the new 1952.

Or at least for those of us who didn't live through 1952 with nonwhite skins, each incident is feeling a heck of a lot like how we've imagined moments in 1952 must have been like; frustrating, painful and eating into one's strength.

I've found it extremely exhausting, don't you find it exhausting just reading the list? Do you remember the things I haven't mentioned so far? Because there's been more. A whole heck of a lot more, both Speculative Fiction oriented and non-writing/political.

Some Hints: Wiscon, Readercon, Robin McKinely saying she's going to be considering the POTUS to be a tanned white man, Prince of Persia (with white male lead).

And of course Avatar: The Last Airbender being RACEBENDED to have white heroes and brown villains. Because PoC Heroes aren't Realistic / Don't Sell / Blah Blah White Privilege Excuses Blah.

2009 has been a banner year for saying "IF YOU AREN'T WHITE, YOU DON'T BELONG".

I pause now for a potentially blurry set of references: Cockroaches in Space. District 9, Alien Nation (remake).

IF YOU AREN'T WHITE, YOU DON'T BELONG

Sure, it's more overt than it's been in a while, but it's not as if folk don't know what the whitewashed covers, and white actors in roles for characters of colour have meant for all these years. It's not as if folk haven't known why in the future PoC rarely seem to exist or why The Forbidden Kingdom, despite being all about Jackie Chan and Jet Li, needed a white boy to move the narrative along.

So it's International Blog Against Racism Week - but I'm exhausted because 2009 has felt like a BLOG AGAINST RACISM YEAR. That said, however:

1. Teens Of Colour, reading and reviewing books

2. A Detroit organization, operating a library and offering support to young women.

3. Zulu Mech 1 Yes, African Mechas. A series produced by Wesley Snipes.

Meanwhile I'll continue regrouping enough to do more than blog occasionally about what absolutely infuriates me; regroup so I can go back to organizing the Carnival and not feel burned out just by living.

Asian Super Heroes Go To San Diego

2009-07-20T19:37:00.000-04:00

Angry Asian Man has the details of : Secret Identities at San Diego Comic-Con / Asian American superhero Contest.

Secret Identities, in case you forgot is an Asian Superhero Anthology.

---
[ Yup, still fighting the disease/malaise/lethargy every time I want to promote something PoC / PoC & Comic Related. It's like I can feel the full weight of the white stupid it will have to fight against, just to exist. Ugh. But baby steps, yes?]

Viacom: In Ur Protest, Trying To Hide It

2009-04-28T20:11:00.004-04:00

Viacom has sent Zazzle a cease and desist and it has pulled the Racebending.Com merchandise from its offerings.

More information and image files of the correspondence here @glockgal on livejournal. But apparently it's a violation of copyright to use even the word Aang.

Below is the c/p of letter I tried to send to Viacom via this form. But it's 8:13pm EST, April 28th and I can't find a send button. UPDATE: It appears to have been my browser being resoundingly weird.

Go here for the complete timeline of Viacom/Paramount Pictures Racist Fail.

More of my thoughts a Seeking Avalon

Carnival of Merit

2009-04-05T12:55:00.001-04:00

The Asian Woman Carnival is live @Yennenga (a community on livejournal).

Despite the mental break I've been taking from things like this - I'm devouring it. I've only gone through maybe a quarter of it so far, but there's powerful stuff there - things to make you think about yourself, about life, about other people, about invisibility. Good stuff. A really good Carnival. An amazing first Carnival issue.

Go read.

Special Edition: ANNOUNCEMENT!

2009-03-06T02:27:00.001-05:00

PoC in SF/F Carnival Special Edition:

Interrogating the Text, De-Colonizing the Mind: An Intra-PoC Dialogue

This special edition of the PoC in SF/F carnival is once again dedicated to
intra-PoC dialogue.

Separated by time and distance, joined by personal experience and on/offline
interaction, our lives together are not always a bed of roses.

In the wake of recent events, what's next on the horizon for intra-PoC
relations? How do I/You/Me/We go about creating those places where our own efforts shine while at the same time work through those things that divide us?

Contributors are invited to engage the theme as they choose. It's a jumping
off point but not necessarily a cliff.

Caveat: Since People of Color (PoC) is not necessarily a universally used term, especially by fans living outside of the US, I encourage those who
have other ways of defining themselves (for example, non-white, fen of
pigment, chromatic) to step up and participate.

Feel free to post this notice far and wide.

Send your links to: ladyj dot 965 at gmail dot com
Deadline for submission: March 27, 2009
Host: ladyjax
Location: boom_tube (aka ladyjax's other not so used LiveJournal)

Questions: ladyj dot 965 at gmail dot com

We've already started this with PoC Author & Character Story Reccs. But the Carnival is part of our infrastructure and I look forward to seeing yet another aspect of the Conversations We Want To Have.

Also please do not forget the Asian Woman Blog Carnival: Deadline - April 3rd 2009.

Issue #12

2009-03-03T01:20:00.003-05:00

The 12th Carnival Is Up @ Hathor Legacy/Books. Got Brown ? Reflects on aspects of a recent six year online conversation on race in SF.

Heads Up! New Sheriff!

2009-02-24T03:10:00.001-05:00

Click click, the falling dominoes; the ripple affect of inspiration, continues.

There's a new Carnival about to carve a place for itself. The first Asian Women Blog Carnival. [Deadline: April 3 2009]

And there will be so much to talk about, I think. Kelly Hu promoting Obama, and how other Asian Pacific, specifically Asian Hawaiian women feel about the new President springs instantly to my mind. But there's also Asian Women in works of Joss Whedon; Asian Women right now in DOLLHOUSE - so ok, maybe my pov is a little SF specific, aside from current politics.

But I'm not an Asian Woman - I'm just interested in what they have to say about themselves, to themselves, with themselves. So I invite any who may currently be reading SA to check out the link and see if it's something they (you) would consider contributing to and reading.

I plan to shut up and listen when I'm not actively promoting, cause I applaud those who hack out the space and say "This is the conversation I want to have!".

Now I leave you with a piece by a group pointed out to me by an Asian Female Acquaintance (whom I hope in the future becomes a good friend).

Yellow Rage: Def Poetry Jam

Submissions Needed For Next Carnival

2009-02-13T22:45:00.002-05:00

The *stops to count* 12th POC in SF & F Carnival is being hosted at BOOKS @ Hathor Legacy. The theme and submission requests are up, so please go take a look and spread the word.

Got Brown?

Deadline: 2/27/09

RaceFail 09's eaten into lots of people's time and energy, so the Carnival Issues might be a little jumbled this year, not in the order originally intended, maybe a ~~little~~ a lot late - but we'll take a breath and keep on ticking.

Faces of Color: Webcomic MAGELLAN

2008-12-14T22:13:00.001-05:00

This past week & weekend, I've had the chance to look over some pretty interesting webcomics. I think I may add a section where I just link to all the ones I'm reading. I'm being oddly comforted by them in the wake of well, Bendis NuMarvel and D-whatthefuckaretheydoingnow-C.

This Faces of Colour I'd like to point to a web comic called Magellan. First page here.

Magellan follows the life of a non superpowered young woman named Kaycee Jones who's going into her first year at what's basically Superhero College - Magellan Academy; which trains the heroes of tomorrow. So it's kind of like a female Batman going to 'Sky High'. The universe already has it's equivalent to Xavier's for those who don't want to go into superheroing as a career but would rather become police officers, doctors or even just accountants.

Kaycee's smart, and in tip-top physical condition. But she's having to deal with friends, fellow students and faculty members wondering if a non-powered individual can really cut it in the school. And most of all, she's having to deal with something of a 'Batman Effect' - as those same individuals wonder if the impetus that started her on the road towards becoming an official hero won't lead her instead down the path to vigilantism (which is phrased in this world as taking the law into one's own hands usually with bloody ends). Even as I cheered Kaycee on, I loved that she lives in a world where those sort of questions are asked. Where heroes need psychiatric evaluations. Where there's the knowledge that with great power, often comes the need for training and learned stress management skills.

Now, while I do not believe Kaycee's white; British Descended Australians can get fairly tanned; Magellan still qualifies for Faces of Colour because of Kaycee's hero, the Aboriginal Australian - Go!Anna. Go!Anna's plot twists through Kaycee's for a goodly portion of the long arc, making her not just someone's inspiration in the world, but a current driving force of plot and exposition. I got two major heroines in one plot arc.

And if I don't discount Kaycee's first year class mates, who run the gambit in skin-tone, nationality and ability - I have several other heroines and heroes to follow as well.

But it's more than just seeing Superheroes of Colour, or an interracial couple where neither partner is white. It's seeing those characters with plausible motivations, male and female. It's seeing a world brought to life. It's seeing Superheroes based somewhere other than the USA. And it's seeing the ripple affect of all actions, those heated and those we think coldly calculated. Ripple affects are another thing I'm a sucker for.

I also love ensemble pieces. I love X-men because of the ensemble. I loved Buffy and Angel for the ensemble action. I love seeing teammates grow together, learn together and get closer. Magellan gave me all of that in it's archives. It's a very rich world, with a 'gathering of the new generation' vibe going on and wonderful nods to the old heroes and a broader universe. The first long arching plot is finished now and something new (a crossover with another web comic) has just begun;So there's plenty to read to get you hooked on this world.

PoC in SF Carnival - IBARW Special Edition

2008-10-21T02:05:00.000-04:00

Like last year, this year has a Special Edition Carnival devoted to recapping International Blog Against Racism Week, started by Oyceter @ Livejournal.

The issue notes a generalized percentage of 50% POC participation this year. As someone also involved in bringing awareness that there are POC and POC issues online, in geekdom and specifically SFdom, those numbers are heartening.

Oycter notes she needs better outreach to Latin@s and that her goal for next year is more input from non-Western, non-American participants to get their points of view. And it's a reminder to me that I should keep up Faces of Colour as a visual reminder that the people involved in creating and promoting Speculative Fiction come from all countries, skin colours, ethnicities and cultures.

Go and check it out. I'm sure there are things missed during the week back in August. I know I still have some tabs bookmarked to get back to and I saw a few links I'd missed entirely.

The next Carnival will be hosted in December by Delux_Vivens @ DeadBroWalking. The theme "Men of Colour in Speculative Fictions.". There's more than enough time for you to write something and submit for the carnival with a link via her livejournal address or to my email for me to forward it.

On Upcoming Carnivals Editions & Hosts

2008-10-04T23:36:00.004-04:00

Schedule:

2 0 0 8

October - IBARW Annual Special Edition via Oyceter

Novemberish - No one's volunteered

Decemberish - Delux Vivens @ DBW "Men of Colour in Speculative Fictions"

2 0 0 9

Januraryish - Skywardprodigal/LJ

Feburaryish - TheHathorLegacy - "Decoding Race in Alien Bodies"

Marchish - Saskaia/LJ
Aprilish - Sugargroupie/LJ
Mayish - SpaceWesterns.Com "Race and Racism in Space Westerns"

___________________

Random Notes:

I'd like if those with mirrored journals also mirrored the Carnival to get as many people involved as possible.

I'd also be thrilled if those with google accounts considered "following the blog" via Blogger's new feature. I'm always surprised to be contacted out of the blue because while I love this project, I know as a little starter awareness will be small for a while.

I'd put in a widget but the blog's style isn't new blogger and I've yet to find a new blogger style I don't hate. If you're css and blog template minded and would like to help, please email or comment.

What Do I Do As A Host?

2008-08-27T04:29:00.002-04:00

As I hunt through the net to find hosts for the Carnival, I get asked this question a lot. I finally found myself giving an answer today that seemed sufficient to put in a separate post.

Hosting the People of Colour in Scifi & Fantasy Carnival, at the root consists of just two things; finding / collecting links to articles and hosting said links on your journal. That is hosting at the most basic level.

In broader terms, adding layers of conception, the host of the Carnival usually thinks of a theme for the Carnival. Prior themes have been: PoC YA Literature, Sankofa in Space and the IBARW Special Edition (hosted by Oyceter). Feel free to check out the archive here that lists links to prior Carnivals.

Next the host solicits essays and entries (art, drawings, poetry, etc) by promoting the upcoming Carnival. People can submit links to pieces they think are relevant and the Host also looks for relevant articles online.

Finally there's the write up. I prefer that the hosted Carnival be in the form of an essay with commentary about the links and what they lead to / what the articles say and how it all meshes with the theme of the Carnival itself. But my main interest is in getting as many people as possible thinking about PoC in SciFi / Fantasy Settings; making them aware that there is an on going conversation and inviting them to participate.

Temporary Post

2008-08-07T21:26:00.002-04:00

This post will be deleted once Blogger fixes things.Currently Seeking Avalon is showing errors until Blogger gets it's act together.

Issue # 11 (pt 2)

2008-07-30T13:32:00.007-04:00

The 11th People of Colour in Sci Fi & Fantasy Blog Carnival had part one up on July 2nd; The Eye of the Beholder. It was a discussion that went on for a few days about things PoC see as representative of themselves that all too often are used in SF worlds to represent the alien. There's a bit near the end about characters coded as black or who could be interpreted as black. Honestly, I would have loved to get more information on characters that are coded NDN, or Asian (East or South) among other groups.

Part two of the Carnival is out. It's quieter and much much smaller than the discussion that preceded it. But it speaks of that unique, sometimes warped visibility as well, with a piece by Ciderpress of Livejournal who gives one voice to the set that was missing. Ciderpress talks of degrees of othering and alienation.

... there are times when *everything* I do is regarded as exotic, as 'foreign', as East Asian for a given value of "East Asian". And it's not just the stuff I do that's not "default" or "normal" for society at large, it's the normal stuff I do that lots of white people in society do, too.

Part two of the 11th Carnival also involves links to STEAMFASHION and a member there who discusses his interpretation of the fashion and the genre and how he tries to pull in aspects of imperialism and colonialism and the native cultures lost or dominated by them. So seriously check out the piece by lj user Anachronaut. His costuming is beautiful and provocative and thoughtful and his comments in threads at the link are just as insightful.

And finally there's Bibliophile Stalker on WordPress about The Philippines In Western Speculative Fiction.

11th PoC in SF Carnival - Part 2

Check it out.

But to the Carnival I'd like to add a few links

Debunking White Fantasy by Bankuei. His entry brought up aspects I hadn't realized I'd absorbed when it came to PoC representation on SF. Which is that all too often the PoC characters or the nation representing them are ghettoized/marginalized into having cultural markers, stereotypical markers, that say 'this is what a PoC culture is' / 'this is who PoC are' no matter what. Whereas white characters aren't limited to being from mock Northen European cultures. They can come from anywhere and be anything.

Complimentary to that entry is one by Naamen, Terminology - Savagification! I think the title itself is the best summary as to what that's about. Combined with Naamen's other essay Hollywood Stop Whitening Characters! No Really! Stop It! and in particular the link and quotes within it regarding Neil Gaiman's Anasi Boys.

Can you see the picture being drawn? About how PoC in SF, if represented at all among the 'normal' Northern European background and characters; they are Other, Exotic and quite often Savage (as in the savage enemy).

Next: IBARW & The WoC & Beauty Carnival. The PoC in SF Carnival will return in September.

Issue #11

2008-07-03T04:24:00.000-04:00

POC In Sci-Fi Carnival #11 - The Eye Of The Beholder

‘Human beings fear difference,’ Lilith had told him once. ‘Oankali crave difference. Humans persecute their different ones, yet they need them to give themselves definition and status.'
-- Octavia Butler's Xenoginis - Adulthood Rites, P80-81

Hosted on Livejournal by Abydosangel, the 11th Carnival focuses on things the media uses to demonstrate or mark characters and environments as Alien or Other that to POC are common place and everyday. How what makes us, us becomes alien culture, or signs of alien being and self. Making our cultural signifiers all about "a stranger in a strange land."

This 11th Carnival has a different format than usual. Discussion is open now in comments and the main entry will be edited to show submitted links (which can be added via comment or emailed to the host). The deadline for submitting links found online or links to your own thoughts in an essay format is JULY 18th 2008.

I admit to finding it an unusual format, but one I think works for this Carnival's theme and topic. This Carnival is about PoC discussing this othering in the genre and for Allies to discuss how they absorbed these perceptions, or began to see past them, or need help realizing them.

Please go look, read Abydosangel's thoughts, think and SAY SOMETHING.

Issue #10

2008-07-01T05:32:00.005-04:00

Much belated due to moving and general spaciness I wasn't online to publicize the 10th PoC SF Carnival graciously hosted by Karnuthia @ LJ.

Short but sweet and satisfying, this Carnival focused on PoC In YA Fiction.

Two bits that stand out in particular are Saskaia's wonderful piece about Twilight character Jacob Black: "Could Have Been More Than A Metaphor" that was picked up for discussion in the blog American Indians In Children's Literature.

And then there's Oyceter, a voracious reader of POC literature, and her huge list of works with details and recommendations of fiction involving PoC or written by PoC in Young Adult Lit.

If you missed the Carnival this time because you were looking for this post - my apologies. But go take a look now! :)

And don't forget we're always looking for new hosts. Please contact me.

Faces of Colour: The Razor Kid

2008-05-24T11:37:00.000-04:00

The first was here

WOWIO.COM has turned me onto The Razor Kid. Another Asian super-hero. A teenager. And a hero who's difabled. (Differently abled is too damn long to type out, and disabled feels weird. Welcome to Willow's comic blog vocabulary).

Unlike Superhero G who started off Japanese, I'm unsure which Asian ethnicity Alexander Tanaka is. His surname seems Japanese, but right now I'm not assuming.

Alexander lives in a world where superheroes need certification to do their jobs. He didn't start off wanting to be a hero. He's a genius and he was intending to follow the flow of his own brilliance. Then he stumbled into a horrendous conspiracy that then cost him his arms and he found his heroism.

I am seriously wishing there was a Pay for Download digital format for this comic. Because I'd spend the money for each installment. I want to support this product, this character.

Put out by Ronin Studios, whenever #2 comes out it should be available at Indyplanet.Com and ComixPress.

Extra Babble

It's only one issue, with some backstory on the main site. But I'm really giddy about an Asian hero. I realize that the loss of the arms might seem skeezy to some. That some how the Asian man had to be hurt etc. Truthfully I only realized that perspective several days after my "OMG! Asian Hero Kid! Genius Smarts! OMG Difabled Kid Kicked ASS!"

[backdated for dual posting]

Faces of Colour

2008-05-16T00:52:00.002-04:00

When I think Asian, art and SF I'm more than likely to end up thinking of Manga first, then the various free-to-play massive multiplayer online role playing games; Perfect World for example; then Manwha and modern wuxia stories. I'm less likely to think about Super Hero comics.

Jubilee doesn't have that many fans. Betsy Braddock was originally white. And as for Asian Males? Does anyone actually remember Sunfire?

... Ok, apparently some folks remembered him long enough to kick him up and down M-Day. But my point still stands.

That's why I was so delighted when I realized that the key characters in The Imaginaries were Asian. And that's also why I was so disappointed on reading the last installment almost a month ago and realizing that in this last issue (#4) those key characters had no longer been drawn Asian.

So I emailed the creator. His name and email addy were up on the site and I really wanted to know if I'd read things correctly. It turns out I had. But my follow up email asking if there would be a) more Imaginaries and b) more Imaginaries drawn with the key characters looking Asian didn't get a reply.

Still I heartily recommend reading the initial series, even if the art in the last issue is likely to break your heart at the sudden erasure of a powerful, Japanese superhero and even if New Beginings suggests that the characters are now Caucasian, permanently.

(What was this? Read here)

ANOUNCEMENT: 9th PoC in SF Carnival!

2008-05-01T10:49:00.002-04:00

ANOUNCEMENT: 9th PoC in SF Carnival!

Go see the Carnival!. Read! Be educated! Become aware!

There's an interplay between art and speculative fiction and how we, poc, see ourselves vs how we are seen that makes me think thinky thoughts about that application in fiction.

There's also a history lesson about Bengali SciFi. BENGALI! If your mind is blown with yay, go find :)

NB: I have had a problem using the term NW for individuals. I've discovered I'm more comfortable saying NWP - it feels less like I'm shouting some equivalent of n***** and more like I'm discussing a huge swathe of the earth's population. But I, like the current, host invite everyone to define themselves how they wish in comments to the Carnival

Issue #8

2008-02-29T12:35:00.000-05:00

The 8th Carnival, people!

You have no idea how much squee and joy this brings me. This Carnival is about dialogue between PoC. Intra-Racial Dialogue; What Lies Between Us is up at LadyJax at Livejournal.

Kali921, now would be a good time to bring out that promo post you lost from last month, update it some and swing it round and 'round.

This 8th Carnival has PoC discussing being PoC and SF fans. It's a lot of Meta, a lot of thinking. And while it may no longer be filled with conversations you (general) knew nothing about - given that discussions on race and SF and fans seems to be happening more and more - it is a perspective that's internal and unique.

Go, read.

I'll be back later to update the archives.

[ Still looking for a HOST for March = Contact Me ]

Issue #7

2008-01-25T21:05:00.000-05:00

It's the 7th People of Colour in Science Fiction / Fantasy Carnival.

We've been going for half a year. I'm amazed and happy and awestruck and other sap.

Thank you for participating (don't forget to contact me to host) and reading and promoting.

Anyone want to make icons for the livejournal / insanejournal people among the readers? :)

I'm hoping we continue as successfully as possible during 2008.

And now, the carnival: ENOUGH @ SEEKING AVALON

Issue #6

2007-12-17T13:57:00.000-05:00

The 6th People of Colour in Science Fiction / Fantasy Carnival is up at deadbrowalking @ livejournal.

The theme - Sankofa in Space.

Truth be told I haven't even finished reading all the great links from the 5th Carnival. But I urge you to bookmark this one if you can't go read, skim and interact immediately.

Reminder

2007-12-13T14:20:00.000-05:00

The 6th PoC Carnival has a Friday the 14th of December deadline for submissions. Take a moment to see if you can find articles or artwork to submit.

Issue #5

2007-11-28T19:13:00.000-05:00

The 5th People of Colour in Scifi & Fantasy Blog Carnival is up @ Shewhohashope's livejournal. It's a little late, but given the holiday season, the flu season and near end of year exhaustion, we can all handwave that.

This issue is really embracing the multiculturalness behind the phrase people of colour. There's Maori legend, Chinese legend, Anime, Manga, Bollywood and more, in areas all over from film to fandom essays.

Please head over, read, and thank Shewhohashope. She's done a lovely job of gathering links. Now you can bring the commentary.

Next Carnival will be the 6th and will be held by Delux-Vivens' @ livejournal's DeadBroWalking. The 7th will be held at Seeking Avalon.

If you're interested in hosting in the New Year 2008, please contact me.

PS: Don't forget to promote the carnival in your journal or blog. The more readers the better!

Carnival Deadline Looms

2007-11-25T14:23:00.000-05:00

Last chance to submit articles for the upcoming Carnival. Deadline is the 26th of November.

If you're currently sniffly, like myself, and you don't think you can make it, the next Carnival is for December and will be hosted by Delux_Vivens @ Livejournal (on DeadBroWalking). Her theme is Sankofa in Space. But she's open to anything good.

Reminder: 5th Carnival

2007-11-17T16:22:00.000-05:00

Life tends to get hectic around the holidays and that's exactly the case right now. But if you have the time, if you stumble across something good, submissions for the next Carnival are open until November 26th. The Carnival hopes to go live on November 27th and will be hosted at Shewhohashope @ livejournal.

Shewhohashope is especially interested in Non-Western Fantasy & Science Fiction.

Early Happy Thanksgiving (American Carnival Readers)

Issue #4

2007-10-24T19:22:00.001-04:00

It's short but sweet. The 4th People of Colour Scifi & Fantasy Carnival is UP!

October seems like it was one thing after another and some have commented that the rock has been pushed over and now we see what was wriggling underneath.

But I'd like to think that it says something important and powerful that there are so many raising loud voices to point out ignorance and idiocy.

Please go have a look. There are copious link lists.

5th Carnival to be hosted by Shewhohashope @ Livejournal

6th Carnival to be hosted by Delux Vivens @ Livejournal

If you're interested in hosting in 2008, please contact Willow.

SPECIAL EDITION #1: PoC SciFi & Fantasy Carnival

2007-10-17T12:10:00.000-04:00

Special Edition: The IBARW Edition hosted @ lj on The IBARW Community.

Links, links, links and more links. If you missed some of the wonderful discussion of IBAR2 the first time around, find it now. Read. Browse. Self-educate.

There's been a lot going on recently; discussions, trolls, flames. The links here might lead to better conversations seeing as how 2007 seems to be the year we discuss how to discuss racism so that we're all on the same page when it comes to addressing it.

Coming near the end of the month, a regular edition, hosted at ~~Willow_dot_com @ Lj IF I don't hear back from assigned hostess~~ Starkeymonster / Julia's Livejournal.

Submission deadline 10/20. Post goes live 10/24.

Issue #3

2007-09-28T19:46:00.000-04:00

The third People of Color in Scifi & Fantasy Carnival will be up @ Bellatrys Livejournal ~~in a matter of hours~~.

Please, please go take a look. I was lucky enough to get a preview and it's a very interesting collection of links and commentary, noting everything from Victorian attitudes on the Dark Continent to the treatment of Characters of Color in Boy's Love Manga.

And she mentioned Coptic Art!

~~I'll edit in a link once everything is~~ It's live.

October has a host but I haven't heard back from the people who said they'd be interested in November & December. So, any takers?

Issue #2

2007-08-25T10:43:00.000-04:00

The Second Carnival is up.

It's been an interesting month for People of Colour.

Everyone please go check it out and thank Wychwood for all her hard work. Read and tell your friends and get them to tell their friends.

Tiny Note: In recent discussions there has been conflict over the general use of the term 'people of colour' and the lack of the use of the term 'non-white'. If my choice disagrees strongly enough with someone that they choose not to participate then I'm sorry for the loss.

Usage Note: Dissatisfaction with the implications of nonwhite as a racial label has doubtless contributed to the recent popularity of the term person of color and others, such as woman of color, with the same construction. In effect, person of color stands nonwhite on its head, substituting a positive for a negative. It is interesting that the almost exclusive association in American English of colored with Black does not carry over to terms formed with "of color," which are used inclusively of most groups other than those of European origin. See Usage Notes at colored, nonwhite. 1, 2

Carnival Deadline: August 20th

2007-08-19T20:15:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow 'round 8pm or so is the deadline for the August Issue of the People of Colour in Scifi & Fantasy Blog Carnival.

I know a goodly number of people have contemplated moving LJ or have moved etc. Which is yet another reason I'm glad that there's a blog-spot central place where I can post this.

Last minute links for the Carnival should be sent now.

Also random damning of livejournal

Bulletin: When Upset PoC "Wank"

2007-07-31T16:56:00.000-04:00

The News Is:

Daily_Deviant has changed it's opinion and removed the term miscegenation.

I'm not trying to rain on WYCHWOOD's parade. Who, I believe is including some if not many links on the subject of Daily_Deviant @ Livejournal and miscegenation in August's Carnival. I look fwd to her commentary.

Liviapenn on LJ began compiling a list of links which prompted me to remember the Carnival has a Delicious.

I've put as many posts as I could find while not going out of my ever loving mind up on Del.ico.us.

You'll find it under the headers HPFandom and Racist Terminology

Daily_Deviant has left up their original reply up with one edit, which is a link to their new position.

I've saved the html of both pages.

I encourage everyone (all 27 of you) who feed this journal to encourage the mods of Daily_Deviant to apologise to Witchqueen for claiming she was slandering and defaming them. They've left comments open on their new admin post.

carnival pimping: If you have a delicious, please don't hesitate to use it to fwd links. Sometimes something might not be perfect for an issue, but fits just right for using the delicious to compile a list of links, old and new.

Thank You - Have Hosts

2007-07-30T13:28:00.000-04:00

Thank you all for your prompt response. August has a host. Wychwood @ LJ; the still point of the turning world has kindly agreed to host our second issue.

Submission deadline: August 21st. Issue posted (hopefully): August 25th.

Please submit articles here. It's easiest if there's one known location for submissions.

September also has a host. Bellatrys @ LJ;
Nothing New Under The Sun.

And there might quite possibly be a special issue "International Blog Against Racism Week" Carnival, courtesy of Oyceter.

Once again, thank you all. Though it would be nice to get October and November squared away (hint hint).

Would A Host For Issue #2 Please Stand Up

2007-07-28T18:55:00.000-04:00

The first PoC in SF Blog Carnival received an amazing amount of feedback. I was awed and grateful.

But now here I am at the end of the month, and I haven't found another host.

The person I thought was lined up to be the second host, hasn't responded to me and I'm not sure they even saw the Carnival was out. Two other people have offered, but I haven't heard back from them either. And the third person to offer is entangled in another project and signed up clearly asking for issue#3 or 4.

Where will I find a host for issue#2?

How hard do I have to ask?

Were people really excited?

Hosting involves looking for links, and receiving links sent to the carnival organizer site. It involves writing commentary for said links.

There is so much I've seen recently that bears mentioning. Things in HP fandom, in Dr. Who, in gaming... There are lists being made of PoC creators, interviews and articles.

We need this Carnival.

And I need help to keep it going.

PS: There's been some flutter from people who aren't of colour wondering if it's appropriate for them to host. The Carnival needs to stay alive. If the topics are of concern and interest to you and you're willing to devote time to put an issue out - then I don't see a problem.

Hosts

2007-07-16T16:43:00.000-04:00

Given that The Angry Black Woman seems extra busy and not even near a computer at the moment - Are there any other takers to host the next PoC in SF Carnival?

Contact me please.

Issue #1

2007-07-12T21:12:00.000-04:00

It's short but hopefully sweet, after almost a month of offline/real life complications that delayed it, the first issue of The People of Color SF Carnivalis up at Seeking Avlon on LiveJournal.

It was now or never.

I'm hoping people are still excited about it.

DeadLines

2007-06-13T12:17:00.000-04:00

Due to circumstances outside my control, including a horrible hacking cough and fever and a possible 5 day lack of net access - the blog Carnival is likely to be a few days late.

Thanks for understanding.

How You Can Participate

2007-05-15T17:30:00.000-04:00

Because there are people who've been asking and wanting to do something in the Carnival but have been worried about time constraints, finals, homework, work projects, looking after the kids and illness - here's a handy list.

Ways to participate:

Submit an article, essay, etc of your own with link

Submit an article, essay, etc of some one else's with link
- Bonus points for getting them to contact me giving permission to post.

Create and submit your own art with a link to it.
- The submission needs to show PoC in a SciFi or Fantasy setting. People means faces and significant bodyparts

Submit someone else's art with a link to it.

Please see guidelines about what is a relevant article/essay link.

Feeds (And Other Admin)

2007-05-09T17:41:00.000-04:00

There are currently two livejournal syndication feeds.

OfColor and SFColorCarnival.

There are some very eager people in the blogsphere and I thank you. Now does anyone know how to merge the two? If not I guess there will simply be two.

Also TheAngryBlackWoman.Com has offered to host an issue. So that's a start and makes me look forward to having a second issue.

Da' Rules

2007-05-08T09:12:00.000-04:00

For Us. By Us. About Us.

A Blog Carnival is an odd combination of e-zine and link collection. The blogsphere is large and expansive. A Carnival typically collects together links pointing to blog articles on a particular topic. Like a magazine it has submission deadlines, a publishing date and is posted in issues. And like a traveling carnival it moves and is hosted on individual journals and blogs.

Below are the guidelines to what types of link are eligible for the People of Color SF Carnival.

Please note due to the possible extra traffic and attention that a submission here might acrue; ~~WE WILL NOT LINK YOU IN THE CARNIVAL WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION~~. The issues being tracked and talked about are too important to wait for permission. There's been a rule change.

However permission is only required for Carnival submissions. If someone forwards a link to the carnival's del.ici.ous account, that link will be tagged and archived there as general information.

Eligible Submissions:

Posts on Science Fiction and Fantasy environments in such works as; books, comic books, television, film, if written about a person or character of color or from their perspective.

Posts on Science Fiction and Fantasy environments in such gaming systems as tabletop roleplaying, video console or computer games, PBEM, or Journal/PB gaming if written about a person or character of color or from their perspective.

Posts about visibility or lack of visibility of people of color in Science Fiction and Fantasy environments such as books, comic books, television, film or in gaming systems as tabletop roleplaying, video console or computer games, PBEM, or Journal/PB gaming.

Posts about how native peoples of color are portrayed in such Science Fiction and Fantasy environments

Posts about references (news articles etc) to native people in such Science Fiction and Fantasy environments

Posts written about a person color who works with or helps create books, comic books, television or film in such Science Fiction and Fantasy environments.

Posts written about a person color who works with or helps create gaming systems as tabletop roleplaying, video console or computer games, PBEM, or Journal/PB gaming

Posts that are fanfiction written about character of color or from their perspective.

Meta posts about fanfiction concerning the lack of presence or use of the Characters of Color in media fandom / livejournal fandom.

Posts about conventions appearances with actors of color from SciFi / Fantasy TV Shows or Movies.

Posts about events pertaining to People of Color in SciFi/Fantasy.

Posts linking to news and announcements that are specifically about Persons of Color in the SF community.

Discussion posts or rants about science fiction/fantasy news from or about persons or characters of color (Example SciFi's intent to produce EarthSea, or a new actor/character for the tv show Heroes)

Analysis or rants about tv shows or movies without characters of color from the perspective of a person of color

Posts of a relevant comic or an illustration or other artwork pertaining to Characters of Color in SF

The links accepted and used in a Carnival are at the sole discretion of that issue's host-editor. However, the host-editor's style and presentation, of the links and any information about what they discuss, is subject to review prior to posting.

There is only one exception to the link rule - The Wanted Section.

The Wanted Section:

In creating this Carnival hours were spent trying to get information about Illustrators of Color who did SF&F art. A couple of things were found among YA and Children's Books. But these weren't always in a SF theme. The Wanted Section is always open for any links to galleries, private or public or to illustrators of color preferably depicting people of color. In general permission is not needed from the creator in order to promote them here, but per link/image good judgement should apply.

Submissions to The Wanted Section should be headed up with that title. Host-editors are always to put up any links to People of Color SF art in The Wanted Section, under that header. Any extra links and information should be forwarded to the next host.

A simple hour of looking for an illustrator might turn up a link that helps inspire someone to continue making art that makes us visible. It's possibly the easiest way to participate in the Carnival. And some images may end up under our rotating 'Faces of Color'.

Why A Carnival?

2007-05-07T12:20:00.001-04:00

Because Lt. Uhura should have had more lines. (ST: TOS)

Because Kevin Sorbo was jealous of Keith Hamilton Cobb and wrote him out. (Andromeda)

Because among other butchery, the SciFi Channel made Ged white. (EarthSea)

Because Forrest was a plot point and Graham was an extra. (Btvs)

Because Ronon Dex is not a savagely sexual wild man. (SGA)

Because Aiden Ford deserved better. (SGA)

Because Goliath showed up only to get killed. (Marvel: CW)

Because Vixen should have been more than the other woman. (JLU)

Because Carl Lumbly should be remembered for MANTIS.

Because Milestone Media deserved more love.

Because there should be more shows like Afro Saumrai

Because there should be more heroines like Jade and Juniper Lee.

Because Bianca Lawson tried out for the role of Cordelia Chase instead of Kendra. (BtVS)

Because Pete Ross drowned in a sea of nothingness (Smallville)

Because it can feel isolating among other journalers and bloggers.

Because it could encourage other People of Color to speak up more.

Because there are illustrators of color who don't get to put faces like theirs on the front of a SF book.

Can you think of more reasons? I'm sure you can.

PoC SF Carnival: We Exist. And We Are Not Invisible