Description

This event is the second installment of the Creative Inquiries speaker series. It is organized by The Workshop, which is the creative technology space in James Branch Cabell Library. The event will be co-facilitated by Multimedia Teaching & Learning Librarian Oscar Keyes and Public Affairs Research Librarian Nia Rodgers. 

Often discussions of technology are framed through a loose notion of a future-orientated “innovation,” with little disregard about the nature of those imagined futures. This series aims to add a little friction to these sleek ideas about innovative technologies, by providing a platform to discuss the complexities of living in an increasingly technological world. The series features experts whose work intersects research methodologies and the creative process and technology. Each featured speaker will give a lecture and provide a brief demonstration of their process. Whether they are a research-based maker or a researcher who makes, these speakers do not approach technology as an answer but rather as a question: How does technology reflect the issues, inequities and injustices in our society and what is there to be done about it? 

About the speaker

Bridget Todd is the creator behind the critically acclaimed podcast There Are No Girls on the Internet, which explores how marginalized people show up online in response to the lack of inclusion in conversations around the internet. There Are No Girls The Internet earned “Best Technology Podcast'' at the iHeart Radio Podcast Awards and a Shorty Award for “Best Podcast Miniseries” for DISINFORMED, a miniseries exploring how misinformation, and conspiracy theories around COVID, gender, and race hurt marginalized communities. In addition to being an award-winning podcast host, she is also the Director of Communication for the national gender-justice advocacy organization Ultraviolet, where she meets with leadership from social media platforms like Reddit, Twitter, Facebook and TikTok to advocate for and develop policy recommendations to make digital experiences safer and more inclusive. Todd’s writing and work on technology, race, gender and culture have been featured at the Atlantic, Newsweek, the Nation, the Daily Show and several other outlets. Through her educational and advocacy work, Todd aims to combat disinformation and extremism online to create safer digital experiences for women and other marginalized people as well as celebrate their contributions to tech and the internet. 

For questions or accommodations please contact VCU Libraries event manager, Ryan Pander, rbpander@vcu.edu or (804)-828-0593