Chicanonautica: Advice for the Mexicanxes Going to WorldCon

by Ernest Hogan

Suddenly, weeks before it begins, the 76^th Annual World Science Fiction Convention is in turmoil. Somehow, they neglected to schedule people of color who have been nominated for their Hugo Awards to take part in their panels. The usual excuses about natural phenomena that mimic the effects of racism, but are not racist, were dragged out. They're starting their programming over from scratch, just in case . . .

Meanwhile, the convention's Artist Guest of Honor, John Picacio (a Mexican American), has organized the Mexicanix Initiative, that will buy memberships for “Mexicanx artists, writers, filmmakers, culture shapers, and fans.”

I was one of first Mexicanxes John Picacio contacted. I was honored, but turned him down. A free membership would help, but having to fly to San Jose, and stay somewhere on my own dime, could seriously drain my funds, and I had other family and professional obligations. My wife and I have been to more conventions in the last few months than we had in the last several years. And WorldCons can make all your money disappear.

Also, I had been disappointed by the last few WorldCons I'd been to. The subculture that created them is getting old, withering up and dying. It felt more like visiting a sick friend in a hospice than a nexus for an exciting cultural phenomenon.

Now, I'm worried about the Mexicanxes. A lot of them probably aren't familiar with old school fandom. They don't know what they're getting into.

As a Chicano who's been going to sff conventions since the Seventies, and has been speaking on panels since the Eighties, I can offer some advice about being an outsider in Scifilandia.

First, not all of them are Sad Puppies, mourning the fall of white supremacy and the vision of an all-white future. Most of them consider themselves to be liberals, it's just that though they like galaxy-spanning entertainment, they are in many ways unsophisticated. Remember the stereotype attached to the world “nerd” before it became fashionable? A lot of them have led sheltered lives, and use sci-fi and fantasy to insulate themselves from a universe that is always threatening to blow their minds.

They're uncomfortable with alien things. I consider that to be the opposite of what science fiction is supposed to be, but I'm the guy who keeps wondering if he should start a Too Weird For Sci-Fi Club.

A lot of them have somehow managed to never get to know many people of color. They think sff, and culture in general, is a white people thing.

For years I was usually the darkest person in the room. Harlan Ellison thought I was black.

What has been happening in recent years causes anxiety, even panic-attack reactions. Be careful.

But also, don't be intimidated. As a Chicanonaut, I'm always going where no one of my ethnicity has gone before. I don't see any reason to stop.

Approach the WorldCon like a strange new world. Don't worry about the convention committee's scheduled events—if they suit you, go, if not, do your own thing!

Have our own convention. Meet each other. Party. Have fun. Clatter some plots and plans. Get stuff started. Don't let anybody stop you!

If there's one thing I've learned in my years as writer/artist it's that following the rules, and doing what you're supposed to do, doesn't work.

Once they see that what you're doing is fantastic, you will win them over.

Ernest Hogan, known as the Father of Chicano Science Fiction, just sold a story about a futuristic Aztlán to The Latinx Archive, and will be the final judge of First Annual Somos en Escrito Extra-Fiction Writing Contest 2018.

Chicanonautica: Why I Don’t Give a Damn About the Hugos, Nebulas, and SFWA

By Ernest Hogan

I got disgusted with awards--especially the sff ones--way back in the twentieth century, and my physical and mental health have been the better for it. Sure, it would nice to have a snazzy doodad with my name on it as a token of appreciation of my work, that would impress people who don’t know any better, but I’m cynical about such things--my wife had to talk me out of throwing away my high school diploma--eventually, the day would come when I’d see it as a worthless hunk of junk.

I lost faith in the Hugos in the Eighties when the movie of Tom Wolfe’s The Right Stuff won for Best Dramatic Presentation--this wasn't even fiction, it was history. The World Science Fiction Society--which is just the people who bought memberships for the WorldCon any year--had lost track of what the genre was!

And there are people who dutifully buy WorldCon memberships every year, read all the nominated works that they can, and vote. They are the people who should, not somebody with a conflict of interest like me. And people like me should leave them alone.

But, then we shouldn't be surprised that books from popular series like Harry Potter win (we’re lucky it didn’t go to Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey as well) and shenanigans like the Sad Puppies debacle happen. I’m amazed that things like that don’t happen more often.

The Nebulas are even worse. They are decided by the members of SFWA, the Science Fiction (and Fantasy) Writers of America, a so-called professional organization. Unfortunately, it means that everybody has a conflict of interest. The winners tend to be the most popular works among a group of people who are in competition against each other.

It felt good when I became eligible for SFWA membership and was accepted after the bizarre approval process. For a bright, shining moment, I felt that I had arrived. That cheap thrill didn’t last. Being a SFWA member didn’t make selling my work any easier. And suddenly, I was getting mail and phone calls from people who thought I could do something for them, even if was just letting them waste my time.

I didn’t even know when my membership lapsed. When I did, I realized that I didn’t need any of the crap from SFWA to find markets and make sales. I didn’t miss all their stupid publications.

Also, at conventions, if I wanted to get into the SFWA suite, I just had to find someone I knew and they would let me in.

And it’s wonderful to be able to tell people campaigning for the Nebula that I’m not a member.

I haven’t felt the need to renew my membership.

There was a time I almost did, though.

Once, while Googling my name--that’s how I keep track of unauthorized translations, and student films of my work--a Russian science fiction magazine called Esli came up and my name was in the table of contents. After studying the Cyrillic a while, it became clear that Obsidian Harvest, a collaboration I did with Rick Cook that was in Analog, was being offered for sale.

There were also works by a number of big name sff authors.

From Wikipedia: It was started in 1991 in Moscow, as a publisher of foreign SF stories, but soon broadened its format to include Russophone writers as well.

Rick, who is a member, though we should inform SFWA. I agreed.

There was a flurry of emails, and in the end it was decided that they would ask the magazine to play nice in the future. In other words, nothing was done.

I did not renew my membership. In fact, I felt like Groucho Marx when he said, “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.”

And my career goes merrily along without them.

Frankly, I would rather get paid, published, and read than win any awards.

Also, in my ten years as a bookstore clerk at Borders, not one customer ever came in and asked for a Hugo or Nebula winner. 

Most people have never heard of them.

The more I hear about awards of any kinds, and how they work, the less I’m impressed. I’m sure the details of how the Nobel guys decided to give theirs to Bob Dylan would read like proof of the end of Western Civilization. Which is okay, I’m ready for what comes next.

Ernest Hogan has been called the Father of Chicano Science Fiction, and probably will never win a major science fiction award.

Death, guns. KUVO radio. Spanish at SciFi Con.

Death, Drugs and Gun Control: A Double Standard

Jimmy Franco Sr., moderator and writer of the blog site: A Latino Point of View in Today's World just posted a comprehensive article about recent school shootings in the U.S. But he goes beyond that:

"The death rate for children under the age of fifteen who are killed by guns is now twelve times higher than the combined total of the next fifteen developed countries.

"Presently, the percentage of young people in the U.S. under the age of 18 who are killed by firearms are disproportionately African-American who comprise close to 45% of the victims while Latino youth make up over 20% of those slain. 

"Over 500 violent killings occurred in Los Angeles County during 2012 and were comprised of primarily young Latinos who died by gunfire. Meanwhile in Chicago, 2012 witnessed an eruption of killings that has surpassed those of 2011 as over 500 young people have died in an epidemic of deadly shootings."

To read the entire article, go here. 

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Denver bilingual radio to merge with PBS

from Dr. Ramon Del Castillo, KUVO Board Member:

Per my announcement at the CLLARO Public Policy Summit on Saturday, January 5th, below is the information for the meeting.

Important KUVO Jazz 89.3 meeting to discuss

the future of the radio station

Radio KUVO will soon be merging with Rocky Mountain Public PBS. KUVO Board of Directors has requested that current Board members coordinate community dialogue with community stakeholders that include but is not limited to the following groups/individuals; 1) Latina/o community leaders and leaders in general; 2) KUVO members; 2) nonprofit organization leaders; 3) business leaders; 4) government leaders; 5) potential new members, etc.

The agenda for the meeting that will include Radio administration personnel and board members is to: a) share national state-of-the-art information with what is happening to media outlets, with specificity to radio stations; b) discuss the merger and subsequent legal challenges and issues; c) dialogue about strategies to maintain Latina/o identity within the new structure, following the merger; d) discuss culturally relevant programming efforts; e) share bi-organizational approaches to selecting new Board that will guide the process; and f) build/demonstrate support for the continued programming efforts of the radio station.

Place:  El Centro Su Teatro

7th & Santa Fe Drive, Denver

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

6:00-8:00 p.m.

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Spanish track at World SciFi Convention

from the website: "The World Science Fiction Convention is one of the largest international gatherings of authors, artists, editors, publishers, and fans of science fiction and fantasy.

"We are seizing the opportunity to add another language to the Worldcon program. At LoneStarCon 3 we want to explore the genre in Spanish-speaking cultures, both in translated and original works. We are committed to having some programming in Spanish as well.

"Also, expanding the usual diverse programming developed for every Worldcon, we will present a Poetry track, led by Juan Perez, the Poet Laureate of San Antonio."

The convention will be held Aug. 29-Sept. 2, 2013. Among others, storyteller Joe R. Lansdale will be a featured guest.

If you are active in the San Anto area and want to be involved in developing and participating in the Spanish track, start now.

Go here to receive mailing list info about the Spanish track.

Es todo, hoy

RudyG

Chicanada @ LoneStarCon. Melinda Palacio @ NHCC. Café Fresco @ Gallista Gallery

World SciFi Convention wants Chicano/mexicano programming

This past summer I ran a four-part series entitled Spic vs Spec, in which I spoke to latino participation in the U.S. spec fiction world. That world is a changin'.

Next year, one of the largest fantasy / sci-fi gatherings will be held in San Antonio, Texas. What will make it stand out is that organizers want to diversify their programming into the Spanish-speaking and mexicano world. Qué bueno!

La Bloga was recently contacted by Lone Star Con3 program organizers with the following request:

"We want to develop a Spanish Language Track to the World Science Fiction Convention. Panels might not be bilingual, but should include Spanish-speaking fans, TV shows, and unique Spanish language contributions to Science Fiction & Fantasy. We are looking for local authors from the San Antonio area to help us put together programming that would promote SF&F from Spanish language sources, who are interested in helping us develop that track along with local clubs and media."

This effort is in the beginning stages, but offers an opportunity for Chicano and mexicano spec authors and readers to enter an arena of U.S. literature that is just beginning to learn about us. It also provides us a new mechanism to take our literature to mainstream readers.

Other gente outside the San Anto area can possibly also get involved in some way. I believe there will be many opportunities and ample reason not only to attend, but to participate in enrichening this convention.

Please contact us for further info if you are interested. Note this, too: whatever is accomplished in San Anto can possibly be taken to similar conventions in the U.S. in the future. I among others are definitely interested in that. And spread the word.

LoneStarCon3, Aug. 29 - Sept. 2 2013, San Antonio, Texas, Aztlán

Melinda Palacio to read at National Hispanic Cultural Center

Award winning novelist and poet Melinda Palacio will read from and sign her new collection of poetry How Fire is a Story, Waiting at the National Hispanic Cultural Center on Saturday November 17th at 2 PM in the Salón Ortega. The event is free to the public.

According to Northwestern University Press, “Melinda Palacio’s newest poetry collection creates images that are at once heartbreaking and humorous. She tackles elemental subjects of family and childhood with the same depth and grace as that of myth making and death. As the only child of a mother who died too young, she infuses her words with longing and life, and celebrates the women who came before her. Each poem offers up the truth in a fearless and unsentimental voice.”

Melinda Palacio lives in Santa Barbara and New Orleans. Her novel Ocotillo Dreams (ASU Bilingual Press) received the Mariposa Award for Best First Book from the International Latino Book Awards. She also received the 2012 PEN Oakland-Josephine Miles Award for Excellence in Literature. She was also a finalist for the Premio Aztlán for 2011. Her poetry chap book Folsom Lockdown was the winner of Kulupi Press’ 2009 Sense of Place award. She is a contributing columnist to the Latino literature blog, La Bloga.

No doubt, her new collection of poetry explores similarly complex territory. Contact Greta Pullen at (505) 724-4752 or e-mail greta.pullen@state.nm.us.

Joe Lopez invites you to Café Fresco

Café Fresco is now open at Gallista Gallery, San Anto. We are excited about the cafe/sandwich bar re-opening at Gallista, under new management. If you're in the area, stop by and help us welcome our new cafe manager Yolanda Aravelo.
Cafe Fresco will be open Tuesday - Saturday from 7 am - 2 pm.
The Menu includes breakfast and light lunch items, such as English Muffins filled with ham, egg, and/or sausage, Buttermilk Biscuits by the dozen and half-dozen, and Hoagie sandwiches.

Enjoy local art with your coffee! - Free Wifi
Gallista Gallery, 1913 S. Flores St., San Antonio, Texas, Aztlán


Es todo, hoy,
RudyG, aka Rudy Ch. Garcia, author of The Closet of Discarded Dreams, the Chicano fantasy with a Chicano hero