Today we’d like to introduce you to Jesse Adams & Allie Charlesworth.
Jesse & Allie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
The first seeds of Multiverse came back in 2017 after Jesse attended a small literary convention in Austin, Texas. It was his first time attending a small con, and he had a great time, but also saw some things that he thought could be done differently.
Jesse and I grew up in the same area of southwest Georgia, so we knew each other a little bit from childhood and had recently caught back up with one another via social media. Once he pitched the idea of Multiverse to me, I could see his vision and wanted in!
Through hours of conversation, attending various conventions around the southeast, from anime cons to mega-cons to smaller topical cons, we came up with a sort of framework of what we felt would best benefit the Fandom community. And that became Multiverse Con, a highly inclusive, multi-fandom weekend that blends exciting things like parties, gaming, and shopping with intelligent, thought-provoking panels and opportunities to meet other fans & creators. And, just as importantly, we wanted all of that to happen in a chill, welcoming environment that includes fans of all kinds, showcases the highly diverse talent creating Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and Comic content, and doesn’t involve gatekeeping or mega-con crowds, lines, and prices.
We held our first Multiverse Con in 2019 at the Hilton Atlanta Airport with around 600 attendees. And it was a truly diverse group of folks! Our Programming Director & Vice Chair, Richard Fife, did an amazing job heading up the Programming team, and I believe we hosted more than 160 individual events over the weekend. Our team created panels with topics such as “Afrofuturism and the Intersectionality of Civil Rights, the Space Race, Hip Hop, and Black Femininity,” “The Anatomy of Dragons,” and “Controversial Histories: Should Modern Mindsets be Applied to Classic Works and Their Authors?” There were parties and karaoke, lots of opportunities for shopping in the Dealer’s Hall and Creator’s Alley, a really impressive Art Show, and a Con Suite that served up full meals every day that took into account potential allergies/dietary restrictions.
Then 2020 hit, and with it came the pandemic. We pivoted to an online-only format for safety purposes, and I think we actually managed to pull it off successfully! Nothing replaces the feeling of being in person with your geeky friends, but MultiVirtual was pretty close!
This past October, we were back in person at the Westin Atlanta Perimeter North in Sandy Springs. It’s a beautiful venue with lots of outdoor spaces and meeting rooms. We required vaccination and masks just to be safe. The Delta variant was still a concern for many folks, so we count ourselves lucky that our attendees and Guests tend to be very science-driven and community-minded, so everyone was pretty happy to comply. Coming back together after a virtual year felt like a reunion. I’m happy to say that we met one of our major goals, which was to build an event that feels like family. It was an absolute blast. There was so much fun and laughter, so many fascinating conversations and new friendships. We can’t wait to build on that and welcome new members into our con-family in 2022.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We’ve definitely had some challenges here and there. Like everyone, we were hit hard by the pandemic. Growing a community that relies on folks wanting to gather in person and maintaining the momentum of our first year’s success has not been easy.
Another challenge we have set for ourselves is to reach members of the fan community who are not already con-goers. With our firm policy against gatekeeping, we truly do want new fans to join us, even those who don’t really yet understand what a convention is. We feel there is a large and underserved group of fans who have not felt invited or welcome at traditional conventions and we want to change that.
We also face the normal challenges that come with events running, such as budgeting and venue acquisition, scheduling, and logistics, but we have an amazing team who put a huge amount of time and skill into making the behind-the-scenes aspect of the convention run smoothly. Even in a challenging pandemic year like 2021, our volunteers have been on point. And we are always looking for more people to add to the team! Volunteering comes with a free weekend pass to the event and a behind-the-scenes look at how conventions work.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Allie: I am a recovering project manager. I left the business world to stay at home when my infant had some health issues and somehow ended up homeschooling my two kids for the past 11 years! I never expected to stay home nor to homeschool, but this path has been an absolute blast. They are truly remarkable kids. Alongside that, I’ve done a large amount of community volunteering and organizing. I’m sort of a jack of all trades. If you need someone to plan or organize or run events, to crunch data, to teach/mentor kids, or to do anything nature-related, I’m your person.
Jesse: I’ve been a teacher for two years and a lawyer for 10. Books were my first love, and I get a lot of enjoyment out of teaching them to my students, especially those from less privileged backgrounds who may not have done a lot of reading yet. I also practice law, generally taking product liability work that I feel offers me something interesting to learn or a chance to further what I see as justice. I believe people are never too old to have fun and dream, and I like to chase those dreams with as many of my friends as I can talk into coming along.
What does success mean to you?
Success for Multiverse is seeing our community of awesomely geeky fans grow to encompass even more people, enlarging the family over time without ever compromising our core values of safety, inclusiveness, curiosity, and, above all else, fun. Ideally, we create a space where fans from all different backgrounds can see themselves represented in the books/art/films at con, within the creators who attend as Guests, and also within the fandom itself.
Pricing:
- Weekend Pass (Adult) $55-70
- Weekend Pass (Ages 7-17) $35-50
- Weekend Pass (6 and Under) Free
Contact Info:
- Email: chair@multiversecon.org
- Website: www.multiversecon.org
- Instagram: @multiversecon
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/multiversecon
- Twitter: @multiversecon
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/MultiverseConvention
Image Credits
David Samsky (Plague Dr & Wanda) MultiverseCon (remainder)
