The My-Stery: Futures of Color

Although the main focus of this blog is afrofuturism, all people of color are in the speculative realm as well:

From Butcharri

“Why POC need Science-Fiction and Fantasy…

You know one thing that I’ve found in being a creative and a person of color is that attempting to get POC to collaborate on something that involves people of color outside of Hip-Hop culture is virtually impossible without a shit load of money…which I do not have.  If it’s hard for me than that means it’s hard for a lot of creatives and I’ve already confirmed this with a ton of colleagues that I’ve met over the years.

We need authentic, conscious, and responsible Science-Fiction and Fantasy because it’s a critical part of all of our histories.  We need it because we have very little in the ways of fully realized, idealized heroes that look and sound like any of us for us or our kids or for future generations.  Heroes that look like you and multitudes of them provide an inspirational halo effect the likes of which none of us or our people have experienced since before the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.  Yes I view the Trans-Atlantic slave trade period as the demarcation point from which the hierarchy of Whites on the top and everybody else on the bottom or in the “constructed middle” started.  You can see what this has done to society on the whole.  You can also see the positive reinforcing effects of idealized self-images in popularized fiction have had even if you’re unwilling to completely accept it.  The only thing I can ask is to just trust me on this, idealized self-images in popularized fiction involving people of color are a very critical component to us moving this society towards something that actually makes sense.

If you know a POC that is an artist, writer, filmmaker that is interested in making conscious work that simply eschews the notion that the work MUST be exploitative in nature to be economically viable ask them what YOU can do to help.  If there’s nothing ask them if they know any other artists of their same mindset that could use help.  If you don’t know a POC that creates conscious works of fiction make it a point to seek them out.  Use your better judgment, but know that we’re out there struggling in the good fight and could use a hand every now and again.  Be serious and be committed because it’s important to all of us don’t make promises you have no intention of keeping and don’t say you’re interested at one point only to flake out later and decide not to participate or communicate.

…That is all

…Time’s Yours”

Here are some website to find out more about people of color and speculative fiction:

Speculative Fiction By Writers of Color
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Not Just Japan: Asian Science Fiction and Fantasy
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Science Fiction in India Blog
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