Past Presentations
2021
Local Legal Studies Major Plays Ace Attorney
Come see the second iteration of Ace Attorney play through by crown students! We critique the game based on real-life court/legal procedures, voice act, and scream.
Dreaming Into Future Worlds
By situating Solange Knowles’ afro-futurist work, When I Get Home, in Black geography theories, this presentation asks viewers to consider how architecture, design and sculpture, can be transformed into emancipatory strategies of place-making speculative designs by rupturing the present time-space.”
Covid SHARP Forum
Presented by: Student Diversity and Inclusion Programs and College Student Life Conduct and various campus partners
Come learn concise information regarding COVID policies and procedures as it relates to residing on campus and visiting campus. Various campus offices will be available for Q & A.
Positive Me
We’ll be discussing mental health and well- being and provide ways that promote better mental and physical health.
Prison: Art and Transformation
Have you wondered what it’s like to be in prison and how people in prison find hope? We will hear from renowned artists including previously incarcerated individuals, Chicanx writer Luis Rodriquez, Zoe Mullery and Luis Garcia. Join us to hear what incarcerated Americans think and how art programs helped them to remake their lives and to find hope.
Dune and Environmental Injustice
This presentation will be looking at the book Dune by Frank Herbert and drawing parallels between resource management and environmental injustice on Arrakis and Earth. We’ll discuss the dynamics of power that affect accessibility of resources for certain marginalized groups, specifically looking at water.
Women Working in Star Wars
An interview with Amy Richau the host of 365StarWars, author of I Love you, I Know: Lessons in Love and Friendship, and fan, blogger and journalist working in the Star Wars community for years.” Live Q & A with the author.
Pros and Cons Cosplay
Introduction to Cosplay: An Essential Guide for Beginners: Costuming as pop culture characters has been around since the late 1930’s and has evolved tremendously over the last few decades to become a global passtime to commercial industries and casual hobbyists alike. As such, it can feel overwhelming for beginners to get started. How much time and energy does it take to cosplay? Should I make or buy my costume? How do I pick a character? How does identity and equity and inclusion impact the cosplay community? Join Pros and Cons Cosplay to explore cosplay, debunk myths and highlight considerations for beginners interested in this creative endeavor.
2020
Make Your Own Propaganda!
For our contribution to the Social Fiction Conference, we would like to host an interactive “make-your-own propaganda” event. Working with themes of dystopian society, totalitarianism and government surveillance, we will promote discussions surrounding the play “1984” and its relevance today while we design propaganda posters.
Do You Own Your DNA/genetics?
Extract DNA from bananas and strawberries and discuss genetic data privacy.
Digital Game Scavenger Hunt
Discover how technology can gather, connect and empower! Through the power of the everyday smart phone, teams interact and collaborate and venture together through a “digital photo scavenger hunt” Challenge Map: Teams have to complete a list of photo challenges with the first 3 teams finishing first winning fabulous prizes!
You’re Being Followed: How Americans Are Being Digitally Tracked
Come learn how your every move is traceable by our government and corporations at the Crown College Social Fiction Conference. Attend our briefing on how technology is leaving a trail of breadcrumbs on your whereabouts. See how a UCSC student was tracked in different ways for 48 hours with every movement being traceable through modern technology!
Exploring the Prescience of Science Fiction
Our presentation will open a discussion based in the works we have discussed in our Science Fiction class, while also keeping the topics open enough for anyone to contribute using materials that they are familiar with. Our panel will mostly focus on the novel that inspired the movie “Bladerunner:” “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”
Screen Printing Interactive Activity
I will present how to screen-print which is interactive, with educational material on how one can do this themselves.
Cookies, Coffee and Cancel Culture
This workshop is for students to explore the meaning of cancel culture. Through this, students will look into the factors of cancel culture, the pros and cons and navigating what to do when personal heroes get “cancelled”. Students will have the opportunity to discuss and discover their impact in cancel culture while enjoying cookies and coffee.
Design Your Own Baby
We want to host a 20 minute lecture/workshop about the film Gattaca that demystifies the ability to genetically modify humans. We would show a trailer and then explain key points of the film and the ways in which they could or could not be accomplished in the real scientific world. We can also connect Gattaca to new technological advances that we have made in the real world, such as designer babies. We would design a powerpoint to portray our message. Then we would give people a chance to design their own babies (art supplies) and discuss if the morality of this now very real possibility.
Gene Editing & Its Implications on the Future of Human Development
This presentation will look to explain and explore the elements of Gene Editing in humans and the mechanisms that are used to edit genes. Also, we will try to examine potential impacts that this could have on society.
The Veil: Social Fiction Role Playing
A cyberpunk table top role-playing game, where your stats and abilities are the emotions you feel. In this future, everyone is plugged into an augmented reality backdrop known as The Veil. Outcasts huddle at the nearest data dump, waiting to sift through for something to sell. Will you rise up? Can you lift The Veil?
Going Beyond Black Mirror
A screening of Black Mirror and discussion about the dangers of surveillance and technology/connection between the dystopian world of black mirror and modern day society.
All’s Fair in Love and Acheivement Hunting
“It’s just a show/game/movie!” This is often used to dismiss people’s concerns on the portrayal of intimacy in pop culture while others might find empowerment in the same content. Join an advocate of domestic violence survivors for a group discussion and analysis of romantic and sexual tropes in pop culture.
Deepfake AI & Invasion of Privacy
Presentation on advancements in data mining. Learn more about the data that big companies such as Google, Amazon, and Facebook collect on you.
Representation in Sci-Fi: Old vs. New
A presentation and seminar on the changes of diversity and representation through pop sci-fi starting in the mid 20th century onward. Great franchises like Star Wars, comic books, etc. have successfully (and unsuccessfully) made statements on the issue. And ultimately, we ask “why does the public demand these statements from the genre as a whole?”
Do We Have the Right to Colonize Other Planets?
In the past 15 years, the technology for required to support long-term habitation on other planets has shifted from science fiction to reality. The question is no longer “can we”, but “should we”. We are exploring the implications of this choice, both positive and negative.
AI vs Society
We are going to be spreading awareness of the major impacts affecting Society with the new innovations and intergrations of current/future AI Development and Progression. We will be sharing our presentation through a story of whats to come within the future.
Queering Spacetime: Liminal Spaces & QTPOC Representation In A Card Game
Queering Spacetime is a whimsical and inclusive card game where you roleplay girls who have crushes on each other and who also happen to be destined lovers across space and time. Players create enjoyable dates in liminal spaces with themes of magical realism. Come play a session and/or learn about the research that went into the game’s redesign!
2013
Building a Better World: Social Fiction / Fantasy World Construction
Creating your universe within science fiction writing
The Capital: Expression of Oppression
Class and race within The Hunger Games
Cloud Atlas: A Story About Understanding Each Other
Discrimination and difference within Cloud Atlas
Heroine (stereotype) to the Rescue!
Hero and heroine prejudices within childhood superhero narrative
Alice Down the Rabbit Hole
Gender and race: constructing one’s own wonderland
Real-world effects of Mass Effect
Ethics and dilemma within the video game Mass Effect
“White knights and Black Magic: Race and Racism in Dungeons & Dragons
Stereotype and exoticism in D&D
Skrim: Racism, Religion, and the Power of the Voice
Racism, religion, and power of the voice within Elder Scrolls V
Nerdfigher Anonymous!
Creating a community of socially conscious nerds (DFTBA!)
The Road to Hell
Misrepresenting the feminist spirit within video games
A Case of the “Not Gays”
Employing artificial love interest within media to subvert homoerotic bonding
Not the Saturday Morning Cartoons You’ve Been Watching
Freudian deconstruction of “conventional” Saturday morning cartoons
Long Live the Revolution: Equalists, Bending, Equality, and Revolution
Merits of the Anti-Bending Revolution within Legend of Korra
Waifu: A Dissection of the “Perfect Girl”
Debate and dialogue about the Waifu character within Japanese media
2012
“What Does it Mean to Be Human? Transhumanism in Deus Ex: Human Revolution”
What does it mean to be human? The idea of Transhumanism: going beyond humanity. Using the universe from the hit video game Deus Ex: Human Revolution, participants in the workshop will be asked to consider the question: what does it mean to be human?
“Superman VS. The KKK”
The character of Superman has come to be known as a staid representation of ’50’s eramorality. The ‘boy scout” image of Superman is only one aspect of the character. From his beginnings as a champion of the poor and downtrodden to his modern era, the character of Superman has often been used to promote the cause of Social Justice. We will examine the characters history of Social Justice advocacy, particularly the impact on the real world of the Superman radio show’s battle against the KKK.
“Power to the Player: How Player Agency Counteracts Sexism in Video Games”
The workshop will explore the role of women in video games, specifically throughthe lenses of story telling and gameplay. The format will be informal, allowing the audience to participate actively by asking questions and giving their thoughts andfeelings on the various activities. The central topic of this discussion will be the depiction of women in modern gaming, specifically the interesting dichotomy between story telling and gameplay in terms of female empowerment. We will also discuss the visual representation of women, and how the hyper-sexualization of female characters relates to the above issues.
“Heart and Troll: Gender Identity and Sexuality”
The workshop will provide an in-depth analysis of gender and sexuality as presented in the webcomic Homestuck. This will be achieved primarily through informal discussion, allowing and actively encouraging participation from the audience in the form of questions and comments. The main topics of discussion will include: How the various human and troll characters represent the gender identity spectrum independently of the gender binary, the four quadrants of troll romance and how they include and support non-traditional relationships, and the reactions of the various characters to these relationships.
“The Hikikomori: Manga, Anime, and Japan’s Population Crisis”
The workshop will explore the concept of the hikikomori – an individual who chooses to shut themselves from the outside world and delve into the escapism of Japanese comics, animation, and dating games. The audience will be involved through roleplaying and other activities that will explore the social issue, and discussions comparing Western and eastern ideology will also be encouraged. Above all, the workshop urges people to see the societal significance in mediums such as comics and animation, and what it helps us figure out about ourselves.
Activists and Active Protagonists: Writing Social Fiction
Science Fiction and Fantasy have the awesome potential to create altered spaces for people to discuss the biggest problems of our society, including racism, homophobia, classism and sexism. While mutants and prophesies distance people enough to discuss the issues, readers are ultimately alienated from the heroes they are supposed to idolize. If all our heroes are singled out for greatness, then we are left with a feeling of passive wish-fulfillment. This is a particular issue in Science Fiction and Fantasy; in realistic fiction it’s hard to say that a hero was chosen for greatness. For social fiction to inspire active participation in a democracy, it must highlight relatable and active protagonists. We need to learn a hero is not just someone with super powers; a hero is an ordinary person pursuing a goal. In studying and creating our own examples of relatable and active protagonists, we learn how to take an active part in our own society. Texts examined will include: Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Patricia C. Wrede’s Dealing with Dragons, Roald Dahl’s Matilda; along with the films Aliens and Gattaca.
Ghouls, Gadgets, and Gatling Guns: Racism in the Post-Apocalyptic World of Fallout 3
This workshop explores the various cases of racism encountered in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. An examination of internal plot quests, character dialogue, and factional relationships will be facilitated through both large and small group discussions in order to question the overarching intentions of the programmers for producing the game, as well as investigate the studio’s social commentaries made on modern-day society.
2011
Keynote Follow-up
Kim Lau will follow up her keynote address with a discussion on the romantization of vampire/mortal relationships in popular movies, books, and television series.
Does “Perfection” Upset Utopia?
We will look at how society characterizes an ideal ability through the movie GATTACA and science fiction literature. During this workshop, participants will discuss the importance ability has played a role in how we value individuals.
Gotham City High Society
An in depth analysis of class the new Batman movie series. Through analyzing video media from the movies Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, attendees will critically observe themes and metaphorical rhetoric found in the films. Both large and small group discussions will be facilitated, and attendees will be asked to take an interactive role in conversation and input for the workshop.
Exploring Racism and Classism in Avatar: The Last Airbender
In this workshop participants will engage in an activity in which we will role play and identify with one nation and character from the series. We will use this activity to explore the reasons behind racism and the dynamics of classism in given scenarios. We’ll view episode clips throughout the discussion to see if our analysis of both issues matches what the show implies.
Transformers: Biases in Disguise
Two worlds, two species, one energy source. Robots battle to save their planet while Humans battle to save Earth. In this workshop we will analyze how issues of colonization and environmental racism not only affect the characters of the fictional world of the Transformers, but also in our world today.
The Pen is Mightier than the Orc
Have you ever wanted to write science fiction and fantasy, but weren’t sure how to begin? Do you regularly write science fiction or fantasy but feel your stories are missing something? This workshop is designed for beginners to experiment with writing science fiction and fantasy short stories charged with social issues. There will be an emphasis on creating an intriguing character to lure readers into your writing. By the end of the workshop, everyone will have a short sketch that they can develop into a larger piece of writing.
Does Manga Accurately Reflect Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation?
In this workshop, we will deconstruct the good, the bad and the obscure of Manga and Anime comic characters as they portray both gender and sexual orientation. We will discuss these concepts as a reflection of both society and biology.
Harry Potter and Us
This workshop will address the different types of discrimination, specifically class discrimination and ethnic cleansing, in the Harry Potter series. We will discuss the Harry Potter series, and draw comparisons with similar types of discrimination throughout our history.
Star Trek as a Medium to discuss Social Justice
The Star Trek series has always been on the cutting edge of challenging norms. The show arguably hosted the very first interracial kiss on a scripted television series. The Prime Directive has often been cited as promoting Social Justice. This workshop aims to challenge participants to recognize their own target and agent groups, and also discuss Star Trek (2009) as a medium for discussing social justice.
2010
Keynote Speaker Follow-up
Marc Okrand will examine social justice elements relating to language and access. He will also discuss origins of language, specifically citing the Klingon language from Star Trek that he created, and discuss and answer any questions about his Keynote address.
Deconstructing Niko: Race, Class and the Immigrant in GTA IV
This workshop analyzes Grand Theft Auto IV for its depictions of identity particularly race, class and most importantly the immigrant. By looking at its complex narrative and gameplay, as well as its main character, Niko Bellic – we will consider what GTAIV conveys about the immigrant experience and the “American Dream.”
No Utopia: Handling Social Justice in the Creation of Fantasy Worlds
This program will explore the usage of social justice concepts and themes in role-playing games and science fiction / fantasy writing. Through group discussion, writing exercises, and world-building activities, this program is designed to highlight ways and methods for adding social justice themes to the participant’s own creations.
Clash of the Pantheons: Religion in Battlestar Galactica
The dominant religion in the Battlestar Galactica universe is a polytheistic belief loosely based on Greek mythology. The Cylons hold a monotheistic belief that is closely related to the Judeo-Christian God. The humans repress beliefs in the monotheistic God, and oppress any followers of the belief. The Cylons continually antagonize the humans, claiming to follow God’s plan. In this workshop we will discuss the importance of religion to both of these groups, and examine some real life correlations.
Same Story, New Look: Deconstructing the Racial Subtleties in James Cameron’s Avatar
This workshop will attempt to bring to light some of the subtleties of the screenplay that sometimes go unnoticed by the average spectator, such as “What does it feel like to betray your own race?” We will discuss the difference in “black face” vs. “blue face”. We will examine why we continue to see the same story, always told through the white male’s prospective in Hollywood films? Why do these films consistently feature a white male character saving an indigenous race? What would happen if a Hollywood film featured an indigenous character actually saving themselves from white colonizers, instead of the other way around?
X-Men: The Last Stand Against Racism and Sexism
This workshop will discuss the parallels of the struggles of the civil rights movement to that of the civil rights movement of the mutants. We will discuss the X-men movies, and discuss how difference and fear are intertwined, and brainstorm how we can combat racism, and sexism particularly in our own world.
Comics as a Means of Social Change
This workshop will help participants see how comics can create a universally understandable narrative that manipulates poignant imagery to evoke emotions and unite readers behind a socio-political issue such as individual, institutional, and cultural oppression.
True Blood: True or False
In her Sookie Stackhouse novel series and through the HBO adaptation, Charlain Harris creates a fantastic world of supernatural creatures living (openly and closeted) among ordinary humans. Through this fantastic world, Harris explores very human and real issues such as privilege, power, and oppression as the result of social hierarchy – all which have vast consequences for both individuals and society as a whole. In this workshop, participants will actively engage and grapple with these issues as experienced by the humans, vampires, shapeshifters, and other beings in the novels and TV series.
Gender Representation in Joss Whedon’s Firefly
The workshop would be an interactive discussion of characters’ gender constructions, including suggested topics such as nurturance, aggressiveness/violence, expressiveness, and communication. The workshop will evaluate whether individual characters in the series shows traditional, progressive, or balanced gender representation. The workshop will also evaluate whether it would be beneficial to expand current constructions of gender along the lines of Firefly’s gender relations.
Sexuality in Sunnydale
Over eight seasons, we’ve experienced a 200-year age difference, secrecy and trust issues, a friends-with-benefits affair in an attempt to find affection, and homosexual experimentation… and that’s just Buffy. Join in on a discussion about the characters in Joss Whedon’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” from both TV and comics that will discuss sexual orientation, dependency, and much more! Old time fans and newbies equally welcome, but a spoiler warning for anyone not up-to-date!
Power and Interference: the Prime Directive and Foreign Policy
The workshop will start with a brief introduction to the Prime Directive from three main perspectives. The first developed by Stargate, the second, developed in Babylon 5, and the third developed from Star Trek: The Next Generation. The second half of the workshop will discuss issues of US intervention abroad, and how the intervening and subjected parties might view this. Issues we will address: global warming – to what extent is legislation getting involved, to what extent is pollution disruptive? Is aid to poorer countries especially ineffective? Finally we will discuss military intervention in the Middle East – who benefits from this intervention?
Ender’s Game, or is it?
This workshop will discuss Orson Scott Card’s Enders Game as a representation of genocide. We will discuss why genocide happens in the course of the book and draw connections with real situations in history. The workshop will primarily address the following: Ender is often confused over what is “real” and what is a “game”. How does this represent the power dynamics of war, and individual soldiers’ consciousness and awareness of what they are a part of? Where is the genocidal intent in command school bureaucracy? Where is the intent in our world? We will discuss the hierarchical practice of using people to commit genocide based on race, and explore the responsibility of genocide. Who is responsible in the chain of command? How can we be responsible for the actions of our national institutions?
