As America faces the drawing up of Death Star plans (or border walls, refugee bans, and faith-based registries) culture and politics have never felt so…pop culturian as now. But stories have always been political, and fandom has too. In this Darkest Timeline, themes of hope and rebellion in stories such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Wonder Woman are serving not just as moral guides, but popular culture, and particularly geek enthusiasms, are shaping cultural conversation around strategic resistance. Moderator Jennifer K. Stuller (Ink-Stained Amazon; Geektivism) leads a conversation with geeks making activism their superpower by hacking popular culture for social justice, civic activism, and participatory politics – including in anti-bullying initiatives, advocacy, and for charity. Sara Mortensen (The Harry Potter Alliance; Words Alive), Nicole Gitau (Geeks OUT; FLAME CON), Tracy Deonn Walker (The Color of Fandom; Duke University), Dr. Annalise Ophelian ( Looking for Leia), and Chase Masterson (Pop Culture Hero Coalition; Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) will explore the what, why, and how of geek activism, talk about rebellions being built on our favorite fandoms, and how you too can raise your wands, embrace your inner Groot, and wield The Force in the name of geektivism and all that is worth saving in this world.
#Geektivism #SDCC #SDCC18