April’s shaping up to be a busy month! I’ve got several events coming up in the Chicago area, including a post-screening panel on the technological and cultural themes in the Ready Player One film, panels at C2E2, and the next 20×2 readings and performance series:
April 5, 2018, 7pm | $11-$15 | all-ages
Ready Player One: The Future of Us, presented by the Museum of Science and Industry, ArcLight Chicago, Chicago, IL
Explore the benefits – and risks – of our digital world in a provocative discussion inspired by the incredible virtual and real-life worlds of The New York Times best-seller Ready Player One. Join the Museum of Science and Industry for a screening of Steven Spielberg’s action-packed adaptation at ArcLight Cinemas (1500 N. Clybourn Ave., Chicago) at 7 pm on April 5, and stick around after the movie to be part of a conversation with diverse experts in areas including gaming, activism, social media personas, and more. Speakers include Michi Trota (Writer, Editor for Uncanny: A Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy), Mary Anne Mohanraj (Executive Director, Speculative Literature Foundation), Brice Puls (Digital Interactive Developer), and Ashlyn Sparrow (Learning Technology Director at GCC Design Lab).
April 6-8, 2018
C2E2, Chicago, IL
- CNSC Presents It’s Ok to Not Like Things, Friday, April 6, 11:30am-12:30pm, Cards Against Humanity Comedy Stage
A celebration of differing opinions in a judgment-free zone. Confess your nerd sins and find peace with the friendliest nerds in town. - Yellowface, Whitewashing, and Set Dressing: Asian Americans in Geek Culture, Saturday, April 7, 12:15-1:15pm, S405b
What do Iron Fist and Doctor Strange share in common? Why is Firefly a problematic favorite? Join a panel of notable Asian-American writers, academics, and performers for a discussion on representation in pop culture, the effect it has on creators and fans, and what we can do to change the media landscape so that diversity is a reality rather than a buzzword. We’ll talk about how we’re working to change the stories we tell and what geekdom as a whole can do to encourage more diverse media. With Mary Anne Mohanraj, Mark Martell, Michi Trota, Wesley Sun, Dawn Xiana Moon - Understanding Gender Through Art, Saturday, April 7, 4-5pm, S405b
At the forefront of modern social debate is the nature of gender identity and how we move forward culturally with new understanding of the diversity within. Many graphic novels address this debate by providing fictional and non-fictional representations exploring how both identity and gender have evolved. This panel will explore how this discussion can enter into the classroom and which texts could be vital in crystallizing an understanding of this complex topic. With Dr. Katie Monnin, Jennie Wood, Shieka Lugtu, Michi Trota, Jill Gerber, Danielle Minet - CNSC Presents It’s Ok to Not Like Things—Family Edition, Sunday, April 8, 11:30am-12:30pm, Cards Against Humanity Comedy Stage
A celebration of differing opinions in a judgment-free zone. Confess your nerd sins and find peace with the friendliest nerds in town.
April 27, 2018, 7-9pm | $10 | All Ages
20×2: Where Do We Start? Schubas, Chicago, IL
20×2 is an ongoing project that exists to showcase the creativity that lurks in each of us. Writers, musicians, filmmakers, web geeks and other bon vivants are asked to take two minutes each to answer the question of the day. The results can be as varied as the emotions and reactions they evoke. This edition’s question is “Where do we start?”
Featuring: James Allenspach, Rachelle Ankney, Rashanah Baldwin, Bilal Dardai, Regan Davis, Elizabeth Gomez, Gwendolyn Graff, Keisha Howard, Felix Jung, Maya Kuper, Nikki Lynette, David Michaels, Nikki Nigl, Lauren Pacheco, Shawn Smith, Jeff Solin, Borja Sotomayor, Michi Trota, Sandor Weisz, Brian Wlazlo
Additionally, I’ll be joining Uncanny Magazine‘s publishers and editors-in-chief Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas at the Illinois Math & Science Academy talking to students about science fiction & fantasy, and publishing in mid-April. And assuming the weather is cooperative, the first Full Moon Jam of the year will be at the end of the month!
Hope to see you at some of these upcoming events!