Long Beach Indie Digital Edutainment Conference 2014 #Fashion Politics

I was a panel speaker for the Long Beach Digital Edutainment conference. The conference simultaneously focuses on social justice, media, technology, and entertainment. It was one of the most engaging events that I've ever participated in and I felt at home with like minded peers.

I was invited to discuss fashion politics based on my screen play "Harajuku Faux Pas," which is about an African American teenager that dresses in Japanese Goth Lolita attire.

I weighed in on topics that deal with fashion/cultural misappropriation, ethical garment production, and the purpose of fashion as a POC. All of the workshop attendees were encouraged to take their thoughts digitally using the hashtag #LBIDEC.

Dr. Chetachi A. Egwu, Gail Taylor, and my serious panel face.

The root of the picture on the right is actually a funny story. My boyfriend had texted me this right after the panel discussion had ended, and it sort of freaked me out because he wasn't even there, but found it through the hashtag.

I was definitely engaged in the conversation and was thrilled with the attendee participation.  My graduate program was not exactly an environment for meaningful conversation regarding people of color,  and the energy made me included in something that mattered.

My favorite discussion was led by founder of The Unslut Project, Emily Linden. She gave a riveting personal talk about her experience with slut shaming as a preteen. It was a story that deeply resonated with me. With the increasing number of young women committing suicide due to sexual bullying, I found her talk to relevant and inspiring.

According to the website "The UnSlut Project promotes gender equality, sex positivity, and comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education for all ages. This is a collaborative space for sharing stories and creating awareness about sexual bullying, slut shaming, and related issues. "If you get a chance you should check out their website and the trailer for their fully funded documentary is on their site. This is a great conference for educated free thinkers to engage in many socio political conversations that are relevant in our digital age.  It was a honor to be chosen! I had a great time connecting with some awesome women.  Below was the full schedule of the topics covered as well as the esteemed panelists. 

Here are also some videos that I recommended to some of the panelists that were relevant to our panel discussions.