What's up, fanboys and fangirls? If you are in Southern California, the Japanese American National Museum invites you to AACC: The Asian American Comicon Summit on Art, Action & The Future.
In a time where diversity and creativity are both under attack, this summit will feature diverse creators talking about where we're going next -- folks like Jeff Yang (CNN, They Call Us Bruce), Sarah Kuhn (Heroine Complex), LaToya Morgan (writer, Into the Badlands), Lewis Tan (Marvel's Iron Fist), and Keith Chow (The Nerds of Color). The program will include a special live recording of our podcast They Call Us Bruce, featuring a conversation with pioneering actor and activist George Takei.
The summit will also see the unveiling of New Frontiers, a brand new graphic anthology of original stories inspired by George Takei's life and legacy -- stories about incarceration and exclusion, representation and resistance, the digital world, and the struggle in the streets. AACC will include an Artists' Alley where leading comics creators will be available for commissions and signings.
It's happening Saturday, July 15 at the Japanese American National Museum. Here are more details:
The Asian American ComiCon Presents: A Summit on Art, Action and the Future
Saturday, July 15
12PM - 5PM
Japanese American National Museum
100 N Central Ave
Los Angeles CA 90012
In 2009, the Asian American ComiCon was held in New York City, bringing together Asian indie and mainstream comics creators for a historic gathering to celebrate the unique and flourishing graphic storytelling of our community. Now, eight years later, AACC is hosting its second event: a Summit on Art, Action and the Future. In a time where diversity and creativity are both under attack, the Summit will feature diverse creators talking about where we're going next — and a special keynote conversation with George Takei!
The summit will also see the WORLD PREMIERE UNVEILING of NEW FRONTIERS, a brand new graphic anthology of original stories by Asian, black, Hispanic and Native American; lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans creators, telling original stories inspired by George Takei's life and legacy about incarceration and exclusion, representation and resistance, the digital world and the struggle in the streets. All-day events will include an Artists Alley where leading comics creators will be available for commissions and signings!
PANELS
12PM
CAN POP CULTURE SAVE THE WORLD?
Pop culture is literally the people’s culture. At a time when creative and diverse voices are both under attack, what can pop culture do to make social change?
Mod: Jeff Yang (CNN contributor, They Call Us Bruce)
Panelists: Tananarive Due (Sci-Fi pioneer/Afrofuturist); Krista Suh (@Pink Pussyhat Project founder); MILCK (Singer/Musician, "Quiet" Women's March anthem); Ira Madison III (entertainment writer for The Daily Beast)
1PM
ENVISIONING DIVERSE FUTURES
We've seen so many different kinds of futures unfurl in pop culture, and many of them have people of color and LGBTQ individuals as backdrop and "local color." What would a truly diverse, inclusive and intersectional future really look like?
Mod: Keith Chow (Founder, The Nerds of Color)
Panelists: Steven Barnes (Sci-Fi writer, THE LEGACY OF HEOROT and the DREAM PARK, with Larry Niven); C.B. Lee (author of NOT YOUR SIDEKICK); Arune Singh (VP of Marketing, BOOM! Studios); LaToya Morgan (writer for AMC's Into The Badlands); Marc Bernardin (Fatman on Baman podcast; writer, Castle Rock).
2PM
WARRIOR WOMEN: REIMAGINING THE ASIAN FEMALE HERO
In the wake of Wonder Woman, with MULAN on the horizon, what should we expect in a rich, textured, powerful and provocative Asian (or Asian American!) heroine? What's worked, what hasn't and why has it taken so damned long?
Mod: Rebecca Sun (Sr. Reporter, The Hollywood Reporter)
Panelists: Paula Yoo (Writer/Producer, SUPERGIRL); Sarah Kuhn (author of HEROINE COMPLEX); and Samantha Jo (actor/stunts/Amazon, DC's WONDER WOMAN)!
3PM
#AAIRONFIST: BRINGING AN ASIAN AMERICAN HERO TO LIFE
Screening & Discussion. Marvel's Iron Fist has generally been seen as a major disappointment — and it could've been so much more, if only Marvel and Netflix had embraced a not-so-radical rethinking of their martial artist hero as an Asian American. Some Asian American filmmakers actually brought their reimagined concepts for an Asian American Iron Fist to life, and they'll share their short videos as part of a conversation with the creator of the #AAIRONFIST hashtag.
Mod: Keith Chow (Founder, The Nerds of Color)
Panelists: Lewis Tan (Actor, Marvel's IRON FIST); Benjamin To (Filmmaker); Susan Cheng (Entertainment Reporter, Buzzfeed); Claire Lanay (Actress/Podcaster)
4PM
AWARD PRESENTATION to GEORGE TAKEI & LIVE RECORDING OF THEY CALL US BRUCE PODCAST
We'll close the day with a very special session -- awarding the first-ever Excelsior Award for Art in the Service of Activism to the legendary George Takei, followed by a LIVE RECORDING of a conversation between Takei, Jeff Yang and Phil Yu (Angry Asian Man) for their podcast #THEYCALLUSBRUCE.
Tickets are available now. VIP tickets include a VIP guided tour of the NEW FRONTIERS exhibit, courtesy of curator Jeff Yang, as well as one of the first-run copies of the New Frontiers anthology and reserve seating for all five sessions. For further information, refer to the Facebook event for updates.
