1 00:00:02,030 --> 00:00:04,770 Welcome to Digication Scholars Conversations. 2 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:06,560 I'm your host, Kelly Driscoll. 3 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,920 In this episode, you'll hear Part Two of my conversation with Brittany 4 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:15,350 Linus, an undergraduate student pursuing a dual degree in African and 5 00:00:15,469 --> 00:00:20,209 African-American Studies and Digital Humanities at Stanford University. 6 00:00:20,725 --> 00:00:25,495 More links and information about today's conversation can be found on Digication's 7 00:00:25,525 --> 00:00:27,555 Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 8 00:00:28,155 --> 00:00:31,765 Full episodes of Digication Scholars Conversations can be found on 9 00:00:31,775 --> 00:00:34,369 YouTube or your favorite podcast app. 10 00:00:35,140 --> 00:00:36,350 I wanted to ask you a little bit. 11 00:00:36,350 --> 00:00:42,400 So as you were talking, you were kind of referring to the kind of characters 12 00:00:42,430 --> 00:00:48,519 that are developed that really become extensions of, of who we are when 13 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:51,499 we're interacting with the video games. 14 00:00:52,019 --> 00:00:54,550 And I think you described this as kind of modding. 15 00:00:54,970 --> 00:01:00,190 And I was curious if you could explain a little bit about what that means 16 00:01:00,190 --> 00:01:04,340 to you and how this connects to. 17 00:01:05,099 --> 00:01:08,920 Kind of some of the concepts that you were exploring through the Visible Bodies 18 00:01:08,940 --> 00:01:12,869 project, because I do see that there's this very tight correlation there. 19 00:01:12,869 --> 00:01:16,829 And if you could kind of expand on that, I would love, I would love to hear it. 20 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,080 So this is, this is beautiful. 21 00:01:20,700 --> 00:01:24,689 Um, so modding is short for video game modifications. 22 00:01:25,299 --> 00:01:29,990 And when you're talking about computer games, and specifically the ones that, 23 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:37,620 um, you play on your personal computers, Modding is a personally decided, 24 00:01:37,970 --> 00:01:40,290 communally negotiated phenomenon. 25 00:01:40,810 --> 00:01:44,649 It's personally decided because you have to make a decision. 26 00:01:45,129 --> 00:01:51,269 You decided that the way this interface looks right now, the experience that I 27 00:01:51,269 --> 00:01:54,420 am happy with it is not the most optimal. 28 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,089 So I am going to change it. 29 00:01:56,219 --> 00:01:57,749 That's the decision that you make. 30 00:01:59,029 --> 00:02:03,829 The second one in terms of communal negotiation is the way, the 31 00:02:03,829 --> 00:02:07,859 style, the sensibility that you go about making those changes. 32 00:02:08,189 --> 00:02:13,039 For me, I am using The Sims as a case study. 33 00:02:13,459 --> 00:02:18,459 So the Life Simulator, one where you can build an avatar and, and dictate what 34 00:02:18,459 --> 00:02:21,220 they do on a day to day basis, right? 35 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:26,049 For me, that is my case study because I've been playing The Sims for years and The 36 00:02:26,050 --> 00:02:28,300 Sims was published back in 2000, right? 37 00:02:28,309 --> 00:02:31,020 It's like 23, 24 years old now. 38 00:02:31,289 --> 00:02:38,200 So there are so many people around the world who engage in modding to turn 39 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,960 this platform into their own universe. 40 00:02:42,190 --> 00:02:45,690 And that was the beauty of it, of it being personally decided. 41 00:02:45,920 --> 00:02:48,740 This is, it's a single player experience. 42 00:02:48,970 --> 00:02:53,429 So the only thing that is being affected is your world and you 43 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:54,659 dictate what's going on in your world. 44 00:02:54,959 --> 00:02:56,680 You're the architect, you're the sculptor. 45 00:02:57,345 --> 00:03:02,665 And so with the video game modifications that are occurring and what I do 46 00:03:02,704 --> 00:03:07,234 through my scholarship is I want to acknowledge and essentially write 47 00:03:07,265 --> 00:03:11,665 a thank you letter, a dedication to the fact that the phenomenon 48 00:03:11,665 --> 00:03:14,104 modding is communally negotiated. 49 00:03:14,494 --> 00:03:16,074 There are people out there. 50 00:03:16,475 --> 00:03:22,665 Who, when they look at a website or when they look at a video game, say The Sims, 51 00:03:23,025 --> 00:03:25,975 can readily acknowledge its limitations. 52 00:03:26,635 --> 00:03:33,545 And one of the limitations of The Sims was that it lacked a proper representation 53 00:03:33,574 --> 00:03:35,485 of Black aesthetics on the platform. 54 00:03:35,665 --> 00:03:40,195 I mean, it took us so long to get skin tones, an expansive palette 55 00:03:40,195 --> 00:03:41,515 of skin tones on the interface. 56 00:03:42,090 --> 00:03:47,329 And let's not even talking about an extensive palette of skin tones, but 57 00:03:47,380 --> 00:03:52,160 skin tones that render beautifully just given the technologies. 58 00:03:52,575 --> 00:03:54,365 Limitations and platforms. 59 00:03:54,795 --> 00:03:59,165 That is a demonstration of an understanding of how blackness and 60 00:03:59,165 --> 00:04:01,785 virtual spaces, how they can exist. 61 00:04:02,234 --> 00:04:05,734 However, the way that it has been iterating for the last 62 00:04:05,734 --> 00:04:08,125 few years was not optimal. 63 00:04:08,574 --> 00:04:11,514 The gaming experience is supposed to be a pleasurable one. 64 00:04:11,525 --> 00:04:15,114 You're supposed to feel good when you play a video game. 65 00:04:15,444 --> 00:04:17,729 Well, for black, Digital users. 66 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:22,180 For black simmers like myself, that wasn't the experience that we were having. 67 00:04:22,750 --> 00:04:28,400 So instead of saying we are going to just not play this game, we made a decision. 68 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:33,939 We decided that we're going to modify this game and we're going to modify 69 00:04:33,939 --> 00:04:36,059 it with the tools at our disposal. 70 00:04:36,489 --> 00:04:39,960 So there are some of us who have gone the same way that I went to go and 71 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,439 learn HTML and CSS to build my thesis. 72 00:04:43,815 --> 00:04:44,724 Exhibition. 73 00:04:44,905 --> 00:04:49,245 That's the same thing that so many black video game players do in order 74 00:04:49,245 --> 00:04:54,134 to cultivate this pleasurable gaming experiences with the black aesthetics 75 00:04:54,155 --> 00:04:56,274 that they see on a day to day basis. 76 00:04:56,504 --> 00:04:57,655 They replicate it. 77 00:04:57,794 --> 00:04:58,835 They make it better. 78 00:04:58,964 --> 00:05:00,824 And the thing is they share it. 79 00:05:01,064 --> 00:05:05,385 And so what is available is this entire free market of 80 00:05:05,395 --> 00:05:08,255 modifications that you, right? 81 00:05:08,255 --> 00:05:13,870 As the, as the player, as the architect, as the sculptor, have an opportunity to 82 00:05:13,870 --> 00:05:20,080 choose from, to build your world, to build the avatars, to dictate what they do. 83 00:05:20,740 --> 00:05:26,569 And thus, the experience right of a video game that was initially disappointing 84 00:05:26,780 --> 00:05:34,939 becomes one of rejuvenation of rest, of empowerment, of beauty, of appreciation. 85 00:05:35,030 --> 00:05:36,409 A little bit of indulgence. 86 00:05:36,865 --> 00:05:38,555 It is beautiful. 87 00:05:38,585 --> 00:05:39,485 It's great. 88 00:05:39,765 --> 00:05:44,315 It is something that, I mean, it's a process of making Blackness 89 00:05:44,344 --> 00:05:45,914 in virtual spaces visible. 90 00:05:46,664 --> 00:05:53,114 And that is the connection between my thesis, Video Game Modifications, 91 00:05:53,284 --> 00:05:55,239 and the Visible Bodies Project. 92 00:05:56,020 --> 00:05:58,690 Black female authors exist. 93 00:05:59,430 --> 00:06:02,610 It's just that the spaces in which they are readily recognized and 94 00:06:02,610 --> 00:06:05,080 appreciated, it's few and far between. 95 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:11,150 And so how can I consolidate these liminal spaces into one place? 96 00:06:11,649 --> 00:06:16,520 And not necessarily consolidate, it's one of presentation. 97 00:06:16,730 --> 00:06:22,520 A firm declaration that these beautiful people exist and they're doing amazing. 98 00:06:23,690 --> 00:06:28,020 So my job, really, And that's the, that's the crux of black studies, right? 99 00:06:28,270 --> 00:06:33,999 It's literally magnification of voices that just tend to be sidelined, 100 00:06:34,249 --> 00:06:38,359 marginalized, put on the back burner, but they are still doing the work 101 00:06:38,670 --> 00:06:40,360 just because they don't have a patent. 102 00:06:40,659 --> 00:06:43,340 Just because they haven't been published by this esteemed or 103 00:06:43,340 --> 00:06:47,250 prestigious university does not minimize the impact that they're doing. 104 00:06:47,510 --> 00:06:52,980 But rather, me as someone who is a Black digital user, someone 105 00:06:52,980 --> 00:06:56,119 who is a student and has never interacted with works like these. 106 00:06:56,610 --> 00:06:59,000 I see their work. 107 00:06:59,030 --> 00:06:59,989 It speaks to me. 108 00:07:00,039 --> 00:07:01,650 I am in those liminal spaces. 109 00:07:01,690 --> 00:07:05,370 I am a participant, a community member, and they are the stewards. 110 00:07:05,690 --> 00:07:10,789 It is my job, right, as their students, as their pupils, to ascertain that 111 00:07:10,820 --> 00:07:14,269 I am not only learning from them, but I am extending to them the 112 00:07:14,269 --> 00:07:16,310 appreciation that they so deserve. 113 00:07:16,740 --> 00:07:18,630 Because it is, it is hard work. 114 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:19,770 It is difficult work. 115 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:25,080 It is a decision that you have to make a fight that you are deciding to do, right? 116 00:07:25,270 --> 00:07:29,000 A grapple with the dominant narrative and expectations. 117 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:33,369 And yet you still do it because you know that not only will this make you 118 00:07:33,379 --> 00:07:37,489 feel good, but it will make the people who follow in line have a better. 119 00:07:37,490 --> 00:07:38,580 better experience. 120 00:07:38,810 --> 00:07:42,470 So me as a Sim Player, when I play The Sims now, I'm like, shoot, I don't 121 00:07:42,470 --> 00:07:46,700 even think about how the skin tones can be just a little bit ashy or there's 122 00:07:46,700 --> 00:07:49,120 not a lot of hairstyles available. 123 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:50,510 I'm not even thinking about that. 124 00:07:50,510 --> 00:07:51,139 I'm like, you know what? 125 00:07:51,140 --> 00:07:55,869 I can go and get some Kiko Vanity or I can go to Xmiramira on The Noir 126 00:07:55,869 --> 00:08:00,130 Network and they have something there for me that will make the game fun. 127 00:08:00,410 --> 00:08:01,990 And so I am not missing out. 128 00:08:02,510 --> 00:08:05,950 I probably have one of the greatest experiences with the interface. 129 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:08,250 It's the same way with Digication. 130 00:08:08,510 --> 00:08:12,430 So a lot of people, when they see like that, my advisors are on 131 00:08:12,430 --> 00:08:15,659 there, when they see Joel is on there, they're not missing out. 132 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:17,760 All of the information is right there. 133 00:08:17,770 --> 00:08:20,210 And you too can have a pleasurable experience. 134 00:08:20,610 --> 00:08:22,399 We're just making it accessible to you. 135 00:08:22,429 --> 00:08:24,069 Now we're making it visible. 136 00:08:25,329 --> 00:08:29,070 And that's why, I mean, it's just been at the heart of what we do to give. 137 00:08:29,765 --> 00:08:37,775 Students ability to really become publishers so that they can celebrate 138 00:08:37,784 --> 00:08:43,554 who they are alongside those that have influenced them and that they have 139 00:08:43,554 --> 00:08:50,805 learned from and have this kind of continuous loop And, you know, I do think 140 00:08:50,805 --> 00:08:57,235 it becomes a tool for empowerment to be able to share your story and the stories 141 00:08:57,235 --> 00:09:00,154 of others that have influenced you. 142 00:09:00,234 --> 00:09:04,634 And I recall as part of the visual bodies project, there's an area 143 00:09:04,634 --> 00:09:10,395 where you were able to share some interview experiences that you had. 144 00:09:10,725 --> 00:09:14,454 So could you describe a little bit about what that experience was like and what 145 00:09:14,455 --> 00:09:16,295 it felt like to be able to kind of. 146 00:09:17,235 --> 00:09:19,945 Interns share their stories as well. 147 00:09:20,205 --> 00:09:22,155 Oh, yes, it was. 148 00:09:23,035 --> 00:09:28,915 You know, the class, I think what the greatest takeaway from that class was 149 00:09:29,464 --> 00:09:35,345 the fact that the guest speakers, the authors, the writers that we invited, 150 00:09:35,705 --> 00:09:38,555 they were given the space as experts. 151 00:09:39,090 --> 00:09:45,370 to really share, not only their professional experience in the publishing 152 00:09:45,380 --> 00:09:51,840 space, in the writing spaces, but also as teachers, as stewards, as 153 00:09:51,849 --> 00:09:55,770 students, people who are observing the world the same way that I do. 154 00:09:56,150 --> 00:10:02,275 And there are these moments, and conversation Um, where we all, all of 155 00:10:02,275 --> 00:10:06,395 us in the room, it was, it was kind of like, she would give an example. 156 00:10:06,395 --> 00:10:09,825 I would say like, Joel would give an example of a phenomenon that 157 00:10:09,825 --> 00:10:13,894 we're seeing and everyone in the room just looks at each other. 158 00:10:13,894 --> 00:10:18,405 We're like, Not a word said, not a word said. 159 00:10:18,715 --> 00:10:20,985 We're all just Yeah. 160 00:10:21,095 --> 00:10:21,465 That's right. 161 00:10:22,915 --> 00:10:28,725 And the beauty of transcription is you have to capture those moments too. 162 00:10:28,914 --> 00:10:31,574 It's not only the moments that are spoken, it's the, it's 163 00:10:31,575 --> 00:10:33,125 the moments that are unspoken. 164 00:10:33,524 --> 00:10:38,935 And with that, There's also these transitions in conversation that sometimes 165 00:10:38,935 --> 00:10:42,955 they're seamless and sometimes they're not sometimes it feeds into other 166 00:10:42,955 --> 00:10:44,925 conversations previous conversations. 167 00:10:45,304 --> 00:10:46,895 Yeah, other authors. 168 00:10:47,105 --> 00:10:51,225 And so you can see this through line also that these moments, 169 00:10:51,264 --> 00:10:52,324 these unspoken moments. 170 00:10:52,985 --> 00:10:58,065 These callbacks to other conversations that we've had, and then sort of like, 171 00:10:58,285 --> 00:11:03,795 it's like us in the past throwing out a bone for us in the future to catch. 172 00:11:04,265 --> 00:11:09,604 All of these beautiful strings intertwining to cultivate and 173 00:11:09,604 --> 00:11:15,360 for us to then document, um, The knowledge, the experiences, the 174 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:18,390 observations that we are making. 175 00:11:18,820 --> 00:11:21,070 And the thing about it is that it's so raw. 176 00:11:21,070 --> 00:11:25,459 Like, I remember when Joel came to us and was just like, do you, would you want to 177 00:11:25,459 --> 00:11:27,260 like to work on a transcription project? 178 00:11:27,260 --> 00:11:29,199 And we were like, transcription, what are we transcribing? 179 00:11:30,620 --> 00:11:31,939 Those conversations. 180 00:11:31,939 --> 00:11:34,339 And so I'm there and I'm like, whoa. 181 00:11:35,029 --> 00:11:36,579 You know, and, and Joel made a point. 182 00:11:36,579 --> 00:11:37,139 Joel said. 183 00:11:37,810 --> 00:11:38,900 No sanitization. 184 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:44,939 We want, I want it raw, uncut, everything there, and you can refer back to it. 185 00:11:45,219 --> 00:11:48,839 Uh, I want you in the best way possible to capture the exclamation point. 186 00:11:49,410 --> 00:11:53,120 I want you to capture, you know, the faces that are being made, if you 187 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:56,410 can, and put that on the document. 188 00:11:56,619 --> 00:12:00,920 And so here I am, working through this, this like hour long video. 189 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:02,460 I'm transcribing everything. 190 00:12:02,965 --> 00:12:08,565 And it just made me really think on some like meta level, just made me think about, 191 00:12:08,585 --> 00:12:13,425 wow, this particular experience and how I am not trans, I'm not only translating 192 00:12:13,695 --> 00:12:18,665 the knowledge, but I'm also translating the experience, the glances that were made 193 00:12:18,665 --> 00:12:23,575 around the room, the sudden, exclamation points, hey, like someone's dog barked. 194 00:12:23,575 --> 00:12:24,895 You have to clue that in there. 195 00:12:24,895 --> 00:12:27,915 Like, you have all of these beautiful, these beautiful 196 00:12:27,915 --> 00:12:29,285 moments that make us human. 197 00:12:29,725 --> 00:12:33,644 And I think that is the part, that unpolished part, a lot 198 00:12:33,645 --> 00:12:35,305 of us don't necessarily see. 199 00:12:35,355 --> 00:12:36,515 We see the result. 200 00:12:36,845 --> 00:12:38,745 We don't really see the process. 201 00:12:39,295 --> 00:12:41,635 Um, and we don't really see those. 202 00:12:42,449 --> 00:12:44,130 It was just those moments. 203 00:12:44,130 --> 00:12:47,579 I mean, it's the moments that we don't expect that's just beyond us that where 204 00:12:47,579 --> 00:12:49,380 communication is just beyond words. 205 00:12:49,439 --> 00:12:53,910 And it's so beautiful to just capture that and extend it to other people to see. 206 00:12:54,020 --> 00:12:56,909 And so I was honestly, I was just like, Oh, but this is a lot of text. 207 00:13:00,180 --> 00:13:03,500 This is a lot of text, you know, to sit here and expect someone 208 00:13:03,500 --> 00:13:05,360 to just like read through it. 209 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:09,640 I'm not sure if this is like, It's something that I want people to read, 210 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:11,550 but that was also a challenge, right? 211 00:13:11,550 --> 00:13:16,390 Like I had to decide if I was going to just make that available or apparent 212 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:18,310 and what type of workarounds were there. 213 00:13:18,509 --> 00:13:23,370 So instead of posting the whole chunk, I just chose a section and I put it 214 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:25,960 there and I added a little disclaimer. 215 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:29,350 So this is what this particular page contains. 216 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:33,549 So if you want to, and you have an interest, I'm looking at transcription 217 00:13:33,560 --> 00:13:37,119 and what that entails, and so you have another frame of reference. 218 00:13:37,509 --> 00:13:39,000 You can feel free to use it. 219 00:13:39,369 --> 00:13:40,790 As a designer. 220 00:13:40,984 --> 00:13:44,165 Of course, I am here to guide user experiences, but 221 00:13:44,175 --> 00:13:45,644 I don't dictate that, right? 222 00:13:45,994 --> 00:13:48,384 You are still your own person, your own user. 223 00:13:48,494 --> 00:13:50,484 What speaks to you is going to speak to you. 224 00:13:50,675 --> 00:13:55,974 My job is just to make it as accessible, as open, as inviting, as warm as it 225 00:13:55,974 --> 00:14:02,064 possibly can, so you can get and maximize on the impact that that particular 226 00:14:02,094 --> 00:14:04,764 section, that transcription has on you. 227 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:08,130 Oh, beautifully said. 228 00:14:08,830 --> 00:14:15,250 And so, Brittany, I have here, um, your project pulled, pulled up here. 229 00:14:15,719 --> 00:14:23,180 And I wanted to talk a little bit about the beautiful kind of who I am page. 230 00:14:23,249 --> 00:14:29,480 I don't know if you remember the details of that so well, but, you know, very often 231 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:36,585 when we come to some of the, um, Project portfolios or more traditional kind of 232 00:14:36,645 --> 00:14:42,594 maybe career oriented portfolios and they have a who I am very often, you know, 233 00:14:42,595 --> 00:14:50,574 there might be a photo of the individual and a text bio And you made a really 234 00:14:50,574 --> 00:14:57,095 deliberate decision to represent yourself differently there and I would love for 235 00:14:57,095 --> 00:15:02,725 you if you could describe a little bit about your thinking there, maybe why you 236 00:15:02,735 --> 00:15:09,795 went a different direction and some of the kind of media choices that you made 237 00:15:09,805 --> 00:15:15,295 to present right there, cause that is this kind of entryway into this beautiful 238 00:15:15,305 --> 00:15:22,035 project that you created and led me to that initial first gasp when I opened it. 239 00:15:22,075 --> 00:15:25,515 And I would love to hear about your process there. 240 00:15:25,525 --> 00:15:28,835 Cause it was, it was unexpected and so beautiful. 241 00:15:29,595 --> 00:15:31,005 Thank you so much. 242 00:15:31,305 --> 00:15:36,095 It was honestly, that page was the last page that I worked on because I think 243 00:15:36,095 --> 00:15:41,010 it was I was in that space where by the time I was working on the portfolio, I 244 00:15:41,020 --> 00:15:43,880 had all of my technical artifacts, right? 245 00:15:44,270 --> 00:15:47,840 At that point, it was just arrangement, stylization, maybe 246 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,340 a few changes here and there. 247 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:55,795 But with the who I am, that was not You know, there was no syllabus 248 00:15:56,345 --> 00:16:00,065 or, or like categorization table of contents that I could use. 249 00:16:00,065 --> 00:16:04,244 That was something that I had to design myself. 250 00:16:04,244 --> 00:16:11,854 And I was like, you know, and I remember like, um, Digication has 251 00:16:11,854 --> 00:16:15,155 a feature where you can look at other portfolios and see what other 252 00:16:15,155 --> 00:16:17,395 people have done and even kind of. 253 00:16:17,685 --> 00:16:20,585 Export their page onto your own. 254 00:16:20,974 --> 00:16:23,905 And I was looking for inspiration at the time. 255 00:16:24,135 --> 00:16:26,415 There are a few, there are programs here. 256 00:16:26,415 --> 00:16:30,885 There's the, um, program in writing and rhetoric who utilized 257 00:16:30,885 --> 00:16:34,275 Digication as a Portfolio Capstone. 258 00:16:34,545 --> 00:16:37,284 So that's where the archive that I was kind of perusing. 259 00:16:37,374 --> 00:16:39,264 And I was like, what did they put in there? 260 00:16:39,444 --> 00:16:41,655 And they utilize the webpage. 261 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:46,910 As a, just literally, I mean, almost like a, like a resume 262 00:16:46,930 --> 00:16:48,180 with a lot more personality. 263 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:54,310 I had a zinger, I had a picture, highly personalized, highly detailed. 264 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:58,090 And I wanted to make mine a little bit different. 265 00:16:58,289 --> 00:17:00,820 And I was just like, how can I do that? 266 00:17:01,069 --> 00:17:03,849 Could I mock up an app? 267 00:17:04,350 --> 00:17:07,890 That was like, that was the challenge. 268 00:17:08,474 --> 00:17:12,435 At the time that I was working with Digication, I was also introduced to 269 00:17:12,435 --> 00:17:17,605 this platform called Figma, which is where I do a lot of my graphic designing. 270 00:17:17,755 --> 00:17:18,295 Yes. 271 00:17:18,385 --> 00:17:22,014 And my prototyping, user experience prototyping. 272 00:17:22,825 --> 00:17:29,764 And so my very first project on Figma was how could I prototype an app that 273 00:17:29,804 --> 00:17:35,565 explained and showcased who I was in the most engaging way possible. 274 00:17:35,874 --> 00:17:40,910 So I was like, well, you know, a lot of the designers I see, They have a logo. 275 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:45,660 A lot of the designers that I see on their platforms give context as to who they 276 00:17:45,710 --> 00:17:48,460 are, um, and what their interests are. 277 00:17:48,700 --> 00:17:53,560 And they also kind of showcase that they're more than just a scholar. 278 00:17:53,620 --> 00:17:55,670 They're more than just an artist. 279 00:17:56,020 --> 00:17:57,770 They are a community member. 280 00:17:57,790 --> 00:18:00,410 They are, say, an anime lover. 281 00:18:00,740 --> 00:18:08,870 All of these quirks, I wanted to just Put on there initially and I wanted to really 282 00:18:08,870 --> 00:18:14,649 hone in on the fact that you know what by and large I'm a technologist I I want 283 00:18:14,649 --> 00:18:19,419 people to see that I love I cannot imagine living in a world without a smartphone 284 00:18:19,419 --> 00:18:21,629 I just it's like it's so useful. 285 00:18:21,790 --> 00:18:25,810 You have a supercomputer in your hand Probably at all 286 00:18:25,810 --> 00:18:27,830 times that still astounds me. 287 00:18:28,179 --> 00:18:33,375 And so it's that you the ubiquitousness of Technology that I really 288 00:18:33,375 --> 00:18:36,835 wanted to convey, but you've never seen it on a, like a meta level. 289 00:18:37,295 --> 00:18:42,555 Like this is, I'm on a computer right now on this website and someone's 290 00:18:42,555 --> 00:18:46,365 showing me an app that's on a phone on this very same website, 291 00:18:49,444 --> 00:18:51,635 on this very same, Website. 292 00:18:51,655 --> 00:18:53,225 And so that was my rationale. 293 00:18:53,465 --> 00:18:58,625 I was really interested in how I could utilize as much visual aids to showcase 294 00:18:58,625 --> 00:19:03,004 who I was, exercise that technical skill through utilizing a platform that 295 00:19:03,014 --> 00:19:04,474 I wasn't familiar with at the time. 296 00:19:04,564 --> 00:19:09,804 And by and large, start thinking about what my own design process is. 297 00:19:10,034 --> 00:19:16,175 What I think deserves to go into a who I am section of my bio. 298 00:19:16,525 --> 00:19:20,495 That is a totally, I mean, it really just. 299 00:19:20,910 --> 00:19:21,450 Would I change? 300 00:19:21,730 --> 00:19:23,520 I would do some things differently now, like now that 301 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:24,870 I've had a lot more experience. 302 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:25,890 Of course. 303 00:19:25,900 --> 00:19:28,070 I mean, it's three years later, right? 304 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:28,950 Yes. 305 00:19:30,909 --> 00:19:35,289 Maybe, like, maybe the gray was a little There's, there are other pop, there 306 00:19:35,290 --> 00:19:39,000 are other colors that and textures that could probably work, but the idea, the 307 00:19:39,009 --> 00:19:41,769 intuition has stayed the same, right? 308 00:19:41,779 --> 00:19:46,720 Just this reliance on on technology and the visual aids. 309 00:19:46,780 --> 00:19:47,560 It's still there. 310 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:48,710 I still use it. 311 00:19:49,460 --> 00:19:52,270 Even in my thesis, I'm still using it. 312 00:19:52,580 --> 00:19:56,040 So, it has been quite the journey. 313 00:19:56,179 --> 00:20:00,290 I love where I started, and I love what I came up with in the end. 314 00:20:00,539 --> 00:20:02,680 Because it also forces you to sit down and think. 315 00:20:02,769 --> 00:20:05,705 Because you're like, wait, but where is the bio. 316 00:20:05,745 --> 00:20:09,445 I only see like a, like, first of all, like what is that? 317 00:20:09,455 --> 00:20:12,185 I only see like a little app on a phone. 318 00:20:12,565 --> 00:20:15,205 I want to know more about who is this person. 319 00:20:15,465 --> 00:20:19,194 So it forces you to sit with it and that's when you start to think about it. 320 00:20:19,565 --> 00:20:20,534 Yeah, I love that. 321 00:20:20,554 --> 00:20:22,764 It's absolutely an invitation. 322 00:20:23,594 --> 00:20:25,705 It's an invitation to explore. 323 00:20:25,985 --> 00:20:26,735 For sure. 324 00:20:26,945 --> 00:20:27,285 Yeah. 325 00:20:27,305 --> 00:20:31,705 You, it, and it was a, it's not a traditional approach and it's, 326 00:20:32,035 --> 00:20:36,335 I think you mentioned a word earlier, something like a magnitu.. 327 00:20:36,575 --> 00:20:37,845 magnitu.... 328 00:20:38,264 --> 00:20:38,724 Yeah. 329 00:20:39,005 --> 00:20:43,685 It's, it's very in your face, full screens, dry. 330 00:20:44,205 --> 00:20:45,345 Welcome. 331 00:20:45,625 --> 00:20:46,415 And 332 00:20:49,075 --> 00:20:49,505 welcome. 333 00:20:51,245 --> 00:20:54,985 Here's the invitation to get to know me. 334 00:20:55,449 --> 00:21:01,529 And explore, you know, what, what I'm fascinated in and learning about. 335 00:21:01,530 --> 00:21:06,050 And right from there, you know, as you browse through some of the 336 00:21:06,100 --> 00:21:10,780 other pages, um, the next that you have right next to who I am is 337 00:21:10,780 --> 00:21:13,649 exploring the African literary world. 338 00:21:13,780 --> 00:21:14,189 Yes. 339 00:21:14,209 --> 00:21:20,590 And you have this beautiful introduction to what, storytelling means to 340 00:21:20,590 --> 00:21:22,970 you and why it's so important. 341 00:21:23,469 --> 00:21:29,619 Do you recall some of the kind of points that you made in that page? 342 00:21:29,649 --> 00:21:34,310 It's so, I mean, it has been, it's been a few years, honestly. 343 00:21:34,710 --> 00:21:41,825 Um, but I do believe like one of the biggest Focuses that I honed in on is, 344 00:21:42,284 --> 00:21:48,024 it's feeling, it's experience, it's that accompaniment and how storytelling has 345 00:21:48,074 --> 00:21:54,425 always been, right, it's always been a tool of translation, communication, 346 00:21:54,794 --> 00:22:00,675 and it is so useful, it is so useful, especially in the context of history. 347 00:22:00,935 --> 00:22:06,024 And if you're indulging in or in the process of ethnic studies. 348 00:22:06,195 --> 00:22:11,105 It becomes one of the most important tools of record, tools 349 00:22:11,125 --> 00:22:13,735 of scholarship, tools of pedagogy. 350 00:22:14,225 --> 00:22:20,865 Um, and that's why I started specifically with storytelling and really Joel started 351 00:22:20,925 --> 00:22:23,215 the course with that question too. 352 00:22:23,524 --> 00:22:25,585 And so it's one that is thought provoking. 353 00:22:25,605 --> 00:22:31,575 It really has you to think what, what does it mean to Tell a story. 354 00:22:31,615 --> 00:22:34,175 And how does that differ from storytelling? 355 00:22:34,705 --> 00:22:40,905 It just, those are the big idea questions that I walked away from, 356 00:22:40,925 --> 00:22:44,894 from the very first class, um, when it came to Visible Bodies. 357 00:22:45,125 --> 00:22:49,625 And I wanted that to be the first thing outside from, besides for 358 00:22:49,625 --> 00:22:53,754 myself, um, and who I am, that I wanted the users to experience. 359 00:22:54,455 --> 00:22:56,605 It is storytelling. 360 00:22:56,900 --> 00:23:00,270 But what does that mean in the African literary world? 361 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:02,200 How does that translate? 362 00:23:02,380 --> 00:23:04,820 What are the politics when it comes to that? 363 00:23:05,030 --> 00:23:06,410 And how do they intersect? 364 00:23:06,700 --> 00:23:07,980 Where do they parallel? 365 00:23:08,090 --> 00:23:13,549 And how can that focus and that, that definition, this term, this experience? 366 00:23:14,250 --> 00:23:16,960 How can it connect to other modalities, right? 367 00:23:17,149 --> 00:23:21,629 Indigenous American Studies, Asian American Studies, all of these 368 00:23:21,649 --> 00:23:27,669 different experiences that are beyond borders, and in fact, bridging borders. 369 00:23:28,050 --> 00:23:30,929 Um, how can we facilitate that connection. 370 00:23:31,090 --> 00:23:34,580 Well, it first starts with this inter really interrogating 371 00:23:34,580 --> 00:23:36,530 this idea of storytelling. 372 00:23:36,750 --> 00:23:39,639 Because there's a big, there's a very, very big difference 373 00:23:39,950 --> 00:23:42,330 in the literary world, right? 374 00:23:42,700 --> 00:23:45,970 Because when you tell a story, I had, there was, I just had 375 00:23:45,970 --> 00:23:49,980 an amazing conversation with one of my, one of my advisors. 376 00:23:49,990 --> 00:23:53,300 She says, when you're telling a story, there's an assumption, 377 00:23:53,820 --> 00:23:55,520 um, that is already made, right? 378 00:23:56,264 --> 00:23:58,324 Say you're telling a story to your mom. 379 00:23:58,425 --> 00:24:02,385 There are certain details you can omit because she knows you there 380 00:24:02,385 --> 00:24:06,155 are that's right Yeah, you can you and you know, and you know her so 381 00:24:06,155 --> 00:24:08,314 you can sanitize something, you know, she did something, you know 382 00:24:08,314 --> 00:24:09,174 You weren't supposed to be just... 383 00:24:09,174 --> 00:24:11,164 It's gonna look differently 384 00:24:13,485 --> 00:24:13,985 when 385 00:24:16,584 --> 00:24:22,010 you tell it to your friends Versus Storytelling, you're kind of, and 386 00:24:22,020 --> 00:24:25,000 you're literally inventing a world. 387 00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:26,810 You have to give context. 388 00:24:27,220 --> 00:24:28,580 You have to build it up. 389 00:24:28,610 --> 00:24:30,209 Something must be at stake. 390 00:24:30,470 --> 00:24:32,840 It has to have a beginning, middle, and end. 391 00:24:33,090 --> 00:24:35,060 Maybe a little bit of a rise in action. 392 00:24:35,070 --> 00:24:39,919 Something that is going to guide and push the reader, the viewer, 393 00:24:39,919 --> 00:24:41,560 the listener, to continue on. 394 00:24:41,950 --> 00:24:42,790 To listen. 395 00:24:43,030 --> 00:24:47,830 And that is what a lot of these books, with these authors, with the 396 00:24:47,830 --> 00:24:51,540 publishing houses, and the criteria, that's what they're pushing for. 397 00:24:51,550 --> 00:24:53,019 That's what they're advocating for. 398 00:24:53,290 --> 00:24:58,000 And so in spaces where the literary world has not received a lot of 399 00:24:58,039 --> 00:25:03,370 appreciation, many aside from a few books here and there, it becomes even 400 00:25:03,380 --> 00:25:09,600 more important as a form of cultural rhetoric, to establish storytelling 401 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:14,880 as a tool of not only Translation, Communication, but then also Survival. 402 00:25:15,350 --> 00:25:20,290 Um, and so that is really, that's, it was almost like a little bit of a disclaimer. 403 00:25:20,290 --> 00:25:24,740 I'm like, so what are you thinking? 404 00:25:24,749 --> 00:25:26,380 Literary world, what does that mean? 405 00:25:26,390 --> 00:25:29,099 What, how does that, what does that have to do with Africa and then storytelling? 406 00:25:29,599 --> 00:25:31,229 Here is what I'm talking about. 407 00:25:32,109 --> 00:25:35,490 And with this disclaimer, you then have a better context. 408 00:25:36,274 --> 00:25:40,894 Um, or understanding in your mind of how the rest of the portfolio is going 409 00:25:40,894 --> 00:25:47,475 to go and in what world, what shape is this particular project unfolding in? 410 00:25:48,235 --> 00:25:48,715 Nice. 411 00:25:48,764 --> 00:25:53,784 And as you were speaking, I was just kind of having some parallel thoughts 412 00:25:53,794 --> 00:25:58,654 to what you were describing in your interaction with The Sims earlier. 413 00:25:59,145 --> 00:26:04,245 And how you're kind of building your own, you're the architect of your own world 414 00:26:04,655 --> 00:26:11,584 and you're kind of constructing your own narrative in that environment and making 415 00:26:11,584 --> 00:26:16,604 choices and what other characters you're interacting with, what your character 416 00:26:16,604 --> 00:26:20,475 looks like, what space you're existing in. 417 00:26:20,485 --> 00:26:24,995 I know there's a lot of design elements that go into that. 418 00:26:25,175 --> 00:26:30,905 And kind of the power to be able to create these kind of parallel, almost 419 00:26:30,905 --> 00:26:37,015 these kind of parallel existences and parallel lives and community and 420 00:26:37,035 --> 00:26:44,105 connections alongside what we have outside of our virtual worlds, right? 421 00:26:44,724 --> 00:26:46,705 So, um, I love that. 422 00:26:46,715 --> 00:26:51,875 And I know we're getting near the end of our Time together today, Brittany, 423 00:26:51,925 --> 00:26:59,055 and I, I just really wanted to extend again a huge thank you for joining me 424 00:26:59,135 --> 00:27:07,194 today and sharing your story and your experience with Digication and I, I 425 00:27:07,194 --> 00:27:09,185 hope we can continue to stay in touch. 426 00:27:09,194 --> 00:27:09,789 I'm really excited. 427 00:27:09,790 --> 00:27:15,870 I'm so excited about your thesis and I'm so happy that we've been 428 00:27:15,870 --> 00:27:20,110 able to connect and that Digication has been able to be this kind of 429 00:27:20,110 --> 00:27:26,509 springboard for you into pursuing all of these other amazing things. 430 00:27:26,540 --> 00:27:31,450 I'm so excited to see where you continue to grow and go in the world. 431 00:27:31,895 --> 00:27:33,925 So thank you again, Brittany. 432 00:27:33,985 --> 00:27:34,605 Of course. 433 00:27:34,625 --> 00:27:37,885 Thank you so much for providing this space, this platform. 434 00:27:38,305 --> 00:27:41,435 I mean, you even, you even called it like a conversation. 435 00:27:41,435 --> 00:27:42,245 I was just like, yes. 436 00:27:43,335 --> 00:27:48,124 Like, I'm like, oh my God, I'm dying to talk about it. 437 00:27:48,305 --> 00:27:49,504 You know, it's, it's, it's. 438 00:27:49,805 --> 00:27:54,745 From a digital humanities standpoint, it's always so lovely to see people 439 00:27:54,745 --> 00:28:02,555 kind of take this, um, serious approach to, to web development and presentation 440 00:28:02,555 --> 00:28:06,814 and the utility of portfolio thinking, because really it's a space of just 441 00:28:06,825 --> 00:28:12,555 self reflection, like me just spending hours just like, okay, so what, you 442 00:28:12,555 --> 00:28:16,790 know, Maybe this layout, this section should go under this section, and maybe I 443 00:28:16,790 --> 00:28:19,780 should maybe turn and make another page. 444 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:26,050 It's always a time for reflection, and that is the, probably the greatest 445 00:28:26,060 --> 00:28:30,149 gift that Digication gave to me as a student, which was just, I got to 446 00:28:30,149 --> 00:28:33,669 think about myself and my experience and how I'm going to translate that. 447 00:28:34,150 --> 00:28:40,385 It was all about, Me, it was all about me and I had help with that from the 448 00:28:40,385 --> 00:28:45,294 way that the interface was designed to the example templates that are available 449 00:28:45,605 --> 00:28:52,164 to, I mean, the contact me and I had like experts in the classroom, in 450 00:28:52,165 --> 00:28:56,385 the introductory seminars program who could also walk me through the process. 451 00:28:56,514 --> 00:28:58,754 If I had an idea, I didn't know how it worked. 452 00:28:59,094 --> 00:29:00,375 I could just go to them. 453 00:29:00,774 --> 00:29:03,054 So it was a beautifully curated. 454 00:29:03,504 --> 00:29:09,495 experience as a student and it made me less hesitant about building and 455 00:29:09,495 --> 00:29:11,425 cultivating a portfolio for myself. 456 00:29:11,645 --> 00:29:15,014 So now when I go and I talk, now I'm transitioning, I'm matriculating, 457 00:29:15,275 --> 00:29:16,614 you know, out of Stanford. 458 00:29:16,614 --> 00:29:18,074 I'm starting that process. 459 00:29:18,105 --> 00:29:22,305 You have to start applying to jobs, start networking and meeting people. 460 00:29:22,485 --> 00:29:27,065 And so it even becomes more important for you to provide them with something 461 00:29:27,065 --> 00:29:28,745 that they can walk away with. 462 00:29:29,125 --> 00:29:31,405 And so one day when they, you know, they're just thinking about you, 463 00:29:31,405 --> 00:29:32,695 they just pull you up and boom. 464 00:29:33,405 --> 00:29:37,985 Your website says everything that a 30 second pitch cannot. 465 00:29:38,305 --> 00:29:42,435 And so it's, it just, and that literally I'm, I'm, I'm not even gonna lie to you. 466 00:29:42,455 --> 00:29:47,215 It, I've had so many different fellowships, internships, just because. 467 00:29:47,690 --> 00:29:50,420 I had this project under my belt. 468 00:29:50,700 --> 00:29:55,970 So as much as you're extending to me a thanks, I think it's always 469 00:29:55,970 --> 00:29:59,580 important as a student, I feel like that is my responsibility. 470 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:03,479 The very least I can do is to make sure that you are receiving your 471 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:05,720 thanks and the gratitude, because. 472 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:09,720 What you all created, that's a life changing, and I'm an example of that. 473 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:11,520 That's a life changing interface. 474 00:30:11,530 --> 00:30:12,870 That's a life changing project. 475 00:30:13,250 --> 00:30:15,180 Oh, Brittany, you're gonna make me cry. 476 00:30:23,660 --> 00:30:26,710 Well, thank you so much. 477 00:30:27,060 --> 00:30:32,379 My heart is so full right now and, uh, I appreciate you very 478 00:30:32,380 --> 00:30:35,150 much and wish you all the best. 479 00:30:35,170 --> 00:30:35,859 Thank you. 480 00:30:35,900 --> 00:30:37,400 I appreciate you too. 481 00:30:37,809 --> 00:30:38,690 Take good care. 482 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:44,329 Coming up next, we'll be chatting with Caitlin Koskin, a recent graduate 483 00:30:44,350 --> 00:30:46,260 of Texas Christian University. 484 00:30:46,420 --> 00:30:47,550 Here's a quick preview. 485 00:30:47,690 --> 00:30:53,640 So from a young age, I was able to travel around to so many countries, like probably 486 00:30:54,370 --> 00:30:57,180 13 by the time I was in high school. 487 00:30:57,470 --> 00:31:01,829 And I think that's something I'll forever be grateful for, from such a 488 00:31:01,829 --> 00:31:07,260 young age, to be exposed to so many different cultures and people, work ethic. 489 00:31:07,350 --> 00:31:13,050 And at the time, I certainly didn't understand it, I would 490 00:31:13,050 --> 00:31:14,700 say, up to a certain extent. 491 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:19,880 And then there was a moment where it shifted and I began to become a lot 492 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:23,810 more interested in the actual business side of it, where I would actually sit 493 00:31:23,810 --> 00:31:30,749 in on meetings, um, and participate to an extent that certainly shaped my 494 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,109 interest in fashion moving forward.