It seems that just sitting back, reading and learning isn't enough right now.

My ideal world would look something like Frogtown in St. Paul, without the trash, possibly somewhere in Canada--Alan says Quebec City or Montreal because of the older buildings and I'll have to take his word for it since I've only been to Edmonton. The real world is diverse and fiction and the writing community and fandom should welcome and reflect that diversity. I read and write science fiction because I want to explore ways to connect with our amazing universe and at the same time learn more about what it means to be human in all its dimensions. Any true discussion of race is going to be painful, uncomfortable, hurtful, embarrassing, shame inducing, and angry because that it's legacy. When I worked in a homeless shelter, I used to despair that the only way things could change would be with violence because the level of damage and anger was so high and society seemed so broken. I couldn't understand how anyone could get past it. Recent events have shown me that major change can come without physical violence. The community will continue working through the issue of racism because there's no going back. I can't help but believe the vast majority of us understand the need for and welcome change.