A quick note: I'm participating in WisCon this weekend. It's fully online (Discord + Zoom with some YouTube livestreams).

As the chair of the board for the Otherwise Award, I do a fair amount of volunteering to keep things going. The way I started volunteering for Otherwise: more than ten years ago, I volunteered to help with the yearly fundraising auction at WisCon.

After Ellen Klages retired, the 2014 and 2015 auctions were conducted by a rotating crew of auctioneers, with Ellen’s long-distance participation. In 2016, Sumana Harihareswara took the stage, saying repeatedly “I’m not necessarily signing up for the next 20 years.”

Well, at WisCon 2026, I'm helping with three Otherwise events, including emceeing this year's auction. And I'm moderating one more panel besides.

Panel: The Last Year in Gender-Exploring SpecFic

Saturday, May 23rd, 10:30 AM–11:45 AM Central Daylight Time

Members of the 2025 Otherwise jury and others familiar with the award will discuss the 2025 Otherwise Winner, Luminous by Silvia Park, as well as the Honor List titles and other works of gender-exploring speculative fiction from the last year. The panel will also discuss trends that they have seen in speculative fiction in in relation to the exploration and expansion of gender and how that exploration intersects, as it must, with other identity categories.

Cheryl S. Ntumy and Rebecca Fraimow, Moderator: Sumana Harihareswara

GoH Panel: Climate Change & Climate Fiction

Sat. May 23rd, 1:00 PM–2:15 PM Central Daylight Time

Climate change presents humanity with so many different potential challenges, it's no surprise that fictional imaginings of its effects are already so copious. Both our Guests of Honor, Premee Mohamed and Darcie Little Badger, have used their own scientific backgrounds to highlight climate change in their stories. In this panel they'll discuss their perspectives on climate change as scientists and as writers.

Darcie Little Badger and Premee Mohamed, Mod: Sumana Harihareswara

Otherwise's Fundraising Auction

Saturday, May 23rd, 7:00 PM–8:00 PM Central Daylight Time

The return of the Otherwise Auction! Sumana Harihareswara is your live auctioneer. Bid (via Discord chat; pay using credit/debit card, Venmo, or PayPal) on a variety of material and immaterial items to support the Otherwise Award.

Some of the auction items:

• A signed, numbered, hardcover limited edition of N.K. Jemisin’s book How Long ’til Black Future Month (donated by Subterranean Press)
• Vintage collectibles, such as a WisCon 42 tote bag (from 2018, donated by SamHain Press)
• Discounts at online booksellers
• Wacky experiences! (I promise that there will be at least one wacky experience.)

I'll make nerdy jokes. You can come and have fun without bidding on anything. Anyone who donates any amount of money to Otherwise during the auction gets a virtual gift bag with some fun items in it, including the brand-new Otherwise ringtone, made specially for this event. We'll take PayPal, Venmo, and debit/credit cards.

Guest of Honor Speeches & Otherwise Presentation

Sunday, May 24th, 7:00 PM–9:00 PM Central Daylight Time

WisCon's traditional Sunday night event. Speeches by our guests of honor, followed by presentation of the Otherwise Award (and a filk to celebrate it!) and a speech from the con chairs.

WisCon welcomes first-timers! Tickets for WisCon are sliding scale, USD$0-$5-$25-$65. And you'll also get the chance to enjoy fascinating (and well-moderated!) panels, readings of new work, a curated fanvid show, and other sessions, many of which will include CART (real time captioning by a human). More info at the helpful "How To WisCon" post.