Anime, and Cosplay, and Panels, Oh My!

The first Anime Boston I attended was back in 2012. Since I was going to school in the city, I finally had the perfect opportunity to go without worrying about transportation or getting a hotel. I was excited to dress up as two of my favorite characters – Super Danny from Danny Phantom and Yukio Okumura from Blue Exorcist – but I in no way knew how amazing the con experience would turn out to be.

So what exactly is Anime Boston? It’s a three-day convention held annually at the Hynes Convention Center that celebrates Japanese animation, manga, pop-culture, and various other Japanese media. Con-goers typically cosplay (dress up) as their favorite anime or non-anime characters (cartoons, comics, video games, and live-action shows and movies are not excluded). People of all ages are welcomed at the convention – it’s especially adorable to see kids there admiring the cosplayers that bring their favorite characters to life!

The best part about Anime Boston is the atmosphere it creates for people of all fandoms. Whether you are there for the information panels, anime premiere showings, or simply to make a purchase in the Artist’s Alley (my favorite!), you are sure to find others with similar interests. At an anime convention, no one questions you for wearing a suit of armor or magical girl uniform – instead, you can expect fans to take your picture and compliment on how amazing your cosplay looks!

Cosplaying is one of the funnest parts of the Anime Boston experience. Cosplayers prepare their outfits and props months in advance for the three day convention. Our first year my friend and I learned first hand how much time and effort is put into the creation of these cosplays.

One of many prop-painting sessions!

My mémère used her amazing sewing skills to help create my character's bullet belt (as shown on the manga below it).

At my first convention, the months of cosplay preparation my friend and I had spent were put to great use when we joined a photoshoot for Blue Exorcist. Having a photoshoot with people cosplaying characters from the same show, each in their own way, was a blast!  I had never attended anything where people from various fandoms were allowed to get together to enjoy and celebrate their mutual interests in such an awesome way. It’s not everyday that a group of strangers are able to immediately connect and bond over their love of one show – no conversation starters needed! 

The praise we received from the other members at the photoshoot, and the many photos other people took of us throughout the con, rewarded my friend and I for our hard work in putting our outfits together. We also learned that the heart and soul cosplayers infuse into their crafted costumes and props brings joy not only to themselves, but the people who recognize and compliment them on effectively portraying their favorite characters.

This year, I had a new cosplaying partner in crime. However, since we’re both seniors overwhelmed with work while finishing up our college career, we didn't have much time in advance to put everything together. The day before the convention, we spent hours putting the finishing touches on our latest cosplays – I went as Yuno Gasai (Future Diary), while my friend went as Vanellope von Schweetz (Wreck-It Ralph). Our excitement for the upcoming day wasn’t the only sugar rush we experienced – that Friday night was spent sticking (and super-gluing) peppermints, Sweet Tarts, and Twizzlers onto my friend’s wig!

I can now add "candy hairdressing" to my resume!

My friend cosplaying as Vanellope Von Schweetz

Myself cosplaying as Yuno Gasai

Each year Anime Boston has a theme. This year’s was Kaiju vs. Mecha; “Kaiju” are monsters like Godzilla, while “Mecha” stands for people controlling robots or machines. My favorite theme was back in 2013: “Tales of Yōkai,” or stories about supernatural beings. Panels and events are typically scheduled around the theme of the year; prominent members of Japanese media, performers, and voice actors often attend as special guests for fans to meet or get autographs from. This year, for the Kaiju part of the theme, Akira Takarada (the director of the original Godzilla films) and Haruo Nakajima (the monster suit actor) were guests of honor – pretty awesome, huh?

Overall, my friend and I ended up having a great time. We took plenty of pictures, wandered around the Artist's Alley (buying lots of cool art and merchandise in the process!), and loved getting to wear our latest cosplays (which still turned out amazing, even if we we short on time!)

While the convention can be exhausting, the people I have met and the memories I have gained there always make a slight lack of sleep totally worth it.

Ready to tweet? Enter gender equality.

Love it or hate it, social media is here to stay. The majority of internet users have some form of a social media account and people are spending more time digitally connected. With National Women’s History month coming to an end, let’s extend the conversation on gender equality beyond March and see how social media can grow the conversation.

So, let’s be honest, how many times a day do you check your Facebook and Twitter, watch a funny clip on YouTube, or Like a photo on Instagram? Personally, I can’t even begin to quantify the endless hours I’ve spent doing all three on a daily basis over the past several years. This bizarre dependence on social media often leaves me conflicted between wanting to go off-grid and staying on due to my geographically diverse network and the social fear of feeling left out. I need a better reason to justify the amount of time I’m online.

Enter gender equality.

Why not take advantage of Facebook’s immense network and discover some great movements and campaigns focused around gender equality? Organizations like Lean In share inspiring photos, videos, and articles to keep conversations and opinions active. Following these pages is one simple solution for anyone who would like to view stimulating, empowering content among the barrage of media clutter.  

To get you started, these organizations are tackling issues of gender equality – ranging from the workplace to home – in hopes of getting you involved.

• Lean In: Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, created this community to encourage women to pursue their career goals and how to overcome gender barriers in the workplace. Their ultimate goal is to inspire women to lean in to leadership opportunities to equalize the huge imbalance within power positions.
  • How to get connected: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
  • How they keep you involved: Features Lean In Circles, which are small groups that meet monthly in a supportive atmosphere while keeping members up-to-date and connected
  • Food for thought: “A truly equal world would be one where women ran half our countries and companies and men ran half our homes.” – Sandberg
  • Bonus: Read Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead is Sandberg’s book that inspired the cause 

• HeForShe: UN Women launched this global campaign last year with the idea that gender equality is not a women’s issue, but a human rights issue and encourages men to join.
  • How to get connected: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube
  • How they keep you involved: provides an “Action Kit” that suggests several ways people can participate to support and spread awareness
  • Food for thought: “How can we effect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?” - Watson
  • Bonus: Watch UN Women’s Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson deliver a speech about HeForShe

• Not There: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Clinton Foundation started this movement under the principle that gender equality is simply not there yet. It touches upon issues from child marriage to the wage gap between men and women in the workplace.

  • How to get connected: Main website, Twitter   

  • How they keep you involved: Tweets a suggested action everyday to support the cause

  • Food for thought: “A women with a voice is by definition a strong women. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.” – Melinda Gates

  • Bonus: Watch Amy Poehler, Sienna Miller, and others elaborate what it means to that gender equality is not be there yet equality. 

These are only three campaigns committed to tackling different issues about gender equality. It’s up to you to choose which one resonates and make a move. Just because National Women’s History month is over doesn’t mean we should let it slip from our daily dialogues. Let’s keep the conversation going. 

A game of hide and seek: where are all the women in STEM?

For 2015, National Women’s History month has a theme of “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives.” The theme encourages women to share stories of their past to build a stronger, more confident future.

I’m a business student focusing in Information Systems, the study of using technology to collect, store, process, and deliver data. I was surprised when I realized that the majority of my classmates were men. Then I learned of a common alternative acronym for the engineering school (ENG): “Expect No Girls.” This got me thinking: Why, in 2015, are women under represented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) related fields? In an effort to encourage young women to pursue STEM subject areas, this is my story.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been on a computer (my mom can vouch for me). From learning HTML for my Neopets page to acing Type to Learn during class, I quickly got comfortable with the computer and it became second nature. By age seven, I was even teaching my technologically deficient parents the basics of Microsoft Office.

Here I am with my older brother; he was always a big influence on my love for games.

So, why is it that I didn’t take my first computer science course until I was 20 years old? Clearly the interest was always there, but the encouragement and information wasn’t. Up until my third year at Boston University, I had no real idea what Information Systems was and I was on track to study Accounting and Finance, simply because everyone else was doing it. It wasn’t until my first mandatory Information Systems course when I realized that it was the perfect major. I love how it combines business and technology while allowing me to use my analytical and organizational skills to someday help an organization’s daily operations.  

What I’m curious about is what happened (or rather, what didn’t) in between elementary school and college. Maybe I thought a career in technology would be too challenging. Or maybe I had a strong presumption that computer geeks were usually male.  

My story is only one example of why we need schools to educate today’s youth in STEM so that everybody has a chance to discover their passion in a supportive environment. Plenty of research has been done to analyze the why behind the lack of women persuing STEM careers, but the truth is that there is gender inequality within STEM-related fields. By encouraging girls and women to explore their creativity in new ways and aim for challenging careers, we may start to equalize this imbalance. Let’s weave more women into our nation’s technology stories to inspire future generations.

To get started, here’s a list of inspiring videos (and a FableVision Studios project) some organizations have done to address the issue of #WomenInSTEM:

1. Verizon – Inspire Her Mind
Words can have a huge impact. From “don’t get your dress dirty” to “why don’t you hand that [power tool] to your brother,” it is shockingly clear how a girl’s creativity can be inhibited in subtle ways. What I liked about this video was how relatable these situations were; it definitely put things into perspective for me. 

2. The White House – Girls in STEM: A New Generation of Women in Science
In this video, watch all these brilliant young women wow President Obama with their innovations in science and technology. Two young girls who invented a UV-sterilizing lunchbox said, “I never knew I could do that.” I love the diversity portrayed in this video, further emphasizing how anybody can pursue their dreams.  

3. AT&T – Women in STEM Careers
In this commercial, AT&T sends a strong message: “All of you are capable of turning the things you love into the things you do.” This resonates with me because I recently turned my love for computers into something that I know will be related to my career. 

4. National Academy of Sciences – Women’s Adventures in Science
FableVision created a website for the National Academy of Sciences to teach 8-12 years old girls about STEM. The website showcases the accomplishments of contemporary women scientists with games, interactive comic books, and scrapbooks. It’s only appropriate that I am interning at a company that has already shown their support for #WomenInSTEM.

Celebrate International Women's Day with FableVision!

FableVision showing their support by wearing the official IWD's color - purple!

Calling men and women everywhere! International Women’s Day is fast approaching. Celebrated on Sunday, March 8, this day is a wonderful opportunity to not only celebrate women, but to also recognize the need for greater gender equality. The best part is that it doesn’t just end after one day because March is also National Women’s History month! We’re celebrating by kicking off a series of blog posts this month with some thoughts on inspiration from FableVisionaries. We started with asking two questions:

1. Working in media, what drives you?
2. Who is your female role model and why?

What are your answers? What drives you and who is your female role model? How are you celebrating International Women’s Day and National Women’s History Month?
 

Anny (left) and her older sister, Raks (right)

Anny Din, Production Assistant
Working in media, what drives you?
Knowing what you're good at is one thing, but to actually find a career in what you're passionate about is another. The potential to excel as a producer is what drives me. Being around others who share the same fire and passion drives me. I anxiously anticipate what I can learn from my peers and that is what ultimately drives me.

Who is your female role model and why?
My female role model is my older sister, Raks. She is nine years older than me and has always been my backbone. Although my parents were constantly pushing me to be more like her, she never gave into the pressure. She made me feel like I could do anything. She always believed in me and my dreams, and would always come to save the day if needed.
 

Sarah Ditkoff, Communications and Development Strategist
Working in media, what drives you?
Ultimately, working at a mission-based company has reinforced my interest in media. Everything FableVision makes has emphasis on both educational and authentic experiences for the end-user. Our focus is always on that end-user, and that's a driving force. 

Who is your female role model and why?
I've been enamored with Amelia Earhart since elementary school. She quite literally, and figuratively, made her own path in the world. The word "no" held little weight in her world, and I always admired that.
 

From left to right: Andrea's mother, herself, and her sister 

Andrea Calvin, Brand and Development Strategist
Working in media, what drives you?
Truth. And now I will explain, in my life before FableVision, I was a newspaper editor. As journalist you a called to uncover the truth, report the truth, and reflect upon the truth. So you could say, for 7 years the truth was my daily guide. At FableVision truth continues to be my motivating force. The truth of story, education, and fun.    

Who is your female role model and why?
My mom. She's silly. She's driven. She's creative. She's my mom. What more can I say?
 

Hannah O’Neal, Animator
Working in media, what drives you?
Creating something that makes people smile, think, or feel. Anything that might positively affect someone or something.  

Who is your female role model and why?
Barbra Allen, my high school art teacher. She is such a strong, loving, talented, and beautiful human being. She was the best teacher I ever had and changed the lives of so many people. I hope I can be like that someday.

Jordan Bach, Senior Developer
Working in media, what drives you?
I’m inspired by the things I don’t yet know. I love learning new things and learning how to do and make new things.

Who is your female role model and why?
Alison Bechdel’s two recent books (Fun Home and Are You My Mother?) have meant a lot to me. Her bravery, her intelligence, and her relentless curiosity about herself and her history are inspiring to me.

Renee Kurilla, Lead Artist
Working in media, what drives you?
I think reaction drives me. I love making people happy. Watching both kids and adults react pleasantly to my art, in turn, makes me happy too.  

Who is your female role model and why?
I look to many female artists and storytellers of all levels for artistic inspiration. Currently I am admiring illustrators Erin Stead, Sophie Blackall, and Carson Ellis from afar. They all have a quiet sense of creativity and understanding of their subjects that I strive for in my own work. 

Jordan Persson, Production Assistant
Working in media, what drives you?
The opportunity to put more things I like in the world.

Who is your female role model and why?
Sally Ride. It takes an incredible amount of courage to fling yourself into the inhospitable unknown purely to help make it to the known.
 

Danielle Gillis, Producer
Working in media, what drives you?
For me, I'm driven to create media that not only entertains but educates. Instead of being a teacher in a classroom, being a producer allows me to work on content that's broadcast to a "classroom" of kids all over the country.

Who is your female role model and why?
A few years ago I heard Geena Davis speak about her research on gender prevalence in family entertainment. I was inspired by her message: "if she can see it, she can be it," meaning that if we start to show girls different ways of living, different roles they can play, then they'll start to imagine it. So a girl who has never met a chemist, but sees one on television or in a movie, might start to gain an interest in science. As creators of media, we have a huge responsibility to our audiences and I keep Geena Davis' research and mantra in mind as I help to shape what goes out into the world.