On September 21st, Macon Library held it’s first annual Comic Con. A miniature version of the larger scale event that was held this past weekend at the Jarvits Center.
Comi Con is a major moment for the comic book world, newly coopted for pop culture enthusiasts, nerds and techies of all kinds. What we don’t normally see is Black or Brown folks represented either through the media or the panels.
Through my work with the students of Bed Stuy at Macon Library, I’ve gotten to know a lot about these students of whom come from similar backgrounds as I. Now it’s not “lame” to be a “nerd” or to be into anime, cartoons and superheroes. All children should be encouraged to defeat all odds and see real human stories portrayed through the media, from a lense that they better identify with. Their passion for Macon’s comic con and their awe inspiring joy, really showed me how much representation matters.
Black children should be able to grow up in a world where the media culture they contribute to, encourages them to face villains and achieve the impossible.
DIVAS (Digital Interactive Visual Arts Sciences) for Social Justice aims to bridge the digital divide by combining media literacy and cultural awareness along with a vast understanding of technology to encourage young women in under served communities to pursue careers in computer science and new media.
