Now that you have visualized your ideal community, what qualities/strengths/characteristics do you possess or demonstrate or aspire to possess that would strengthen the community?

To kick start the final project, carefully read the three following assigned readings(the Intro, a Chapter titled Revolution Shuffle, and the Outro) and one reading of your choice from the library’s Community Reads book titled, “Octavia’s Brood”. At the bottom of the list is a link to access the entire book where you will select one additional chapter (of your choosing) to read. Please read the writing prompts for this assignment before reading the chapters to help inform what you take away from the materials.

Octavia’s Brood

Intro:

Octavia’s_Brood_Science_Fiction_Stories_from_Socia…_—-_(Introduction).pdf

Revolution Shuffle (Chapter):

Octavia’s_Brood_Science_Fiction_Stories_from_Socia…_—-_(Revolution_Shuffle).pdf

Outro:

Octavia’s_Brood_Science_Fiction_Stories_from_Socia…_—-_(Outro).pdf

Link to access the entire book–please select one additional essay to read and respond to:

Octavia’s Brood

After completing the readings, please complete all of the following.

Reading Reflection: (6pts) 300 word minimum

1) Please describe two ideas or concepts from each chapter that contribute to your understanding of community, or what you think a community could be (as “visionary fiction”). Describe specifically how they impact your idea(s) of community. Clearly label each chapter and the ideas that you are drawing from each one.

Visionary Fiction (9 pts total for the section below)

According to Walidah Imarisha in her Introduction to Octavias Brood, visionary fiction is a term we developed to distinguish science fiction that has relevance toward building new, freer worlds from the mainstream strain of science fiction, which most often reinforces dominant narratives of power. Visionary fiction encompasses all of the fantastic, with the arc always bending toward justice. …….. Once the imagination is unshackled, liberation is limitless.

1) Stage One: Visionary Fiction: Envisioning the Ultimate Community (4 pts) 300 word minimum

This reading/response picks up where the Collaborative Art: a transformational force reading left off. You addressed some of these questions generally in the last assignment, but for this assignment, I am asking you to think more generally about communities at large rather than of the specific communities that you belong to. I would also like you to think more specifically and imaginatively about the qualities and characteristics of communities and their members.

Using the idea of visionary fiction, imagine an ideal community or society at large. What qualities or characteristics would be important in your imagined community? What beliefs, aspirations, and goals, would be important to that community? What would it value? What would it forbid? How would individuals be valued or rewarded for their contributions? How would they be encouraged and supported? What expectations would there be and how would they be upheld? Use your inner sanctuary as a means of envisioning and speculating. Remember that this is an imaginative exercise–think creatively; engage your heart and mind; dream big!

2) Step Three: Envisioning yourself as an ultimate community member (5 pts) 500 word minimum

“All that you touch, you change. All that you change, changes you. The only last truth is change. (Octavia’s Brood)

You will base the first visual aspect of your final project on the following portion of this assignment. It will be a visual representation (speculative fiction), or Avatar representing you as an essential member of your envisioned society. These will be created from a series of self-portrait photos as well as fictional elements (details provided next week). Remember that this is fiction—-rather than a description of your current self. Describe the qualities you would magnify or possess (real or imagined) and how they would contribute to your ultimate community. Be creative—bold, wildly imaginative for this initial stage. As a brainstorming exercise, please consider the following in your response;

Now that you have visualized your ideal community, what qualities/strengths/characteristics do you possess or demonstrate or aspire to possess that would strengthen the community? Please describe these qualities in detail (be specific).
There are many ways to contribute meaningfully to a community. Think about both small and large meaningful abilities/roles, and contributions that would benefit your fictional community.

As an exercise in speculative fiction, you are being asked to envision your best self (or a social medial persona of yourself) and who you want the world to see you as; one who is an essential member of your community possessing the qualities you have envisioned.