FIYAH, the Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, has announced the creation of the very first Ignyte Awards. Awarded in conjunction with the inaugural FIYAHCON, the awards “seek to celebrate the vibrancy of the current and future landscapes of science fiction, fantasy, and horror by recognizing incredible feats in storytelling and outstanding efforts toward inclusivity of the genre.”
A total of 15 awards will be given, spanning categories such as Best Novel (in both YA and adult fiction), Best in Creative Nonfiction, Best Anthology/Collected Works, Best Artist, the Ember Award for Unsung Contributions to Genre, the Community Award for Outstanding Efforts in Service of Inclusion and Equitable Practice in Genre. A full list of categories can be found on the awards page.
Keep an eye out for the list of finalists on Monday, August 17. You’ll be able to vote on the finalists until September 11, and the winners will be announced during FIYAHCON. In recognition of their accomplishments, both winners and finalists will receive Ignyte trophies, for which FIYAH is currently accepting donations.
FIYAHCON, which will take place virtually the weekend of October 17-18, is a convention that centers and celebrates the perspectives and contributions of BIPOC in speculative fiction. From the convention’s website:
Where the magazine is focused specifically on the elevation of Black voices in short speculative fiction, FIYAHCON seeks to center the perspectives and experiences of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). The reasoning is that Black voices are not the least represented in the field, and we don’t want to exclude groups who are already systemically excluded from other spaces.
We recognize allyship as an action, not a sentiment. And in that spirit, we also invite anyone who wishes to be viewed as a resource for racially/ethnically marginalized writers or who understand these are people to be celebrated and learned from, to be a part of the event.
FIYAHCON is currently recruiting volunteers, including admin assistance, promoters and marketers, industry resources, and more, as well as accepting recommendations for programming, which will feature a mix of content surrounding “the business, craft, and community of speculative literature.”
Registration is open now.
