Your Government Needs Some Sci-Fi!

I currently work at a civic innovation office. What that means is that we try to find innovative, smart, researched solutions to real problems in our community, and try to get government to do the same. I like the impossible tasks. I've been able to work with Utah State Legislators as well as city leaders in Utah. It has been an incredible experience and has helped me get into the best public affairs school in the nation.

Hopefully it'll get me a lightsaber as well. A real one. For reals. How on earth does this relate?

We want creativity and improvement in our future. We want cities and the life we see in movies like Star Wars or Star Trek. We wanted to start taking steps to making this actually happen. 

How do we do that?

We put together a writing contest for science fiction writers, to write about future cities, specifically a city that had solved accessibility issues for those with physical handicaps. OR they wrote about a city where it hadn't been solved and headed to catastrophe, like in the book 1984. 
People submitted short stories and professional writers were asked to submit stories as well. Professional writers included Mary Robinette Kowal, Fran Wilde, and David Brin.

Why does this matter?

Copies of this collection of stories will be distributed to city, state, and national leaders. People with incredible imaginations can craft the future. I want a light saber. I want to have a flying car. I want a better future. Do you? How do you picture the future? The book is available on Amazon, if  you're interested in checking it out by clicking on the picture below. It costs $5.89. It's worth it.

Our office is collecting submissions for the next year's contest, and I've included a link below. The winner gets $2,000, and there will be five runner up prizes of $500 each. Do you like science fiction? Check it out!

What is your favorite book or movie that shows the future? How do you see your picture playing out? Comment below!

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