Moving Mountains on a budget

SEARAC recently posted a helpful video for folks interested in figuring out how to get to the Moving Mountains summit in October on a budget. I applaud this resource being made available to prospective attendees and find much of the information may be applicable for other organizations putting together their own evens in the future. The advantage is that for many of these ideas, they build vital skill sets that are practical and worthwhile outside of this event and issue alone. If you're going to apply these, I'd recommend getting a start on it now, and I would be concerned that the time is very short to fulfill the funding drives because transport tickets will only increase between now and October.

SFPA Dwarf Star Awards Announced

This year’s chair for the Dwarf Star Awards, Robin Mayhall gave us many fine works to consider. Our members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association voted, and here are the results:

First Place: “aster than the speed of lightf” by LeRoy Gorman 
Second Place: “Lover” by Holly Day
 Third Place: “Loss” by Sandi Leibowitz .

 Chair Robin Mayhall said “Congratulations to each of these winners. Your work is extraordinary—truly the best of the best short poems published in 2016! Many thanks to those who nominated poems and to all of the members who voted. If you haven’t yet read through your copy of the 2017 Dwarf Stars Anthology, please pick it up and read these wonderful works, as well as the many other surreal, funny, sad, spooky and beautiful poems therein.”

 For those who want a list of the 2017 candidates, please click here. This award is given by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association to recognize the best speculative poem of 1–10 lines published in the previous year.

Mieng at the Museum in Philadelphia!

Our amazing friends at Laos In The House recently gave us the update on what’s happening throughout September in Philadelphia starting this weekend. If you’re in the area be sure to catch it!

Friday, September 8, 6-8PM Opening Reception: Hurry Up and Wait
Curated by Adriel Luis (Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center), this new exhibition at the Asian Arts Initiative takes on art that explores the moments within in the complex process of migration. September 1 – December 15, 2017

Saturday, September 9, 10AM-8PM PHLA Kitchen Opens at Art Museum's Perelman Cafe -
A delicious new menu created for Philadelphia Assembled by twelve Philly culinary artists and storytellers. This month's dishes are inspired by survival, and will feature mieng! Come taste this Luang Prabang specialty available September 9 – October 8, open Tuesday through Sunday 10-2:30PM.

Thursday, September 14, 6-8PM Recipes For Change with Catzie Vilayphonh -
Join us at the Free Library of Philadelphia's Culinary Literacy Center for a special evening of food and storytelling. Presented in partnership with Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown and The Philadelphia Commission for Women, as part of Welcoming Week, an annual series of events where communities bring together immigrants, refugees, and native-born residents to raise awareness on the benefits of welcoming everyone. Participants will make mieng and hear the story of a trickster who uses it to teach a lesson.

Ananya Dance Theater Presents: Shyamali/Dissent Sept. 15-16th

"Shyamali: Sprouting Words" is inspired by the courage of global women of color who speak up to sustain communities and whose dissent fuels life force. It celebrates women who refuse to be broken and invokes the resilience of grass, which springs up even when trod upon.

Ananya Chatterjea's choreography combines the metaphor and poetry of Contemporary Indian Dance in a movement practice anchored in social justice as it invokes the spirit of Dakini, traditionally embodied by destruction, chaos, and transformation.

Dakini lives in the possibilities of audiences' and performers' discomfort and insists that the role of women's rage and their spiritual ecstasy be seen in the arc towards equity. This tumult resolves through choreography that weaves ritualistic performance and dances of the gentle warrior.

Chatterjea's production team includes the dancers of Ananya Dance Theatre, collaborating director Marcus Young, composer Greg Schutte, scenic designer Joel Sass, media designer Darren Johnson, costume designer Annie Cady, and lighting designer Kevin A. Jones.

Be sure to catch it!