Finding fans of color

If you want to increase non-white presence at your event, here are some tips and resources for finding, attracting, and welcoming fans and creators of color.

Note that most of these resources, at the time this page was first created, are US-centric. The term "of color" is also US-centric and is intended to be inclusive, not demeaning. Beware, however, of over-generalizing.

Tips

Promotion

• If your town tends to cluster minorities in poorer neighborhoods, make an alternate version of your fliers emphasizing available discounts and rewards/reimbursement for volunteers and get those fliers into local libraries, comics shops, and bookstores in those areas.
• Take posters or flashy, colorful fliers to Comicons and anime cons as well as black and other cultural events in the city center.
• Make sure your website and Facebook, etc. content reflect diverse attendees, guests, and creators. (Invite guests of color!)
• Donate memberships and travel funds for your con to Con or Bust, which helps fans of color attend conventions.

Policies

• Make sure your event has a solid Anti-Harassment policy in place, and posted on the web and in your event publications, and train your staff on how to apply it and respond to issues and complaints.
• Recruit a Safety Officer and see if your local Rape Crisis Center can provide them with training on how to receive a report of rape, abuse or other harassment in a way that is respectful to the victim and respects them and their privacy and other rights.
• Make it clear on your web site and publications that you welcome volunteers for your program and your committee, and that as an organization you will not discriminate against anyone due to their race, religion, gender, orientation, disability, or age.
• Program all participants as whole people and not just as representatives of a particular race or group. A program that involves diverse participants in all kinds of programming will attract diverse attendees, and encourage them to keep coming back in subsequent years.

Links

• Wild Unicorn Herd is a Tumblr highlight black creations and fanac.
• Black Science Fiction Society includes blogs and a forum, and takes advertising.
• The "We're Here" series on cons focusing on black creators, a list of black sf creators, and lots more Web sites.
• N.O.C.: Nerds of Color
• The Carl Brandon Society has a discussion list and gives out awards for works by authors of color and featuring characters of color. They have reading lists and other resources on their website, and are the parent organization of Con or Bust.

Search terms

• "Wild Unicorn Herd" is also a popular Tumblr and blog tag for non-white fans and creators posting about their activities.
• "Blerd" (a portmanteau of "black nerd").