Just 1 week until GeekGirlCon 2013 in Seattle. The convention is dedicated to celebrating and honoring the legacy of women in all aspects of geek culture, including science and technology; comics, the arts, and literature; and game play and game design.
Denise Crosby (Lt. Tasha Yar on Star Trek: The Next Generation) and writer Kelly Sue DeConnick (Captain Marvel, Avengers Assemble) and professional cosplayer Chaka Cumberbatch are first time special celebrity guests.
Producer/writer Jane Espenson (Husbands, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Once Upon A Time) returns along with comic book historian Mike Madrid who will reveal female heroes who fought crime long before Wonder Woman from his new book Divas, Dames and Daredevils: Lost Heroines of Golden Age Comics. (Here’s our review.)
“We are incredibly excited to open the doors for GeekGirlCon ‘13,” said Amanda Powter, GeekGirlCon executive director. “At GeekGirlCon, we believe all people deserve equal recognition and that everyone should feel empowered to pursue their passions. We hope our third convention provides attendees with a safe, welcoming, and fun way to celebrate what they love.”
GeekGirlCon ‘13, the third annual convention organized by GeekGirlCon, takes place Oct. 19 and 20 in Seattle at The Conference Center, located in downtown Seattle, and will include panel discussions, opportunities for job networking, crafting workshops, special events, tabletop and console gaming, and an exhibitor hall and artist alley.
Saturday and Sunday programming will feature panel discussions, hands-on workshops including a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Science Zone, and lively interactive sessions ranging from topics as diverse as fandom and pop culture, the portrayal of women and race in geek culture, crafting and cosplay, science and technology, comic books, and the video game industry.
GeekGirlCon ‘13 will offer a number of special events, starting Friday with a kickoff event at the Tap House Grill and Bechdel Test Burlesque, a geek-themed burlesque show at Re-Bar. The Doubleclicks and Molly Lewis will also host their own kick-off party at Wayward Coffeehouse Friday evening. On Saturday, convention participants can enter and enjoy a Costume Contest and attend the GeekGirlCONcert at the EMP Museum, which features musicians Marian Call and Unwoman and comedian Bri Pruett. During GeekGirlCon’s closing celebration, The Doubleclicks will perform their hit song “Nothing to Prove.”
Although women fill close to half of all U.S. jobs, they hold less than 25 percent of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) jobs. The GeekGirlConnections program aims to give women the tools they need to pursue and get hired in STEM and other career fields like comics and gaming. In the GeekGirlConnections Room, attendees can join career-focused panel discussions, network one-on-one with people working in their desired career fields, and receive personalized feedback on their work.
Women make up 45 percent of all video game players, and GeekGirlCon expanded its Gaming floor to meet this growing demand. The convention will feature a range of tabletop and role-playing games (RPGs) to explore, workshops on topics like game design, live action role play (LARP) sessions, and console gaming sponsored by EA and PopCap Games.
“In our effort to continue supporting women and girls in the areas of STEM careers and education, EA is proud to be a major sponsor of GeekGirlCon for the third year in a row. Not only will our game room be returning so fans can play some of our awesome games, but we will also be giving back to community by having a charity raffle drawing,” said Kelsey Wesley, global diversity & inclusion specialist at EA. Attendees will have a chance to win EA and PopCap prizes, with all contributions being donated to the local Seattle nonprofit IGNITE.
GeekGirlCon ‘13 is a family-friendly convention, with a number of programming, games, and events geared toward children. Twenty percent of all attendees at previous GeekGirlCon conventions were children under the age of 10. Passes are free for children under 4. For more information on tickets and programming visit GeekGirlCon.Com.
Here’s our recap of last year’s event.
By Editor