geek therapy

QGCon: Where Academia, Games, and Queerness Converge

October 28, 2013 · Discuss on the GT Forum

Convention season is just about over! But apparently, conference season is in full swing. This weekend I had the opportunity to attend QGCon, a queerness and games conference at UC Berkeley.

(Image via QGCon)

The event was free to the public and covered topics such as masculinity, sexuality, game design, GaymerX, and the future of queerness and games. They even had a pizza party and session of outdoor games!

I was only able to make it to part of the conference, and I wish I had been able to see more of it. The two speakers I saw were very different and while their topics were related, the things I took away from each were very different.

Queer Shame, Gamer Shame

The first talk I went to was entitled “Thwarted Enjoyments: Queering Gamer Shame” by Samantha Allen. While heavily academic in nature (as was the entire conference), Allen made her talk very relatable and she knew when to tone down the jargon. She even went so far as to point out that “affect” is just another way of saying emotion that academics and clinicians use to feel smart. I laughed (as did many others in the room) because it’s true.

Allen’s talk was centered around shame. I spent my summer studying a model of therapy by Dan Allender, whose practice mainly focuses on the treatment of sexual abuse survivors. His view of shame is that is the result of being “seen” by others (whether they be imagined or real) or by yourself in your worst moments. Shame comes from embarrassment at having something done to you that you do not wish to have happened, or that is unspeakable. Shame is wanting to hide.

The shame that Allen spoke of in her talk, based on another theory by another scholar (whose name I cannot for the life of me remember), is very different. In this theory, shame is the result of wanting to continue to do something after you have been reprimanded, denied, or blocked from doing so.

In this sense, queerness and gaming (or geekiness in general) are very similar. Shame comes from being told that being queer is not okay, or that gaming is a waste of time, or counterproductive. Both queers and geeks feel the need to hide their pursuits then, and feel ashamed to admit who they are.

The talk then moved on to how the queer world and gaming world intersect. Allen described a trans woman who used video games to explore her identity. Her World of Warcraft characters allowed her to exist in a world as a woman. She was able to use that character to safely explore who she was and learn how to become a strong woman who can stand up for herself.

When queer youth (and adults) are blocked from being who they are in the real world, they turn to games to create their own world to explore. Queer people are great at using their shame and changing it into enjoyable experiences in order to survive.

After hearing that, I thought about what would happen if a queer youth came into therapy and their therapist tell them that they are playing “too many” video games. In therapy, you’re supposed to be able to be yourself. A good therapist would not make their client feel judged for being queer…but gaming is not part of the typical cultural competency. How would it feel to be told by your family that you’re no good because you’re gay, then have your therapist scold you for the thing you use to survive?

Probably not so great. Clinicians need to learn to be sensitive and understanding about more than just race, religion, and gender.

Another thing that Allen brought up was the fact that queer gamers usually less effected by gamer shame than straight gamers are. They’ve already gone through queer shame, so what does a little gamer shame matter? Typically, gamers may be looked down upon, but they are usually higher up in the food chain than queer people are. The youth described in my earlier scenario might survive some gamer shame…or could be devastated by their therapist shutting them down without realizing it.

The biggest take away Allen listed for her talk is that straight gamers who feel gamer shame have experienced a small piece of what it is like to be queer. This in no way means that gamers know exactly what it is like to have society oppress them and take away their rights. It just means that gamers have the internal experience of shame for doing something that they love and being who they are.

Video Games = Candy?

The second talk I was able to attend was a keynote by Kathryn Bond Stockton entitled “If Queer Children Were a Video Game”. This talk was very different from the first one I listened to.

Stockton’s presence was so exuberant that it filled the room. She spoke well, and I could tell that she likes slam poetry and using humor to drive in a point. The problem for me was, she was hard to follow.

Now, I’m sure she had plenty of good points to make, but her use of gigantic words (many of which I had never heard) and the fact that her topics jumped all over the place made it seriously hard to pick out the salient ideas. (There I go using big words).

It mainly proved to me that I am not that kind of academic. This is why I decided to be a practitioner; to stay away from having to write papers with words that no one with less than a Master’s degree can understand. It’s also why I want to work with adolescents…you have to put concepts into words they can understand. Things are much simpler with them.

In any case, Stockton did have some good points, that I was able to pay attention to. Unfortunately the ideas went by so quickly that I couldn’t take notes to tell report on them…other than video games are like candy.

We want them so much that we beg and plead with our parents for them. At times we overindulge in them. We play them for pleasure until the point of pain (one of her big words jouissance). She didn’t outright say this but they are good for us in moderation, and can cause problems if used too often.

Stockton is not a gamer, and most of her research and writings are on queer theory and LGBT issues. I wish I would have been able to follow better (I was also starving…that might have had something to do with it), or pick her brain about some ideas from an outside perspective.

So that was what I picked up from the conference. It was exciting to me that a conference like this was being held. Topics like video games are rarely deemed worthy of being spoken of in an academic setting.

It’s important to have discussions like this and I hope to see more conferences that cover geek culture in the future.

….Even though the jargon might go over my head.

NYCC – A Mental Health Professional’s Take (Part 2)

October 24, 2013 · Discuss on the GT Forum

Time to recap some of the awesome groups I saw making a difference at NYCC!

GLSEN/Antibullying Coalition

I knew that the Antibullying Coalition would have a space at NYCC, but I was excited to see GLSEN making a presence. Having a space for youth to talk to professionals (and their peers) about being bullied and resources they can turn to is definitely new to the convention world.

With the rise of bullying, and the added difficulties of cyber bullying, this topic is becoming more and more prevalent. I’m surprised that it hasn’t been seen as a bigger issue in this population yet, but I’ glad it’s receiving attention now.

While GLSEN and NOH8 were involved in the booth, and had a strong presence, the emphasis was not necessarily on LGBT youth, but on youth and bullying in general. The goal was to provide safe spaces for kids who are having a hard time to find help. While the open seating area provided to give them that space was empty (and looked like a ghost town) many of the times I walked by, it was also full of youth much of the time. Hopefully with time the word will get out that this is something provided at conventions and it will be more busy.

(Although…it would be better if we didn’t need it. Hmm…let me rephrase.)

Hopefully it will be more busy to get the word out until a time where it is something that is no longer needed.

Brave Girls Alliance

At the Antibullying Coalition booth was a group called the Brave Girls Alliance. Their goal is to bring attention to the fact that girls need appropriate, relatable role models in media.

They have brought a campaign to Times Square in which they have people tweet #BraveGirlsWant. Those tweets are up on a screen in Times Square for all to see and to promote what brave girls really want.

At NYCC, they went old school and had people who stopped by the booth put their tweets on a sticky note, which they would later tweet to the screen at Times Square.

Empowering young girls in a community where girls are mis/underrepresented is a wonderful idea. The fact that it is in such a populated space like Times Square makes it even better. So many people will see that girls need good role models, they are strong, and that they can do the same things boys can.

#BraveGirlsWant a good superhero movie with a standalone female lead! (Elektra doesn’t count,)

Geeks OUT

What would a convention be without a some scantily clad cosplayers?

The Mario in the photo was there representing Geeks OUT, and organization promoting LGBT equality in geek media. They had information about their dance party, LGBT comic creators, and also about their Skip Ender’s Game movement.

They’re essentially asking people to not pay to go see Ender’s Game when it comes out in theaters. Many cities (with Geeks OUT groups) are holding parties to give people somewhere to go other than the Ender’s Game movie. Another option they suggested were to buy a ticket to another movie, and then go watch Ender’s game.

The basic idea is to not give any money to movie because it will go to Orson Scott Card, who has previously given a lot of money to anti-gay hate groups. The fear is that giving money to Card will then give him more money to give to these anti-LGBT groups.

These guys were sweet and fabulous, and I love running into them whenever I’m at a convention!

Nerd Lounge

The Nerd Machine hosted a booth called the Nerd Lounge where you could go and charge your phone. (Brilliant, right? Captive audience!) While you were charging your phone, someone usually came by to ask you to participate in their photo booth.

The idea here was that you let the take your photo (which was free) and for every photo taken, Intel would donate $1 to Operation Smile. Operation Smile provides free surgeries for children to repair cleft lips and cleft palates.

With the photos being no cost to my fiance and I, there was no downside. The girl at the booth convinced us to take 5 photos. So in less than 5 minutes, we were able to give $5 (at no cost to us) to a good cause, and have some decent (and goofy) pictures of us together.

(I’m on the left)

Family Room

An awesome (and adorable) part of the convention was the Family Room. This was a space for parents to take their children and be free from the less family friendly aspects of a large convention.

Kid friendly activities such as coloring and other arts and crafts were provided, along with signings from all ages comic artists. The room was filled with laughter as children played and watched a Batman stage production put on by community college students.

Comics may not be just for kids, but those of us in the geek community tend to forget that there are still kids in the comics world. A safe haven from profanity, skimpy costumes, and being trampled by grown ups must be a welcome sight for children and parents alike.

The brilliance of it was that it was during the entire convention, rather than just on kids day (Sunday). I wish the signage telling people where it was had been better, and that it was maybe somewhat larger. I still think it was a success and that other conventions should take it into consideration.

Who doesn’t like little kids in cosplay? Anything to promote more of that, please!

Geek Therapy!

One of the most exciting parts of the weekend for me was hanging out with these guys!

Embedded image permalink

From left to right: Josué Cardona, Ali Mattu, Ph.D., Dr. Travis Langley, Steve Kuniak

(Image via @AliMattu)

The geek therapy movement was at NYCC in full force. The booth was full of geeky therapists and psychologists, ready to spread the word of how geek culture is saving the world.

Steve Kuniak was the one who decided to have a booth at the convention, and I think all of us can agree that it was brilliant. Steve brought along his PAX East research study (a current work in progress) as well as information about his planned Gamer Wellness Program.

Josué Cardona of geektherapy.com and the Geek Therapy Podcast was there as well, bringing information to the masses, and constantly rearranging the bookmarks and business cards on the table.

Also making appearances at the booth were myself, Ali Mattu, of Brain Knows Better, and Dr. Travis Langley.

Brain Knows Better is an intriguing science fiction psychology blog. (I’m particularly fond of Mattu’s breakdown of Spock’s psychology, which made me see the character in a whole new light.)

Dr. Langley wrote a book on Batman and Psychology, which he had for sale at the booth, and he was available for signings.

All of the books I have previously mentioned in this blog were there to peruse, along with many more. They even had a research journal available to look at. Anyone and everyone was welcome to come by and listen to the positive change that geek culture can provide

Many educators, therapists, and other helping professionals came by and were excited about a chance to use something they love to connect with the people they serve. It was also great to see parents, children, and big children (like myself) interested in geek therapy.

Many adults said that they wished something like this was around when they were growing up. That maybe they would have had a better experience with therapy. That alone shows that the geek therapy movement is something that is needed.

From what I saw, the booth was a big hit, and I hope it becomes a regular sight at conventions in the future.

NYCC was a blast, and I hope it’s even better next year!

Buzzkill – A True Dark Horse of a Hero

October 21, 2013 · Discuss on the GT Forum

During NYCC, I had the chance to sit down and interview the creators of Buzzkill (published by Dark Horse). Buzzkill is a story about a superhero who gains his powers from drinking and doing drugs. It’s ruined his life and he’s decided that he needs to quit and take his life back. The villains in his world, however, have other plans…

After reading the first issue, I knew I had to talk to these guys. This is such a different take on a topic that hits home for a lot of people. So I managed to get myself squeezed into Donny Cates (writer) and Geoff Shaw’s (artist) busy convention schedule. Donny and Geoff were a pleasure to talk to. They were open and candid about their hero, how he can help others, and what’s in store for him later on. The results of said conversation follow:

The Idea

When I asked how they came up with the idea, Cates said that his co-writer (Mark Reznicek) was in a band and had been surrounded by a lot of addiction. Reznicek presented the idea of a superhero that gains his powers from using drugs and alcohol to Cates, who agreed whole-heartedly that this story should be told.

Cates was going through the loss of his friend to addiction at this time, and was able to use the creation of this book to help him heal. He told me “It was like therapy for me, to try and deal with how I lost my friend.”

His process for dealing with his loss reminds me of types of narrative therapy in which the client is helped to re-write the story. While the story is about his friend (Cates says that the main character is based off of his late friend) and not about his own struggles, writing this book has allowed him to change the narrative of his friend’s story.

(Image via NerdSpan)

Cates says the striking difference between his friend and the main character of Buzzkill (“Ruben”) is that “Ruben” asked for help, whereas his friend did not.

Another major distinction between the two? Cates’ friend did not have superpowers. “Ruben” does, however, and Cates has said that they represent the sins of his past, or the sins that he committed while in his addiction.

As if the aftermath of his life falling apart wasn’t enough!

Serious Humor

The tone of this book seemed to be a constant balancing act. On the one hand, the hero could be portrayed as a drunken village idiot. On the other, the story could be so dark and serious that it would depress anyone who read it. I asked Cates and Shaw about the tone and how they managed to pull it off.

First off, Cates wanted me to know that the goal of creating Buzzkill was “to bring honesty and truth to something that has historically been used as a trope and a tool in popular fiction.” He went on to say “Making an alcoholic or an addict or anyone who is mentally unstable in any fashion the villain or a punchline is, I think, an inherently dishonest choice. It’s not something that they are conscious of or can control by themselves.”

Obviously, Cates wanted the story to be respectful of his friend and of others like him. There is humor in the story in order to make it easier to swallow and keep readers engaged.

They both expressed that it was fun to work on the book. Cates said “the life of an addict is incredibly bizarre and surreal at times.” (which must make it easy for them to throw in things like a teleporting goat and a gorilla with a bow tie).

(Image via InsertGeekHere)

Shaw told me he feels that without the humor to make the story lighter, the book would have fallen flat because it would have come off preachy or made it too serious to read.

I mean, that makes sense. We use humor as an ice breaker when meeting a new person to break the tension. It helps us calm our anxieties and make tough information easier to digest. It’s also a defense mechanism (one of the more adaptive ones to boot).

Cates made it clear that humor was used to enhance the story, but that “the joke is never on him,” the main character. Cates also stated that he would love for anyone who is going through addiction or who has someone they love going through addiction to know immediately that they are not being made fun of.

From what I’ve read of the story, I think they’ve nailed the balance between humor and seriousness.

A Hero’s Struggle

When I brought up the idea of geek therapy, Cates was excited. He thought that it was great, and that Buzzkill would fit right in. One of the best parts about writing this book, according to him, is hearing from community centers and rehab programs about how the book has affected their members.

Cates is hopeful that those struggling with addiction can relate to the character he had written. He emphasized that he is not an expert, although he has had some experience surrounding addiction.

When I asked about how relatable the story is, Cates said “This is an exploration of one person’s journey. It is not indicative of everyone’s journey, and we are not, by any stretch of the imagination, role models.”

With that said, Shaw, the artist, added “There is a universality to addiction, and cutting something that you have lived with and needed for so long, out of your life. Can you cut it out completely? Everyone can connect with that on some level.”

(Image via Idle Hands)

So the story represents everyone, and no one, all at the same time. I think those are some of the best stories for others to relate to. Stories that everyone can find some small piece of themselves in, but not those stories that are so close they might be scary to look at.

Reading a story that is not completely representative, but close enough allows us to distance ourselves from our own issues and see them through the character’s eyes.

Buzzkill seems to be one of these stories, and will be added to my catalog of comics to use with clients.

What the Future Holds

When I asked about what’s next for our hero, I was given a general break down of the books.

Issue 1 is mostly talking. Issue 2 is the most hardcore, with some action packed fight scenes. Cates and Shaw stated that issue 3 is the funniest. Then they started talking about the ending.

Cates said that no one is going to see the ending coming. That “people are either going to love it or really [fracking] hate it.” He said that it is not written necessarily for the readers, but for the main character. His story needed an honest ending, even though it may not be what people want.

(Image via EntertinmentFuse)

I’m looking forward to reading more and finding out what this huge surprise ending is.

Oh, and finding the Dr. Who joke that Cates and Shaw told me is going to show up in issue 3 (which probably has to do with that bow tie wearing gorilla I mentioned).

NYCC – A Mental Health Professional’s Take (Part 1)

October 17, 2013 · Discuss on the GT Forum

I’ve had a few days to recover from New York Comic Con (NYCC)…and I’m still on the mend. It was exhausting, my feet are still sore and swollen, my voice is still working its way back to normal. But as with most conventions I’ve attended, I feel as though it was worth it.

At least at this point my mind is able to make sense of things and I can provide you with a post that isn’t gibberish. With that said, let’s get down to the nitty gritty!

The overall feel of the con was very different from San Diego (which is the only con of this size that I have personal experience to compare it to). San Diego is taken over by geeks, so much so that the restaurants and hotels change their names and decor for parties and events.

This is definitely not the case in New York. Walking to the Javits Center, I overheard a girl on the phone asking her friend “is there some comic thing in New York this weekend? I just saw some power rangers walking by.” Cosplayers had to walk down the street to dirty looks and insults from those on the street. And while these things happen at other conventions as well, I feel that they are less blatant and less common other places.

Once inside the Javits Center, it was like being swept into a sea of people. For someone like myself, who does not handle crowds well, it was a bit overwhelming at times. My initial thought when I noticed my anxiety was “Why do we (geeks), as a community of mostly introverts, do this to ourselves?”

The answer: because comics! (or video games, or awesome celebrities, or awesome movies/T.V. shows). Our fandom overrides our sensibilities.

The next big thing I noticed was how diverse the crowd was. Women, people of color and gays, oh my! Everyone was out having a good time, breaking the straight white male stereotype. I don’t think I’ve seen so many different types of people at a major convention before, and it was refreshing. NYCC has said that they believe 35% of their attendees were women…from what I saw, I’d guess more.

Everyone loves cosplay. It allows people to be creative and express themselves in a safe space. I personally love seeing the twists people put on their favorite characters (I don’t have a picture, but I saw a steam punk Darth Vader that was beautifully crafted). One of the many things I thought was interesting was the diversity of the cosplay at NYCC.

There was quite a bit of crossplay throughout the convention. A female Mario, a male Catwoman, a female Green Lantern, a female Dr. Who and companion (adorable I might add) were some of those I can remember. Not crossplay, but definitely in the same vein was this perfect Afrian-American Rita Repulsa:

I feel like it’s a good sign that minorities are feeling more comfortable in spaces like these and are also comfortable making their voices heard.

I missed every panel I wanted to go to. The LGBT and Allies panel, the Mary Sue’s Representation panel, and the Women of Marvel panel. These panels were huge hits and, for the most part, had to turn people away.

On the one hand, it’s amazing to know that these panels are in demand and that so many people want to hear about a different perspective. On the other hand…I didn’t get to go to any panels (but yay for those of you who did!).

Comics as a medium (as well as just about anything nerdy i.e. video games, movies, T.V.) allows us free reign of our imaginations. If the next generation of creators (those who are sitting in these panels) learn that they can create what they want, anything can happen. The sky is the limit, if they can learn to break the mold. Panels like these are important in changing how we look at the status quo and how it can be altered.

I would have loved to have been there when Kelly Sue DeConnick said that progress is being made, but that it isn’t done. Because its not. Giving young women and girls hope of breaking into comics and not being scared because it’s a “boys club” is huge. I think DeConnick (and the rest of the panel) did just that.

There are so many other things about the convention I want to tell you, but I feel like I need to do some more reading comics…er…recuperating.

My coverage of NYCC will continue next week. You can look forward to my interview with the creators of Buzzkill. I’ll also cover all the awesome real life superheroes I found on the show floor. These people are doing amazing work doing nerdy things to help those in need.

For now, I leave you with this adorable picture of Bumblebee and a little Power Ranger:

New York Comic Con Overload

October 14, 2013 · Discuss on the GT Forum

New York Comic Con was…intense. There were a lot of booths, panels, signings, comics, toys and….people.

Crowds are both a good thing and a bad thing. On the one hand, it shows us that geek culture is more popular and more normative. More people interested in coming to cons = more geeks. On the other hand…it means it’s crowded. And it’s exhausting.

I had grandiose plans of writing an epic post today about all the cool stuff I saw that had to do with positivity, empowerment, education, and mental health. I grossly underestimated how tired I would be.

The result is that you have the promise of many awesome posts about NYCC over the next couple weeks. Once I have had a chance to sleep…and not be standing.

For now, I need to be packing up all my awesome swag and going to bed. Once I’m home and no longer jet lagged, I’ll give you the low down on some fantastic projects and groups I discovered, what the creators of Buzzkill think about addiction, a general overview of the con, and more!

All starting Thursday. If I’m really feeling good, I’ll throw in some extra posts next week.

New York Comic Con, I Choose You!

October 10, 2013 · Discuss on the GT Forum

(Image via NYCC)

OMG! New York Comic Con starts…today! Too bad I won’t be there until tomorrow. I’m super excited though!

Why am I so excited? Because this will be my first time attending a convention on the East Coast. Because I’ve never been to NYCC. Also because…so many awesome things are going on this weekend!

Here are some of the awesome things to look out for at NYCC (or, at least, the things I’m looking forward to and think you should be excited about too):

Geek Therapy Invades NYCC!

Steve Kuniak and Josué Cardona are teaming up to bring the geek therapy movement to New York Comic Con. They will be at booth #342 all weekend, giving you information on the Geek Therapy Podcast (Josué) and the Gamer Wellness Project (Steve).

They’ll also be happy to talk at length about how geek culture can be used in therapy and empower clients and society in general.

I’ve even heard that Dr. Travis Langley (who wrote Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight) might stop by!

Buzzkill Interview

(Image via Dark Horse)

On Saturday I’ll have the opportunity to interview the creators of Buzzkill, Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw. I’m really excited about this, as it will be a chance to get a behind the scenes look at a comic that could be impactful in therapy.

Not to spoil anything (or repeat myself when I post the interview) but Buzzkill is about a superhero who gains his powers through drinking and using drugs. He’s had enough of it ruining his life, and so he tries to quit using…but will the super villains let him?

I can’t wait to hear what Donny and Geoff have to say about their story.

The Mary Sue – Representation in Geek Media Panel

Susana Polo (The Mary Sue), Jamal Igle (DC artist and creator of Molly Danger), Kate Leth (web cartoonist, Kate or Die!), N.K. Jemisin (The Inheritance Trilogy), and Phil Jimenez (DC and Marvel artist) will all be on a panel discussing diversity and representation in geek culture.

I’ve brought up the topic of representation a few times, and it will be interesting to hear different experiences of how being represented (or not) in comics, video games and movies have affected people.

The panel will be Saturday, October 12 at 2:45 PM in room 1A01.

Pop Culture Anti-Bullying Coalition

The Pop Culture Anti-Bullying Coalition will have a booth with professional staff on hand to talk to children, teens, young adults, and parents about bullying and how to overcome it.

This is the first time a booth like this has been at a convention, and it seems like an important issue to address. So many youth who are into geek culture are bullied by peers. On top of that, many are bullied from those within geek culture (such as with online gaming). Education for all involved is key to ending bullying.

They’ll be at booth #630

Geeks OUT Dance Party

Who doesn’t love a good party? Geeks OUT will be hosting SNIKT, a queer dance party at Vlada Lounge (331 West 51 NY, NY) from 10pm-4am. There will be geeky queers dancing, and drink specials. I don’t know if I’ll be there, but I’m sure I want to be there!

Mike Kunkel at the BOOM! Studios Booth

I may not have a chance to talk to him, but I will be dropping by the BOOM! booth (#1344) to see if I can get a copy of Herobear and the Kid and have Mike Kunkel sign it.

There’s something about a stuffed toy that comes to life and protects its companion that warms my heart. It also has some therapeutic qualities, as in creating a transitional object. Also…how cute is this?

(Image via comicvine.com)

There are also a few things I’m bummed about missing because of flying in late, and the wedding I’m attending Sunday (don’t these people know it’s Comic Con weekend?!). Things like:

LGBT and Allies in Comics Panel

Geeks OUT is holding a panel about queers in comics. I’ve been to a few of these panels (held at other cons, usually by Prism comics) and they’re always a good time and very informative.

Panelists this time around are Greg Pak (Superman, Code Monkey Save World), Marjorie Liu (NY Times Bestselling Author), Rich Bernatovech (Sentinels), Daniel Ketchum (editor at Marvel), and Dan Parent (Archie Comics).

The panel will be tonight at 6:15PM in Hall 1A14.

I’m sad I will have to miss it, but I will be visiting the Geeks OUT booth (#1575).

Anti Bullying Panel/NO H8 Photoshoot

I am forever doomed to miss the Anti Bullying Panel held by the Anti-Bullying Coalition and the NO H8 Campaign. I missed it at San Diego Comic Con, and I will miss it again this time around. Everyone else should go see it and report back to me!

Panelists include Alice Cahn (Cartoon Network VP), Adam Bouska & Jeff Parshley (Founders, NOH8 Campaign), Ashley Eckstein (“Star Wars’” Ahsoka Tano & Founder of Her Universe), Brad Bell (Husbands), author Bonnie Burton (Mean Girls), Jenna Busch (Fan TV Entertainment Editor), and a rep from the Anti-Defamation League.

The panel will be held Sunday, October 13, at 3:45 pm in Room 1A14.

The NO H8 Campaign will also be holding a photo shoot at the Anti-Bullying Coalition’s (booth #630) Sunday Oct 13th from Noon-2PM. More information is here.

I will also be tweeting all weekend @TherapeuticCode!

Hope to see you all there!