One week ago, Fangirl Forward NYC officially came to life, and I’m incredibly grateful for the energy everyone brought into the room.
On October 9, we welcomed fans, creatives, and entertainment industry professionals to Caveat in New York City for Fandom as Foundation, our inaugural live event exploring the ways fandom shapes the way we work, create, and build community.
For me, this was a moment more than a year in the making. Fangirl Forward NYC was one of the very first ideas behind this platform, long before our first newsletter went out. To finally see a room full of people gathered around the conversations I’d spent so much time imagining was incredibly special. Now, I just want to take a moment to reflect and unpack what happened in the room!!
The Panels
When we talk about fans entering the entertainment industry, we tend to focus on the inspiration story. Someone loved an artist, movie, or television show growing up, and that passion inspired them to pursue a career. But I’ve always been more interested in the practice story, or the stories that don’t involve describing fandom as a childhood interest you leave behind as an adult. Fangirl Forward centers how fandom does more than that, and can give you things to carry forward. It gives people opportunities to develop skills, build communities, exercise creative judgment, and gain experiences that continue to shape their work long after they’ve entered the industry.
That philosophy was at the heart of our programming. Rather than separating speakers by job title or industry, we organized our panels around two distinct journeys, whether that was bringing fandom into professional spaces and using it to build something of your own.
We kicked off the afternoon with Fandom as Fluency, a conversation about the instincts that fans develop through their experiences in fandom, and how those skills translate into professional spaces.
I was really excited about this conversation because so much of the discussion around the fan-to-pro pipeline focuses on breaking into the industry. I wanted to take that conversation a step further beyond simply acknowledging those skills or the fact that fans can get hired, and create space to examine how we actually put them into practice once we’re in the room, how they complement the expertise we develop professionally, and what we can learn from one another’s experiences.
Moderated by J’na Jefferson, the panel brought together Ally Ali (106.1 BLI), Larisha Paul (Rolling Stone), Katie Stephens (Fast Friends), and Jennifer Moglia (Live Nation), whose experiences span journalism, radio, social media, fan engagement, marketing, social media and more.
Our panelists explored the opportunities and complexities of being a fan in the industry, from navigating the stigmas surrounding fan identity and balancing personal passion with professional judgment to recognizing what it takes to stay fluent as fandoms and the industry itself continue to evolve.
One of my favorite moments was hearing about the ability to switch between our fan and professional mindsets. When interviewing an artist, for example, your fan knowledge might inform the questions you ask, but your professional instincts take over when it’s time to conduct the interview. It’s about knowing how to draw on your enthusiasm and expertise without letting the excitement of meeting someone you admire get in the way of doing your job. I thought that was such a great example of how fan fluency works best alongside professional expertise. It’s not about leaving your fan identity at the door, but learning how to use that perspective in ways that actually make you better at what you do.
Next up was Fandom as Ownership, moderated by Izzy Ingram (NowThis, Pop Talks) and featuring Victoria Hamersky (VH MGMT), Caterina Nasr (Pure Victory Creative), Stephanie Niemiec (Content Creator), and Michael Weber (Bop to the Top, Stan Society).
This conversation shifted our focus from bringing fandom into professional spaces to using those experiences to build something of our own.
Our speakers shared their journeys across artist management, A&R, content creation, and fan-driven live experiences, exploring how their passions and perspectives helped shape the work they do today. We also discussed what it means to take ownership of your ideas, whether that’s creating your own opportunities, building something that doesn’t already exist, or finding your people online and building a community from there.
One of my favorite takeaways was that you don’t necessarily need to have everything figured out before getting started. It’s a story I share, even in bringing this exact event to life. Hearing how our panelists turned their ideas into something tangible was a reminder that ownership can take many different forms, and that our experiences as fans can help us recognize opportunities that others might overlook.
The People
Of course, Fangirl Forward NYC was about more than panels.
Following the discussions, attendees had the opportunity to connect over refreshments, exchange friendship bracelets, take photos, and meet fellow fans and professionals who share their interests during our networking mixer.
This was truly one of my favorite parts of our event! Since Friday, we’ve heard from attendees who made new connections they plan to maintain beyond October 9. To me, one of the most special parts about being a fan is the shared community we make with one another, and it excites me so much that Fangirl Forward NYC helped build that for you all, while helping to advance your careers too! Thank you all for traveling, making time out of your busy schedules, and bringing all the right energy into the room.
I’m also incredibly grateful for everyone who supported the vision. A special thank you to our sponsor, Popular Demand, as well as our partners, Girls Behind the Rock Show, Gen Admission, irl. fans for friends, The Fangirl Pipeline, and The Tracy Morgan Show. Thank you as well to our Fangirl Forward volunteers — Avery MacRae, Carla Escanillas, and Joan Visitacion — and our photographer, Gracie Solomon.
The Details
One of my favorite parts of planning Fangirl Forward NYC was dreaming up all the little details!! Coming up with the concept for the Fan Mix soda bar, making friendship bracelets, designing the mixer activity, and even our name tags that showcased our fandom and professional journeys. It was so much fun to live in a space that was a mashup of a career conference and fandom meetup, and thank you all for showing up in your FanBizCasual, participating and making the details come to life!
What's next for Fangirl Forward?
We’re already looking ahead to 2027, when Fangirl Forward NYC will return for another edition of our flagship event! We’re also exploring additional programming and new ways to bring our community together throughout the year.
Also, after taking a little hiatus to bring Fangirl Forward NYC to life, the publication is coming back right here on Substack! I’m excited to get back to sharing stories, perspectives, and conversations that explore fandom in all its complexity, from the communities we build to the culture and industry we’re helping shape. There’s so much more I want to dig into, and I can’t wait to share what’s ahead. I've already got some incredible people lined up for future features, and I can't wait for you to meet them!
In the meantime, we’ll be sharing more photos and content from our inaugural event, so be sure to follow us on Instagram at @fangirlforwardhq to stay engaged with your our community!
Thank you so much for your support of Fangirl Forward!
huge congrats kat!! kicking myself for not getting a ticket sooner before they all sold out, but excited to snag one for next year!