No Future No Cry

Omnira, a mother, escapes a hyper-capitalist, dystopian Canada for a liberated society beyond its borders in The Unsaleable Quarters.  Through Omnira's journey of despair, resistance, and ultimately hope, Sandy Hudson builds a world that illuminates the cruel efficiencies of unchecked capitalism.  After the reading, host Syrus Marcus Ware and Hudson discuss the story's inspirations, and the real-world parallels that shaped it. Together, they emphasize

Set in a dystopian-yet-resilient Atlanta, Acknowledgements in Black navigates Black and Indigenous liberatory movements, and the impacts of historical and ongoing violence . Through the characters Ayan and Ifin, Tiffany Lethabo King explores intergenerational trauma, solidarity, and the possibilities of a future shaped by acceptance and resistance.  Encouraging listeners to consider the significance of speculative fiction in envisioning transformative futures, King and host Syrus Marcus Ware discuss the role of technology and disability in connecting with ancestors and reflect on contemporary forms of activism

Delving into themes of hope, survival, love, and the impact of AI on creativity, in this episode of No Future No Cry three members of the Los Angeles-based collective Level Ground share their responses to the prompts: What are you dreaming into? What is alive for you right now? Where do you think we are headed?  Narrated by Chase Joynt and Samantha Curley, co-founders of the Level Ground, the responses to these prompts envision a world transformed by what is known as the Great Awakening.  In a post-story conversion with host Syrus Marcus Ware, Curley and Joynt unveil the collaborative process behind these visions and imagine pathways to a hopeful future.

Exploring the struggles and resilience of disabled, deaf, and MAD communities facing climate catastrophes and pandemics, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna’s There Are Disabled People In the Future is comprised of journal entries written by Ravenna K. Black over a period of nine months. The entries reflect upon her life and community during a time of upheaval and change.  Highlighting the complex intersections between disability, survival, and collective action, the episode concludes with a profound discussion between host, Syrus Marcus Ware and Piepzna-Samarasinha about the story's memory, and the potential for transformative justice amidst ongoing crises.

Set within the next century, The Crow Book by Genki Ferguson  explores survival, ecological dystopia, and the intertwined futures of humanity and nature. Using a crow as its central motif, the story delves into the relationships between wealth, class, and justice.  Ferguson shares insights about his creative process with Dr. Ware as well as  reflections on travels across Japan and our society’s ever-changing relationship to new technology.

As a deep dive into the wild imaginings of leading artists, activists and thinkers, No Future No Cry explores interpretations of future worlds across six immersive episodes. Enjoy this preview of worlds this podcast explores

Written and narrated by Yousef Kadoura, The Oracle and Her Mushroom explores a future plagued by natural disasters and a society that relies on oracles to survive.  Centered around Balhis, a young oracle who embarks on a journey into the remains of human civilization, Yousef shares Balhis’ discovery of a powerful connection with the mycelium network beneath a devastated metropolis.  In a conversation with host Syrus Marcus Ware, Kadoura discusses the broader implications of speculative fiction in imagining futures amidst the current climate crisis, drawing connections between Balhis’ journey and new ways humanity could coexist with the Earth.