From October 18th-19th we attended the only BIPOC focused convention in the state of Minnesota, Confluence. We had the opportunity to attend as press on the 18th and table at the Minnesota Comic Exchange table on the 19th. As we walked the Northup King Building for the first time, discovering new spaces with every turn, we quickly realized this is a unique convention for the fans that need to be seen and heard the most. Each turn had representation at every corner: from a Gaming section, to multiple panel rooms, an art gallery and a dedicated market. Confluence was a 2 day hang out with nerds from all walks of life.

At the heart of Confluence, was a convention that created a joyful and creative space for the BIPOC nerd community. On their website, Confluence is explained as the following “Our largest event is a 2-day convention in Northeast Minneapolis, Minnesota celebrating art, sci-fi, futurisms, and fantasy centered on content by and for Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color.” Throughout the weekend there were panels dedicated to diversity in comic books and black comic creators finding a space to share their stories. Panels based on deckbuilding for Magic the Gathering. Panels based around controversial characters and moments in Star Wars. The panels had something for everyone and they even finished Saturday night with a dance party in the beautiful art gala that featured work from the planning team of Confluence. The art was a love letter to cosplayers and the team that put the show together. It was very inspiring to see their art on display.

The planning team for Confluence did an amazing job with capturing the creative space for creators in the market. They had cornerstones like Mind’s Eye Comics there, the only black owned comic shop in the state but they also featured groups and artists that we rarely see at other shows. For example, Black Indie Comix Club had a table that featured BIPOC focused comics but also represented a community of creators and fans that were able to discuss their work in the midwest. Two creators that captured our attention were Ron Brown and Kam White. Ron Brown specializes in zombie art, and for just $20 he will draw you as a zombie in 2 minutes. Kam White on the other hand featured some of the most polished and beautiful comic art at the show, knowing that they had an upcoming project that they could not talk about, it had us excited to see the future of their work.

As for guests, I’ll be completely honest the only guests I recognized was Tim Russ. Many know him from Star Trek: Voyager but I knew him from the comedic masterpiece Spaceballs. As well as Cosplayer Roger Presa (Hummin_2 on Instagram) But much like the theme of representation, the guests represented every corner of nerd culture. Which every successful convention needs to do. Some shows have dropped the ball when it comes to guests and panels. This is a critical thing for a show that lasts multiple days. Guests included Aabria Iyengar from Critical Role, game designer Evva Karr and Author Ytasha Womack. Despite us not knowing the guests, it was an awesome sight to see the line wrap around the market to meet the guests.

The one panel that we were able to attend during the convention was “Black Creators in Indie Comics”. With it being the first panel of the show, it was one that I’m glad we attended. The panel was moderated by Hawwa Youngmark (From Black Indie Comix Club) together with panelists Rain Powers/Miquashi, D. Ellis, Blue aka Skub! Art, and Kam White. Even this writer who does not identify as BIPOC (me) left this panel feeling inspired to create. Everyone on the panel told those listening “Just Do It!” when it came to creating comics. At one point Blue said “All you need is a pencil and paper, you don’t need all this equipment.”

Unfortunately, we would miss out on the other panels we wanted to attend as we found ourselves hanging out in the market, talking with cosplayers and spending too much money on the unbelievably delicious food trucks. Looking at this from an attendee perspective, there was always something to do and there was never a feeling of having to spend money in order to have fun. Despite a few moments of feeling lost with the building layout, the planning team did a great job at utilizing the space.

Confluence has the potential to be a reoccurring event that I see bringing more fans and representation within a community that needs to celebrate it. As someone that helps run a comic community on Facebook and in the Minnesota area, we need more people of color and women in the community. Confluence is a giant step towards that and I look forward to the future of this event!