Diaspora, 25 February 2012

From the Welcome page:

"The dream of blacks making science fiction as a concept has been in the minds of many of us since we were all children watching science fiction movies and television shows such as Buck Rogers, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek. Most of us have however, found that the characters that are ethnic, as a general rule most often have been relegated to secondary roles, sidekicks, stereotypes, sex objects, dope heads, not in the show at all, or my favorite: the first to die in the show.

"We however, feel it is only right to present science fiction with a different face, one that is not filled with the normal negative representation of ethnic characters. We think that it is essential for characters of all colors and creeds to be represented positively and fairly."

Many of us...

Henry David Thoureau said: "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them."

Many of us played the game of "go along to get along," quietly knowing full well the security guy in the red shirt (old Star Trek) was always the first to go down by phaser fire, the first to die. Insignificant to the storyline, but "PC enough" to attract a diverse audience.

I proudly own copies of "Dark Matter" and "Future Earths Under African Skies" as well as books by Octavia Butler and other Diaspora authors of speculative fiction. Part of building positive futures are what we dare to dream for ourselves to participate in (and be).

I'm grateful for the images in my young mind of Nichelle Nichols (Lieutenant Uhura), and for my own sons, LeVar Burton (Lieutenant Commander Geordi la Forge), Michael Dorn (Lieutenant Commander Worf) and Avery Brooks (Captain Benjamin Sisko).

Images still are needed for this generation, to dare to dream, participate, and be. Many members of the Black Science Fiction Society are published authors - print and Kindle/Nook - I am thankful and proud they will not go to the grave with "the [many] songs still in them," ...that many still need to hear.

The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind,
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill for the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" Dr. Maya Angelou