FIYAHCON “Fringe” is now “BonFIYAH!”
We are tremendously excited and honored to announce that FIYAHCON Fringe will now be called BonFIYAH going forward.
Although we’re proud of everything we’ve accomplished under the name Fringe, it has never been truly ours. We borrowed it from CoNZealand Fringe, who in turn drew on a rich tradition of events centering voices outside the artistic mainstream.
However, “Fringe” is a poor reflection of how FIYAHCON has treated us. From our very first programming proposal, we were welcomed into the family. Everyone on staff was attentive to the challenges of adding accessible international programming. We were included in the con’s support systems and infrastructure. Con staff stayed up far past their bedtimes to make sure our tech was running during the actual event and to moderate the chat.
In short, we were given a seat by the fire. FIYAHCON did everything in its power to ensure that we were not Fringe but a mainstage event in our own right.
In honor of FIYAHCON’s radical inclusivity and their kindness towards us, we are proud to rename our programming slate BonFIYAH. BonFIYAH calls to mind a central blaze around which an entire community gathers round to eat, sing, dance, laugh, tell stories, and celebrate. Everyone gets to speak, everyone is heard. Under the FIYAHCON umbrella, this name, this image, speaks to the kind of international SFF community we hope to build, even virtually, to see us through these trying times and beyond.
We hope you’ll come sit by our fire and participate in two days of exciting panels and chat this September. Everyone is welcome at the BonFIYAH!
– Iori Kusano & Vida Cruz
FIYAHCON Fringe BonFIYAH Coordinators
