Minnesota has a lot of nerd culture conventions. Minnesota has so many nerd culture conventions, in fact, that saying there are a lot feels like an understatement. One only need scroll through Twin Cities Geek’s annual convention guide to feel spoiled with choices. But for many convention-goers, something important has been missing.
So, Minnesota nerds did what Minnesota nerds do. They made their own convention.
ConFluence describes itself as an event “centering the voices, presence, stories, liberation, and joy of Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color”—abbreviated as BIPOC—and “produced by a multiethnic, multicultural volunteer team of artists, organizers, gamers, and self-proclaimed nerds.” In its first year, 2023, ConFluence saw more than 500 attendees over two days. If the programming and list of special guests for 2025 are any indication, this second edition of the convention could see more.
ConFluence
I reached out to photographer and ConFluence organizer David Glasgow, who has volunteered for and attended Minnesota conventions for many years. He explained:
CONvergence, Anime Detour, and other local conventions filled me with joy, creativity, and connection. Yet the fire was tempered by a sobering truth: The joy was real, but so was the absence. The absence of diversity. The absence of inclusion. The absence of consideration for cultures, communities, and voices outside the narrow lens of white mainstream. What was quiet for some rang loudly for those of us draped in melanin, speaking the rhythms and vernaculars born of Black and Brown communities.
Some local conventions are very aware of and trying to address this issue. CONvergence cited data about the disparity in 2024 when it launched a grant to cover attendance for BIPOC fans in need, noting that more than 90% of its attendees identified as white even though about 27% of Twin Cities area residents identify as nonwhite and a large proportion of sci-fi and fantasy fandoms are made up of nonwhite fans. But it’s worth noting that CONvergence existed for 25 years before taking action on the disparity, and it’s just one convention out of many in Minnesota that have existed for decades. This is why ConFluence matters.
Glasgow told me, “History has shown us: We don’t have to wait for permission to belong. We don’t have to beg for space at tables not built for us. We create our own spaces where heritage, voices, and community are not just acknowledged, but uplifted. Spaces where we can honor our stories and also celebrate the simple, joyful, nerdy fun we love.”
Panel programming at ConFluence 2023. ConFluence
Sofia-Rose Nagberi, who joined the ConFluence planning team in 2025, says, “I joined the team because I personally believe that we should make space for and amplify the voices of Black nerds, Black cosplayers, Black anime fanatics, and make community with those around us. I’m so excited to contribute to that as a member of the Youth Engagement Committee.”
Leslie Barlow, Minneapolis-based artist and ConFluence producer, echoes that view. “It’s really exciting to be able to collaborate with so many incredible people to create ConFluence again this year,” she says. “Events like this, for communities to connect across our diversity, gather in joy, and celebrate our representation, are more critical than ever.” In 2025, as American businesses, schools, and organizations seem to wantonly abandon DEI initiatives and spaces meant to lift up or support anybody outside of the mainstream, this type of community building feels even more important than when the convention first launched in 2023.
Gaming at ConFluence 2023. ConFluence
ConFluence 2025: Futures in Color will take place October 18–19 at the Northrup King Building in Northeast Minneapolis. Attendees can immerse themselves in creative workshops, discussion panels, a cosplay contest, a vendor marketplace, a gaming area, a curated visual art exhibition, and the “Prismatic Underground” themed dance party. Tickets are $35 for one day and $55 for the entire weekend.
The lineup of special guests includes Tim Russ (actor on Star Trek: Voyager), Aabria Iyengar (DM for Critical Role and Dimension 20), Evva Karr (founder of indie game development organization Glitch), Ricardo Levins Morales (Minnesota artist and organizer), Ytasha Womack (author of Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture), and more. You can view the full guest roster and schedule of events on ConFluence’s website.
Twin Cities Geek is a community partner for ConFluence 2025. If you attend the convention on Saturday, October 18, be sure to head to Public Functionary Lounge #144 at 2:30 p.m. for the Twin Cities Geeks meetup, where you can connect with fellow Twin Cities Geek readers and online community members. It’s a chance to put faces to names in your online community! The meetup will be quick and casual—say hello, exchange badge ribbons, and make some new friends to hang out with at the rest of the convention.
Heading to Anime Fusion over the same weekend but don’t want to miss ConFluence? The conventions have partnered up so that you can get a discount when you attend both! Bring your ConFluence badge to Anime Fusion or your Anime Fusion badge to ConFluence for a 20% discount at the door.
0 Comments