Winners of two traditional DeepSouthCon awards were announced in Helen, GA on October 12 during ConToberFest / DeepSouthCon 62.
The Phoenix Award is given to the professional (writer, editor or artist) who has done the most for Southern Fandom. This year’s honoree is author and publisher Milton Davis. Milton Davis is the founder of MVMedia, which advances the careers of black speculative fiction writers by providing mentorship and a path to publication through small press releases and crowdfunded anthologies.
The Rebel Award is awarded to the fan who has done the most for Southern Fandom. The 2024 winner is Edward DeGruy. Edward is a longtime convention volunteer, usually found in the consuite or green room. He has previously served on the board for Atlanta Outworlders, a nonprofit group that promotes geeky events serving the LGBTQ+ community of metro Atlanta. Edward was the chair of multiple OutlantaCons, a LGBTQ+ focused fan convention that ran from 2008 to 2024.
[Thanks to Jennifer Liang for the story.]