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Mission
M'Shai S. Dash is an author, writer, and speaker from Washington, D.C. In her work, Dash focuses on the ways creatives can transform adversity into purpose and art, the evolution of Afrofuturism as an aesthetic and literary genre, and how to use storytelling as a tool to connect with online audiences. Dash has always had a passion for art and literature, and speaks publicly about the contributions of people of color in speculative fiction, and the power and reach of digital storytelling.
Author & Speaker
Dash has spoken at the Apollo Theater, the Charles Sumner School, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Trinity University College, AFO Theater, MiraCosta College, and other venues and conferences as a panelist, commencement speaker, and lecturer. Her recent releases are a volume of poetry titled Woman In Sujud, and Quirky Black Sci-Fi Tales: Volume II. She is a Fountain Magazine award winner, and poetry from Woman in Sujud was featured in the art catalog for The Black Angel of History: Myth Science, Metamodernism, and the Metaverse exhibition at Carnegie Hall. Her climate change-themed sci-fi story 'Fumes' was recently adapted into a limited comic book series, and Fumes #1 (Dash, Burnham) was nominated for a Zelda Award for Best Graphic Novel Sci-Fi, and Best Cover (Tiah and Tahilla Ankum). She is currently working on a novel about growing up in D.C.'s go-go era called Drums for Mating and War, and The Water Domes, a one-shot comic book.
Writing & Voice Acting
Dash's writing has been featured in WinC Magazine, The Scribes of Nyota, Blavity, the Awakened Voices online magazine, and Spacefunk!, an Afrofuturist anthology. She is a former co-host of Black Sci-fi TV, an award-winning public access television show which aired on PhillyCam. She recently added voice acting to her repertoire and can be heard voicing Mamma Cherrie in season one of Afflicted: An Audio Thriller Horror Drama, created by Tonia Ransom and Jenz Ink.
Recent Engagements
Blerdcon 2025
Atlantic ComicCon 2024
MultiverseCon 2024
Panelist: "Black Indie Horror 101" with fiction and horror writer Crystal Connor.
MultiverseCon 2024
Atlantic ComicCon 2024
MultiverseCon 2024
Panelist: "Black in the Black: The African Diaspora in Space"
"Budgeting for your Author Career"
"Writing as Activism"
"MCs That Look Like Me: Religious Protags"
Atlantic ComicCon 2024
Atlantic ComicCon 2024
San Diego Comic Con 2023
Panelist and vendor for the debut of this arts, culture, and gaming conference.
San Diego Comic Con 2023
San Diego Comic Con 2023
San Diego Comic Con 2023
Panelist: Super Salaam Nerds Geeks & Fans. A meetup, and discussion about "Muslim Futurism, Sci-Fi & Fantasy" moderated by Dr. Shamika Mitchell.
New York Comic Con 2022
San Diego Comic Con 2023
New York Comic Con 2022
Panelist: Super Salaam Nerds Geeks & Fans, a meetup and discussion about Muslims in the fandom industry (cosplayers, content creators, and gamers) moderated by Dr. Shamika Mitchell.
BlerDCon 2022
San Diego Comic Con 2023
New York Comic Con 2022
Panelist: Blerdmom 2.0, a discussion about parenting in a world of online gaming, social media, and a digitally connected world.
221BCon 2022
Blacks Nerd Expo 2019
MultiverseCon 2021
Guest speaker: "Sherlock Holmes' Influence on Anime"
"Fandom Activism"
"Feminist Characters in Sherlock Holmes"
MultiverseCon 2021
Blacks Nerd Expo 2019
MultiverseCon 2021
Moderator, speaker: Afrofuturism: Where do we go from here?
The Alien as Other
Fantasizing the Future
Blacks Nerd Expo 2019
Blacks Nerd Expo 2019
Speaker, presenter: Mira Costa High School commencement, and Black Nerd Expo, at Mira Costa College.
Blogger Week DC 2017, 2019
Presenter: Memes, Vemes, & Short Clips: Learn the Art of One-Minute Storytelling and Get the Tools.
BlerDCon 2018
BlerDCon 2018
Featured Panelist: "Controlling Our Narratives: Help Us Create the Next Black Sci-Fi Character"