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Black Lives, Black Futures
I have wondered about how Church of the Geek might be a voice for our POC neighbors. We cannot remail silent.
So much of the things we love share visions of the future that are more diverse, more equitable, more peaceful than our world currently is right now. Some of the things we love are visions of society gone wrong, the post-apocalyptic, the corporate controlled, the tyrannical government. Most of us are smart enough to discern which is which. The vision of the dark and gritty are not inevitable. They exist as warnings. The diverse and equitable visions are not just idealistic pie-in-the-sky impossibilities. They are aspirational.
People of faith cannot sit by, throw up their hands and say, "Whatever God wills..." In every religion the vision of loving your neighbor is central and vital. And love is an action. Love is the thing that can dismantle the apparatus holds us beholden to lies. Love is key to apprehending the vision of a future that is just, equitable and peace-filled.
Love is the action that moves us and our neighbors toward a new and radiant tomorrow. Love is an action that becomes concrete in different ways as we love our neighbors in different arenas of our life. As fans of all things geeky, I argue that one way we can begin to do the work of loving our neighbors of color is to engage in the visions they have of our world, in science fiction, in comics, in movies and television. Their voices are vital for us all.
So I am putting together a list of these possibilities for us all to read, watch or otherwise take in. Please take some time to commit to reading creators outside of the dominant white culture.
Writers
Octavia Butler
Harriet -- a film about Harriet Tubman; part biopic, part hagiography; part superhero flick
Series
Swordsfall -- Sworsdfall.com -- An Afropunk/Afrofuturist table top role playing game, especially read "What is Afropunk and What Is It to Swordsfall" -- the world and lore are being put out currently, but the RPG itself is about a year away. But seriously look at the art, the concepts, the world building.
Can we dream alongside of our fellow human beings for a different world? A world shaped by peace and justice? Cane we love our neighbors so that we end up in such a place together?
So much of the things we love share visions of the future that are more diverse, more equitable, more peaceful than our world currently is right now. Some of the things we love are visions of society gone wrong, the post-apocalyptic, the corporate controlled, the tyrannical government. Most of us are smart enough to discern which is which. The vision of the dark and gritty are not inevitable. They exist as warnings. The diverse and equitable visions are not just idealistic pie-in-the-sky impossibilities. They are aspirational.
People of faith cannot sit by, throw up their hands and say, "Whatever God wills..." In every religion the vision of loving your neighbor is central and vital. And love is an action. Love is the thing that can dismantle the apparatus holds us beholden to lies. Love is key to apprehending the vision of a future that is just, equitable and peace-filled.
Love is the action that moves us and our neighbors toward a new and radiant tomorrow. Love is an action that becomes concrete in different ways as we love our neighbors in different arenas of our life. As fans of all things geeky, I argue that one way we can begin to do the work of loving our neighbors of color is to engage in the visions they have of our world, in science fiction, in comics, in movies and television. Their voices are vital for us all.
So I am putting together a list of these possibilities for us all to read, watch or otherwise take in. Please take some time to commit to reading creators outside of the dominant white culture.
Writers
Octavia Butler
- The Kindred-- there has also been a graphic novel version of this -- call your local comic book store to get this.
- Parable of the Sower -- there has also been a graphic novel of this as well
- The Parable of the Talents
- The Broken Earth series -- The Fifth Season (Hugo Award: Best Novel 2016); The Obelisk Gate (Hugo Award: Best Novel 2017); The Stone Sky
- How Long 'Til Black Future Month
- Far Sector -- a DC title in the world of Green Lantern
- The Binti Trilogy: Binti (Best Novella Award for Hugo, Nommo and Nebula awards); Home; The Night Masquerade-- parts 2 and 3 were nominated for Best Novella for the Hugo Awards
- Shuri -- Nommo award: Best Graphic Novel) -- a Marvel title set in Wakanda
- The Water Dancer
- Black Panther -- the Marvel title for which he has written several other titles set in Wakanda
- Between the World and Me -- sure, not fiction, but probably his best known book
- Of Blood and Bone
- Children of Virtue and Vengance
Harriet -- a film about Harriet Tubman; part biopic, part hagiography; part superhero flick
Series
- Raising Dion -- A Netflix series about a single mother raising a young boy with superpowers
- Watchmen -- A HBO series focusing on racial injustice set decades after the original graphic novel
Swordsfall -- Sworsdfall.com -- An Afropunk/Afrofuturist table top role playing game, especially read "What is Afropunk and What Is It to Swordsfall" -- the world and lore are being put out currently, but the RPG itself is about a year away. But seriously look at the art, the concepts, the world building.
Can we dream alongside of our fellow human beings for a different world? A world shaped by peace and justice? Cane we love our neighbors so that we end up in such a place together?
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