Beyond Empire: Radical Possibility & Genre Fiction

This is a free event, but registration is required.

Join us as we welcome writers of color working across the genres of science fiction, horror, and speculative fiction as they speak to the ways they use the narrative archetypes inherent in their genres to confront the lasting, real-world effects of racism, segregation, colonialism, and imperialism.

With Silvia Park, whose debut novel Luminous considers a near-future unified Korea; Samrat Upadhyay, whose epic dystopian novel Darkmotherland is set amidst political and natural upheaval in Nepal; Quan Barry, whose literary horror novel The Unveiling confronts America’s racial legacy; and Rivers Solomon, whose Model Home explodes the haunted house story to discuss the history of American segregation. Moderating this all-star panel is critic and author of House of Bone & Rain, Gabino Iglesias.

The 2026 PEN World Voices Festival is a celebration of world literature and free expression. The 2026 edition will be the 21st World Voices Festival. Over four days, over 140 writers from over 40 countries will be featured in 40+ engaging talks, panels, readings, and activations in New York City and greater Los Angeles

Visit for more information about the entire festival, as well as PEN America.

The NYU Global Center -C95 Lecture Hall is ADA compliant.

ASL interpretation is available for this event by request only. Please reach out to our Box Office team at [email protected] by April 15th to request.

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Host or Publisher PEN America