Jul
20
8:30 AM08:30
Jul
6
6:00 PM18:00
Twin Cities Geek Table
Twin Cities Geek Table: 6:00pm - 7:00pm, Hyatt 1 Exhibit Hall Fan Tables
Jul
6
12:00 PM12:00
Twin Cities Geek Table
Twin Cities Geek Table: 12:00pm - 2:00pm, Hyatt 1 Exhibit Hall Fan Tables
Jul
6
9:30 AM09:30
Year in New Trek
Year in New Trek: 9:30am - 10:30am, Hyatt 2 Greenway BCDE
Several series are running concurrently. Engage in a discussion about Discovery, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds. What are we hoping for in Starfleet Academy?
Participants: Wes Huntington, Scott Saunders, Assad Khaishgi (mod), Justin Edward Grays, Staci Corcoran
Jul
5
to Jul 6
Star Wars Has a Problem with Slavery
Star Wars Has a Problem with Slavery: 11:30pm - 12:30am, Hyatt 1 Lakeshore A
From Hutt space to clone armies to droid liberation, an exploration of the systems of slavery endemic in the Star Wars universe. Examining the significance of slavery in the Star Wars universe and how it's addressed in a narrative and metatextual context.
Participants: Boris Smelov (mod), Jeff R Grapevine, Diane Perry, Katherine Maher, Justin Edward Grays
Jul
5
8:30 PM20:30
DS9: Past Tense - A Generation Later
DS9: Past Tense - A Generation Later: 8:30pm - 9:30pm, Hyatt 2 Greenway BCDE
2024 is the year of the Bell riots. It's been a generation since that two-part episode aired. How are its themes relevant to events of today?
Participants: Brittany Ann Kerschner, T. Aaron Cisco (mod), William J Leisner, Cory Damone Enriquez, Justin Edward Grays
Jul
5
6:00 PM18:00
Twin Cities Geek Table
Twin Cities Geek Table: 6:00pm - 7:00pm, Hyatt 1 Exhibit Hall Fan Tables
Jul
5
3:30 PM15:30
Jul
5
3:30 PM15:30
Space Lounge: BIPOC Meetup
Space Lounge: BIPOC Meetup: 3:30pm - 5:30pm, Hyatt 4 Great Lakes C
Jul
5
12:30 PM12:30
Dating "Different"
Dating "Different": 12:30pm - 1:30pm, Hyatt 2 Greenway BCDE
We all find ourselves in "different" relationships, whether they be queer, bi-racial, or neurodiverse. How do we handle these differences when it comes to loving one another or the opinions of others around us?
Participants: Kiki Joy Latham, Heather Lynn Heim, Viga, Justin Edward Grays, Stephanie Dreis (mod)
Jul
4
7:00 PM19:00
Eugenics in Science Fiction
Eugenics in Science Fiction: 7:00pm - 8:00pm, Hyatt 1 Lakeshore A
Science fiction has long grappled with the concepts of human "advancement" and "perfection" in genetic terms. Let's talk about what authors have done well and where they've perpetuated oppressive tropes and misunderstanding of how genetics work.
Participants: Wes Huntington (mod), Mara DeMers, Justin Edward Grays, Lathan Murrell, Lee Brontide
Jul
4
to Jul 7
Jun
19
12:00 AM00:00
Dec
6
12:00 AM00:00
13th Amendment Day
Ratified on December 6th, 1865, the 13th Amendment slavery and involuntary servitude - however, Black Codes, white supremacist violence, red lining, and other factors have worked to prevent persons of color from having equal status in the United States. The 13th Amendment, though, was the first of the Reconstruction Amendments that began to transform the United States from "half slave and half free" (as Abraham Lincoln put it) to one where constitutional guarantees would apply to all citizens.
Sep
18
12:00 AM00:00
US General Election - 1st day to Vote by Mail or In Person (Minnesota)
Vote by mail or in person September 18 through November 2 - https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/other-ways-to-vote/
Aug
21
6:00 PM18:00
Black Fan, White Fandom
A discussion of how PoC kept their geek torches burning in the days when representation was non-existent.
Aug
20
to Aug 23
Aug
11
7:00 AM07:00
Aug
10
9:00 AM09:00
Jul
21
9:00 AM09:00
Dec
6
12:00 AM00:00
13th Amendment Day
Ratified on December 6th, 1865, the 13th Amendment slavery and involuntary servitude - however, Black Codes, white supremacist violence, red lining, and other factors have worked to prevent persons of color from having equal status in the United States. The 13th Amendment, though, was the first of the Reconstruction Amendments that began to transform the United States from "half slave and half free" (as Abraham Lincoln put it) to one where constitutional guarantees would apply to all citizens.
Nov
30
12:00 AM00:00
Nov
5
7:00 AM07:00
Nov
1
12:00 AM00:00
Jul
4
to Jul 7
CONvergence 2019: The Next Celebration
“Gender & AI” - Hyatt 2 Greenway CDE
Thursday, July 4 • 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Androids & AI in sci-fi disrupt the idea of a gender binary: what purpose is there for an android and/or AI to have gender? Could an android/AI be trans, gender-fluid, and/or non-binary? How will that affect how we as a society see gender as a construct? Participants: Naomi Kritzer (mod), Leigh Hellman, Justin Edward Grays, Nate Bird, Elliot Besmann
“Polyamory 101” - Hyatt 2 Northstar B
Thursday, July 4 • 8:30pm - 9:30pm
Back by popular demand! Polyamory means “many loves;” but there are many ways to be polyamorous. Come discuss it and some ways to navigate it. This panel provides space for those new to/curious about polyamory. Participants: Justin Edward Grays
“Making Geek Spaces Inclusive” - Hyatt 2 Greenway HI
Friday, July 5 • 11:00am - 12:00pm
How can we encourage a sense of inclusivity and community in your favorite geek spaces? Participants: Rakhi Rajpal, Vincent Hopwood, Echo Martin, AlysshaRose Jordan, Justin Edward Grays (mod)
“Costuming and Cultural Appropriation” - Hyatt 4 Great Lakes A2
Friday, July 5 • 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Where is the line between respect for a culture and appropriation of a culture and who decides? Participants: Elliott Kios Dean, Morgan Strickland, Assad Khaishgi (mod), Shivani Seth, Justin Edward Grays
“Polyamory 202” - Hyatt 2 Northstar B
Friday, July 5 • 8:30pm - 9:30pm
Polyamory 202 is here! Did you attend Polyamory 101 and want to know more? Are you in a polyamorous relationship and wondering what other models look like? Are you interested in hearing about intersectionality in polyamory? Then this is the panel for you! Participants: Justin Edward Grays
Apr
19
to Apr 21
Minicon 54
“23 and Us: The social implications of DNA testing” - Park 1
Saturday, 20 Apr 2019 • 11:30 - 12:30
The implications of recreational DNA testing. 23 and Me was used to find at least two serial killers by finding their relatives, and has been used to find birth parents who may not have wanted to be found. How ethically dubious is that? What implications does DNA testing have for the future?
Participants: Sharon Kahn (mod), Bill Thomasson, Justin Grays, Katie Clapham, Shaun Jamison
Apr
4
12:00 AM00:00
Birthday of Maya Angelou
This year marks the 5th year since Dr. Maya Angelou died. She would have been 90 this year.
Apr
4
12:00 AM00:00
51st Anniversary of Dr. King's Assassination.
This year marks the 51st anniversary of Dr. King's Assassination. He would have been 90 this year.
Jan
15
12:00 AM00:00
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
This year marks the 51st anniversary of Dr. King's Assassination. He would have been 90 this year.
Dec
6
12:00 AM00:00
13th Amendment Day
Ratified on December 6th, 1865, the 13th Amendment slavery and involuntary servitude - however, Black Codes, white supremacist violence, red lining, and other factors have worked to prevent persons of color from having equal status in the United States. The 13th Amendment, though, was the first of the Reconstruction Amendments that began to transform the United States from "half slave and half free" (as Abraham Lincoln put it) to one where constitutional guarantees would apply to all citizens.