A photo of Diana M. Pho presenting at #Sirens26
@dianapho.bsky.social on developing a critical reading mindset: "Learn to read both within and outside yourself. Even as I'm sitting in discomfort, what does the text say? If I'm feeling great joy, why am I joyous? If I'm confused, what don't I fully understand? #Sirens26
A photo of Diana M. Pho presenting at #Sirens26
Give into moments of wonder and awe. -- @dianapho.bsky.social giving advice on becoming a great editor, but it sure seems like pretty good life advice for us all! #Sirens26
A photo of people making friendship bracelets
A photo of a friendship bracelet tied on someone's wrist
Morning Joy! Tell us, when is the last time you made a friendship bracelet? Or picked up any hobby -- new or old -- just for the potential joy of it? #Sirens26
A photo of Dr. Micaiah Johnson presenting at #Sirens26
Dr. @micaiahjohnson.bsky.social on the history of creating Black female automatons: "They weren't. The Black male body is tied to labor. The white female body is tied to consumable femininity. Black women fall short of that feminine ideal and their labor is invisible. #Sirens26
A photo of Dr Micaiah Johnson presenting at #Sirens26
[Society has] a psychic need for this inhuman other, and it will be filled at all costs. -- Dr. @micaiahjohnson.bsky.social on race and robots at #Sirens26
A photo of Dr. Layla Azmi Goushey presenting at #Sirens26
@laylaazmigoushey.bsky.social defines "slipstream" as "the bending of reality, surrealism, high strangeness, the reinterpreting, utopia, dystopia -- things that make us think about what we know, but think about it differently." #Sirens26
A photo of Dr. Layla Azmi Goushey presenting at #Sirens26
Globally, there are different speculative fictions happening for different reasons. They are less about fantasy, more about cultural ideation [and where it's going in the future]. -- @laylaazmigoushey.bsky.social at #Sirens26
A photo of alt text for journal making
A photo of craft supplies for journal making
A photo of someone's hands cutting paper for journal making
A finished hand-made journal
Morning Joy! At Sirens! We tried our hands at journal making for neither productivity nor profit with @bethanypowell.bsky.social!
Headshot of Micaiah Johnson, with her hand on her fist, looking at the camera. Text reads: “March 18-22, 2026 | New Haven, CT SiRENS MICAIAH JOHNSON Author. Scholar. Activist.”
Image with text over Red background, text reads: MICAIAH JOHNSON @ SiRENS THURSDAY, MARCH 19TH 8PM BALLROOM C RACE AND ROBOTS: A NOT-SO-BRIEF HISTORY WITH A NOT-SO- HAPPY ENDING FRIDAY, MARCH 20TH 3 PM BALLROOM C PUBLISHING AND RACIAL JUSTICE (A CONVERSATION WITH FAYE BI)
Can’t WAIT for @sirensconference.org this week! Getting to talk about mechanical beings and race AND GETTING TO HAVE A CONVO ABOUT JUSTICE IN PUBLISHING?? IS IT MY BIRTHDAY??
Hadn't made one of these "yay, I'm here" posts in awhile: hey 👋 I'm at @sirensconference.org this week! Anyone else stopping through?
A photo of Jewelle Gomez speaking at #Sirens26
In order to change the world, one must first change one's dreams. -- Jewelle Gomez at #Sirens26
A photo of the #Sirens26 bookstore, strung in lights
As we reimagined what Sirens could be, we dreamed a place of respite and community, of learning and growth, of transformative magic. --Amy Tenbrink, Conference Chair, kicking off #Sirens26
We ❤️ you! So glad you're coming back and presenting!!!
A graphic with the text: "Sunday, March 22: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. $75. Programming & Event Highlights: Breakfast, Sarah Gailey Keynote Address, Closing Remarks"
A graphic with the text: "Saturday, March 21: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. $150. Programming & Event Highlights: Morning Joy! Fantasy World Mapmaking, Kelly Barnhill Keynote Address, LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group, Stephanie Burt Keynote Address, Small-Plates Buffet, Sirens Night Market"
A graphic with the text: "Friday, March 20: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. $150. Programming & Event Highlights: Morning Joy! Friendship Bracelets, Diana Pho Keynote Address; BIPOC Affinity Group; Three-Course Dinner; Lilliam Rivera Keynote Address"
A graphic with the text: "Thursday, March 19: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. $150. Programming & Event Highlights: Morning Joy! Journal Making, Layla Azmi Goushey Keynote Address; Disabled, Neurodivergent, and Chronically Ill Affinity Group; Three-Course Dinner; Micaiah Johnson Keynote Address"
A graphic with the text: "Wednesday, March 18: 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. $75. Programming & Event Highlights: Welcome Remarks, Jewelle Gomez Keynote Address, Milk-and-Cookies Reception, Bookstore Opening"
A graphic with the text: "Single Day Registrations: Speculative fiction gives us blueprints for worlds full of hope, joy, justice, and revolution. Want to talk about these worlds we love and how to make our world more like them? Check out our single day registration options!"
Maybe you've thought about joining us next week for #Sirens26, our reader conference for #sciencefiction, #fantasy, and #horror. It's not too late to join us! A few full registrations are still available at sirensconference.org/attend, and we have some single day registrations available now as well
Hi, yes, we almost always do and we forgot this time. So sorry!
And we've got community presentations: work researched and prepared by the Sirens community for the Sirens community. Thank you to all our presenters for sharing their time, expertise, and thoughts to make our community a smarter, more welcoming, more inclusive space.
We're practicing morning joy! We hear that we can -- and should -- do things because we like them, not because we're good at them or they need doing or they'll help someone else buy a fifth yacht. Let's take a breath, try a thing, and be in community together!
The #Sirens26 faculty are a-maaaaaa-zing! You won't want to miss their keynotes! @kellybarnhill.bsky.social @notquitehydepark.bsky.social @sarahgailey.bsky.social Jewelle Gomez @laylaazmigoushey.bsky.social @micaiahjohnson.bsky.social @dianapho.bsky.social @lilliamr.bsky.social
Hey, awesome humans! Pretty please think about coming to #Sirens26, our reader conference at the intersection of the better worlds that trans, nonbinary, and female spec fic authors have dreamed, and the work of activists, educators, and community builders to make those worlds possible today.
A photo of Sirens 2026 faculty Sarah Gailey, with their name and the words "Author. Inquirer. Instigator."
#Sirens26 Faculty Sarah Gailey (@sarahgailey.bsky.social): Speculative fiction master from alt-history hippos to horror. Gorgeous essayist. Dedicated fan. Thoughtful community builder. Hugo winner. Raconteur. Provocateur. EW: "For those who aren't [familiar with Gailey's work], well, get ready."
A photo of Sirens 2026 faculty Jewelle Gomez, with her name and the words "She. Writer. Feminist."
#Sirens26 Faculty Jewelle Gomez: Speculative fiction royalty. Author of THE GILDA STORIES, the first Black lesbian vampire novel and powerful exploration of found family. Essayist, poet, playwright, Lambda Literary Award-winner, activist, educator, and "foremother of Afrofuturism." Absolute legend.
A photo of Sirens 2026 faculty Lilliam Rivera, with her name and the words "Writer. Anticolonial. Force."
#Sirens26 Faculty Lilliam Rivera (@lilliamr.bsky.social): Dazzling author across genres and categories, including for the LOVE IN GRAVITY podcast. Winner of piles of awards, honors, and fellowships. Essayist (NYT, WaPo, Elle, Cosmo), educator, and speaker. Absolutely luminous firestarter
A photo of Sirens 2026 faculty Layla Azmi Goushey, with her name and the words "Educator. Writer. Advocate."
#Sirens26 Faculty Dr. Layla Azmi Goushey (@laylaazmigoushey.bsky.social): All-around all-star educator, with academic work focused on the literatures and cultures of the Southwest Asia North Africa region. Speculative poet and author. Editor of the literary magazine Baladi ("my home" in Arabic).
A photo of Sirens 2026 faculty Stephanie Burt, with her name and the words "Mermaid. Mutant. Writer."
@Sirens26 Faculty Dr. Stephanie Burt (@notquitehydepark.bsky.social): Poet, literary critic, Guggenheim Fellow, Harvard professor (remember that famous Taylor Swift course?!), and author of numerous gorgeous works. The NYT says she's “one of the most influential poetry critics of her generation.”
A photo of Sirens 2026 faculty Micaiah Johnson, with her name and the words "Author. Scholar. Activist."
#Sirens26 Faculty Dr. Micaiah Johnson (@micaiahjohnson.bsky.social): World-changing author, scholar, activist. Purveyor of hope, joy, rage, and revolution. The NYT says her fiction "rattles [your imagination] out of complacency." Her academic work focuses on the intersection of race and tech.