71: Brian MacDonald - Cosplay & Counterculture

Brian MacDonald is the Director of Residence Life at UCLA - he’s also a prominent cosplayer and promoter of the counterculture within higher education. Brian has been in the field for a while now, and this conversation serves as a way for us to unravel the many moons of his career. We dig into how authenticity comes through in our work and what it looks like to confront and acknowledge your privileges along the way. Brian also opens up about how cosplay has helped manage his mental health en route to becoming a professional Predator cosplayer. He also discusses what it was like to present at the NASPA conference this year about mental health and cosplay - and his connections to San Diego Comic Con and how he brings education in to bridge the gaps of nerd culture.

MUSIC NOTE:
- This week you got to hear tunes from the new Lilith album, “Safer Off,” which comes out August 9 through Disposable America & Take this to Heart Records.
- Lilith is a brilliant pop rock band from Boston, and if you wanna learn more about guitarist/vocalist, Hannah Liuzzo, make sure to go back to our conversation from last summer!
- On this episode, you got to hear the tracks, “C.O.Y.F.” and “Vacation.” You can check out the album through Lilith’s Bandcamp page next week, and through all of the streaming platforms! While there, you can snag a vinyl or CD copy of the album as well!

THE CONNECTEDU NETWORK
- This week, you got to learn about the ConnectEDU Network, of which this podcast is now a contributing member!
- ConnectEDU Network connects the unique perspectives and expert insight of higher education through podcasting. If you’re affiliated with higher education – from professor to director of marketing – you’ll be able to find a podcast that fits your style. Our podcasts are produced and hosted by passionate and innovative members of the field, all fueled by the excitement of the future of higher education.
- You should check out all of the Network’s content creators and podcasts right now if you’re looking for some new education-based pods!

And you can now join our Facebook community by CLICKING HERE!

THE ART OF SURVIVAL UPDATE

We've officially rebranded The Art of Survival and launched a revamping of our website - artissurvival.com! Check out the MANY resources we have available and please feel free to read our stories and share your own!

We are also excited to announce a brand new Patreon account - so if you would like to support our work, please check out your options of how to do so! Even $5/month can go a long way!

Check out the link here:
https://www.patreon.com/artofsurvival

And if you haven't noticed, we're dedicating ourselves to the music scene moving forward - so if your band/venue would like to work with us, please reach out!

FOLLOW, RATE, REVIEW, SUBSCRIBE, AND SHARE!
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- Follow along on Instagram and Twitter @eduPUNXpod!

Thanks so much for tuning in - we will be back in two weeks with another great chat!