We look into the mirror of popular media hoping to see ourselves — only a better, a glossier version of ourselves — something we can aspire to. We are also looking for a sense of belonging with the culture at large.

What if, in looking in the media mirror, you see no reflection but are a “societal vampire”? (In vampire lore, a vampire’s reflection cannot be seen in a mirror.) What if you can’t see yourself in that mirror at all? Or, what if your image is so distorted as to represent not a sublimated version of self but a monstrosity?

Minorities marginalized in media is an ongoing concern.

I was excited to read about this, an oportunity to have a hand in “silvering the mirror,” over at feministing.com:

WAM!’s annual conference, now in its third year, invites progressive journalists, authors, activists, bloggers, students, and fed-up TV viewers to come together to share skills, trade information, exchange strategies, and inform and inspire one another to make noise and make change.

Sponsored by the Center for New Words and the MIT Program in Women’s Studies, the WAM! conference is from March 31 – April 2 in Cambridge, MA.

The Center for New Words is dedicated to a simple mission (from the site): “To use the power and creativity of words and ideas to strengthen the voice of progressive and marginalized women in society.”

To accomplish this mission, The Center for New Words’ programs support diverse women’s engagement with the entire “word cycle,” from literacy to blogging to literary writing to opinion-making in the media and other domains of influence.

Annette Marie Hyder