Events

(Video) Raising Heroic Girls – San Diego Comic-Con 2017 Panel

Heroic Girls hosted “Raising Heroic Girls” — it’s first-ever panel — at San Diego Comic-Con this year. The panel was a look at how heroic comics, movies, and toys can inspire girls to be more confident and successful by combatting harmful gender norms that can hold them back.

John Marcotte, founder of Heroic Girls., moderated the panel — but the bulk of the knowledge and experiences was provided by the women of the panel, including:

  • Alaina Huffman (Supernatural, Smallville),
  • Anya Marcotte (Heroic Girls)
  • Audrey Kearns (Geek Girl Authority),
  • Cassandra Pelham (senior editor at Graphix and Scholastic Press),
  • Dr. Janina Scarlet (Superhero Therapy), and
  • Jenna Busch (Stan Lee’s World of Heroes, Legion of Leia)

(Janina’s son Hunter also contributed some valuable insight. but I didn’t think he would appreciate being called one of “the women of the panel” — just for accuracy’s sake.)

Thanks to Steve and Michele Blanchard, who shot the footage used above, and thanks to Ken Blanchard, who cleaned up the audio on that video and removed a horrible echo that was making it impossible to hear the speakers.

 

Disney Debuts #DreamBigPrincess Photography Campaign to Encourage Kids Around the Globe to Dream Big

Renowned Female Photographers Spanning Fifteen Countries Create Inspiring Images and Kickoff $1 Million Fundraising Effort for Girl Up

Glendale, Calif. (Aug. 15, 2017) – Disney today unveiled a global photographic campaign in support of #DreamBigPrincess, celebrating inspiring stories from around the world to encourage kids everywhere to dream big. Nineteen female photographers from fifteen countries have created a series of empowering images showcasing real-world girls and women, as part of Disney’s Dream Big, Princess initiative launched in 2016, which taps into the power of Disney Princess stories to inspire kids. Photographs will be shared on social media to help raise funds for Girl Up, the United Nations Foundation’s program supporting adolescent girls’ leadership and empowerment.

“The idea that stories, whether real life or fictional like those of Belle or Rapunzel, can inspire kids to follow their dreams is at the heart of the #DreamBigPrincess campaign,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. “We asked some of the most accomplished female photographers to help tell the stories of inspiring women and girls from around the world—and the results are incredible.”

From one of the first female staff photographers at National Geographic to winners of the International Picture of the Year, World Press Photo Award for Nature, Commonwealth Photographer of the Year, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News, the accomplished roster of photographers bring a wealth of experience and talent. Each was challenged to find and document stories with the power to inspire kids.

With subjects including the youngest ever speaker at the UN, a gold-medal-winning Chinese Paralympian, the founder of the first female cycling team in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, a teenage author of a STEM  coding book for kids, and a young surf champion from Brazil, the project aims to spotlight a diverse range of stories to connect with kids and families around the world. The images bring the #DreamBigPrincess message to life in a multitude of ways, including highlighting women who’ve achieved success in the face of adversity or forged successful careers in traditionally male industries, young Girl Up Teen Advisors who’ve already helped make a positive impact on the world, and girls at play who illustrate the importance of imagination in childhood.

As well as inspiring kids with positive images and the stories behind them, the campaign aims to make a tangible difference for girls who face challenges in achieving their dreams, through its collaboration with Girl Up. From August 15-October 11, 2017, Disney Worldwide Services will donate US$1 for any public post of a photo using #DreamBigPrincess or like of such a post on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, for a minimum donation of US$500,000 and a maximum of US$1 million. Girl Up’s leadership program engages girls to take action and advocate for girls around the world, giving them empowering tools to help make a difference.

“Girl Up envisions a world where every girl can reach her full potential and be an advocate within her community for positive change and empowerment.The #DreamBigPrincess campaign is perfectly aligned with our goals and we’re excited to partner with Disney and this incredible group of women to spotlight what it means to dream big around the world,” says Melissa Kilby, Director of Girl Up.

Annie Griffiths, one of National Geographic’s first female staff photographers profiled eight teenage girl leaders at Girl Up Leadership Summit in Washington DC, to showcase their inspiring stories as part of the campaign.

“Every picture tells a story and I’m delighted to be part of an initiative that tells so many stories that are interesting and diverse. I hope that people around the world will be motivated to share their own inspiring #DreamBigPrincess images in support of Girl Up,” says Annie.

Girl Up Teen Advisor Alumna Meg Schwartz, was given the chance to follow her dream of becoming a professional photographer by creating images of Girl Up celebrity Champions, including YouTube influencers Brooklyn & Bailey, actress Katherine McNamara as well as philanthropist and actress Monique Coleman. Meg’s images will be shared as part of the campaign to help raise funds for Girl Up.

In 2016, Disney launched “Dream Big, Princess”, a campaign that encourages kids everywhere to dream big by highlighting key story moments and the inspiring qualities that each Disney Princess showcases through her adventures, such as Merida’s bravery, Cinderella’s kindness or Tiana’s perseverance. While each princess has her own unique and admirable qualities, what they all have in common is resilience and an ability to triumph over adversity to make their dreams come true. The Dream Big, Princess content series, which runs across Disney TV and digital networks globally, brings together a host of inspiring moments from beloved Disney movies with the stories of real-life young role models, who have dreamed big and achieved their goals to show kids what’s possible.

The Dream Big, Princess series has already reached millions of kids and families and the photographic campaign builds on this success by spotlighting women and girls from around the world with stories that have the power to inspire others.

About The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, and consumer products and interactive media. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $55.6 billion in its Fiscal Year 2016.

About Girl Up

Girl Up, the United Nations Foundation’s adolescent girl campaign, supports the empowerment of girls everywhere. Since its launch in 2010, Girl Up has funded UN programs that promote the health, safety, education, and leadership of girls in developing countries and built a community of over half a million passionate advocates. Our girl leaders, representing more than 1800 Girl Up Clubs in 90 countries, stand up, speak up, and rise up to support the hardest to reach girls living in places where it is hardest to be a girl. Learn more at GirlUp.org.

About the United Nations Foundation

The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by philanthropic, corporate, government, and individual donors. Learn more at unfoundation.org.

Harley Quinn - photo by Anya Marcotte

SDCC 2017 Cosplay Gallery

We had a special photographer this year at San Diego Comic Con.

Anya – photo by Steve Blanchard

Anya took over photography duties for the first time and put together this gallery of her cosplay photos.

Little Sister – photo by Anya Marcotte
Wonder Woman – photo by Anya Marcotte
Rey – photo by Anya Marcotte
Supergirl and Batgirl – photo by Anya Marcotte
Wonder Woman – photo by Anya Marcotte
Harley – photo by Anya Marcotte
Supergirl, Superwoman and Batgirl – photo by Anya Marcotte
Wonder Woman – photo by Anya Marcotte
Marco and Star – photo by Anya Marcotte
Tracer – photo by Anya Marcotte
Rey – photo by Anya Marcotte
Arrietty – photo by Anya Marcotte
La Muerte – photo by Anya Marcotte
Marco and Star – photo by Anya Marcotte

But since there were two days that Anya cosplayed, her uncle Steve took some photos as well.

Princess Mononoke (Anya) – by Steve Blanchard
photo by Steve Blanchard
Fantasy group – by Steve Blanchard
Trump Stormtroopers – by Steve Blanchard
Samurai Iron Man – by Steve Blanchard
The Watchmen – by Steve Blanchard
Dalek – by Steve Blanchard

“Raising Heroic Girls” – The Comic-Con Panel

Heroic Girls had the honor of presenting their very first panel at San Diego Comic-Con last week, Raising Heroic Girls. Heroic Girls founder John Marcotte moderated the panel which consisted of a variety of experts from the comics and geek community including: Alaina Huffman (Supernatural, Smallville, Stargate SGU), Anya Marcotte (Heroic Girls), Audrey Kearns (Geek Girl Authority), Cassandra Pelham (Scholastic Books, Comix), Janina Scarlet (Superhero Therapy), Jenna Busch (Legion of Leia), We were also joined by Janina’s son Hunter, who wanted to show his support for girls, from a boys’ point of view.

We have some photos from the event, followed by a video at the end.

John and Anya begin the eight-hour drive to San Diego – photo by Anya Marcotte
“We found it!” – photo by Steve Blanchard
John Marcotte, Anya Marcotte, Jenna Busch, Cassandra Pelham, Alaina Huffman, Audrey Kearns, Janina Scarlet, and Hunter – photo by Steve Blanchard
John Marcotte looks on while Anya displays Heroic Girls bookmarks – photo by Steve Blanchard

Supernatural fan Monica D. Photography also attended the panel and got a few nice shots.

Cassandra Pelham, Jenna Busch, John Marcotte Anya Marcotte, Audrey Kearns, Alaina Huffman, Janina Scarlet and Hunter – photo by Steve Blanchard
Post panel celebration: Hunter, Janina Scarlet, Alaina Huffman, Jenna Busch and Anya Marcotte – photo by Steve Blanchard

We did take video … but since we could not plug into the soundboard, the audio turned out horribly. We are attempting to clean it up, but it may be a “fatal error.” At any rate, How to Be A Dad superstar Charlie Capen streamed a good chunk of the panel via Periscope, and you can watch that here.

Edit: Charlie’s Periscope video expired. We are working on reducing the echo in the video we have, and we will post it shortly. In the mean time, enjoy this animated GIF of Gal Gadot.

We will certainly be doing this again at SDCC or other cons around the country. Hopefully, we will see some of you there!