Hello reader! Welcome back to Fangirls Unleashed. In this collab-packed edition, we're bringing you the 2019 edition of Silicon Valley Comic Con (SVCC). SVCC is San Jose's convention that combines pop-culture with technology. There's cosplayers, Artist Alley, NASA and more. So sit back, relax, and let's explore what this year's con has to offer.
1. Artist Alley
Artist Alley is a location within SVCC for artists across the country to come and showcase their amazing talents. Not only do they have original artwork but they also have pins, pillows, keychains and so much more. Did I also mention that they were extremely friendly? We were able to interview local artist Laura from Fluffed Animals, where we learned what's new in her insanely cute inventory. Plus we were able to interview Paul Lewin, another Bay Area artist whose work combines Jamaican and African folkloric influences.
2. NASA
NASA has been one of the partners of SVCC from the very beginning. Not only do they have exciting panels, such as The Women of NASA, they also have an interactive and informative booth highlighting the equipment and fun facts about space. One exciting fact that we learned? We share a lot of our genetic makeup with fruit flies, making them the ideal candidate for scientists to study how humans would react in various events and circumstances in space. Plus we were also able to do a quick interview with A. Christopher Maese, SC Deputy Chief and HRP Project Manager. Scroll down to the vlog below to see what one of his favorite books is. Spoiler alert: we have it in our catalog and and it is being adapted into film.
3. The Women of NASA Panel
During this year's event, NASA had a fantastic panel about the women of NASA. The panel was moderated by Karen Bradford, the Director of Partnerships at NASA Ames Research Center, who talked to some of the women that are currently working in NASA. The panel included: Dr. Marie Denison, a Research Scientist; Katharine Lee, the Deputy Chief of Aviation Systems Division at NASA Ames; Dr. Sarah D'Souza, an Aerospace Flight Systems Engineer; and Jaya Bajpayee, the Deputy Director for Science. This was an amazing lineup of women representing various departments within NASA. In the panel, the guests talked about what they did at NASA, such as Dr. Denison's work with NASA's Artemis and Mars program. Each of the women talked about how they got their start with NASA, showcasing that there were various ways and opportunities for people to work at NASA. There was also talks of development in technology, improvements on shuttle landing, and updates on NASA's Mars program. The panel concluded with all of the women leaving messages of encouragement to the audience to continue to learn and explore, and for the young members of the audience to be curious.
4. Cosplayers
One of our favorite parts of SVCC are the cosplayers, and this year they were out in full force. We saw everything from a Godzilla with a 6-feet-long tail to a Nick Fury cosplay that was so real, we had to do a double take. Plus there were highlighted cosplayers in attendance, such as SparkleStache, who we've met at Fanime years ago and is an absolute delight.
5. Celebrities
What SVCC does best is that they bring all your favorite celebrities into one place. They had everyone from Austin St. John, who played the original Red Ranger from the Power Rangers TV series to Jason Momoa, best known for his roles on Aquaman and Game of Thrones. Did we also mention that the Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger himself was in attendance too? The amount of stars present rivals those in the galaxies that NASA studies.
That's a wrap for Silicon Valley Comic Con 2019! What was your favorite part of the con? Comment below, and we'll see you next year.
Who am I?
I am a founding member of Fangirls Unleashed. Our mission is to show our patrons what's trending in the young adult world and local conventions and how to explore those interests through the San Jose Public Library. When I'm not blogging you can find me with an iced coffee in one hand and the hottest YA book in the other. Want to see our latest convention adventure and #What'sNewAtTheLibrary? Follow us on our social media links down below.
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This blog has been a collaboration between Adam Padilla, Marian Nguyen and Alyssa Mendoza.
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