M'Shai S. Dash is a Muslim author, writer, and speaker from Washington, D.C. Her work is centered on how to 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 activism, art, and literature. After appearing in a documentary on race, politics, and injustice, she began speaking publicly about social justice issues, the contributions of people of color in speculative fiction, and the power and reach of digital storytelling in a social media-driven world.
Image by Francesca Andre.
Dash has spoken at the Apollo Theater, Charles Sumner School, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Trinity University College, AFO Theater, MiraCosta College, and other venues as a panelist, commencement speaker, and lecturer. Her recent releases are a volume of poetry called Woman In Sujud, and a debut collection of short stories titled Quirky Black Sci-Fi Tales: Volume I. Earlier this year, a poem from Woman in Sujud was featured in the art catalog for The Black Angel of History: Myth Science, Metamodernism, and the Metaverse, at Carnegie Hall in 2022, and the second book in her sci-fi series is slated for release in 2023.
Dash's writing has been featured in Blavity, For Harriet, Blackscifi.com, and Madame Noir, and she is a former co-host of Black Sci-fi TV, an award-winning public access television show which airs on PhillyCam. Her short stories have appeared in The Scribes of Nyota: Our Voices, Our Imagination, A Compendium, and in the Awakened Voices online magazine. 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.
Guest speaker: "Sherlock Holmes' Influence on Anime"
"Fandom Activism"
"Feminist Characters in Sherlock Holmes"
Guest: Sex, Politics & Religion Hour with Jamila Bey (SPAR with Jamila). Dash spoke about her latest literary work and her goals for her residency with 202Creates, and read poems from her 2021 release, Woman in Sujud. (1/22)