Steering Committee Statement regarding
June 13 & 14 donations
The Carl Brandon Society would like to extend our thanks to John Scalzi for his June 13, 2013 call for donations and donation match offer, to Saira Ali, Arachne Jericho, Justine Larbalestier, and Scott Westerfeld for their additional match offers, and to Dagan Books for their offer to donate sales proceeds.
We received donations from hundreds of donors in 12 countries. Donations ranged from $1 to the $500 and $1,000 matches. Every cent is appreciated.
Because of your generosity, in two days, we raised almost $8,300 for our general fund, just over $5,000 for the Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship, and just over $3,600 for Con or Bust. Your money will go towards our Awards: The Carl Brandon Parallax Award, which honors outstanding works of speculative fiction by writers of color and the Carl Brandon Kindred Award, which honors outstanding works of speculative fiction dealing with race and ethnicity. Each Award comes with a $1,000 cash prize. Your donations to the general fund and to the Butler Scholarship also support sending emerging writers of color to the Clarion and Clarion West workshops. We have given 11 Carl Brandon Awards and, as of the end of this summer, 13 Butler Scholarships (The first 11 Butler Scholars are featured in the Bloodchildren anthology, which is only available until June 22, 2013). You also allow us to continue to act as fiscal sponsor of Con or Bust, which supports sending fans of color to conventions and other fan events. Because of you, we will be able to continue this work and more. Thank you so very, very much.
The Carl Brandon Society was started because we wanted to encourage increased diversity in the genre we love and to recognize the diversity that already exists among fans and creators. In addition to thanking you for your contributions, we also want to acknowledge what inspired them. Push back against racism in the SF community, both online and off. Support people who speak up against racism and other ‘isms, as it’s an exhausting battle to fight. Buy and read works by N.K. Jemisin and other creators who are expanding what speculative fiction can be. Review them. Give them as gifts. Ask your libraries to carry them. Help make our communities and our fictional worlds welcoming places that are as diverse as the world we live in.
Sincerely,
The Carl Brandon Society Steering Committee
June 17, 2013