I’ve spent over 20 years working in education—teaching everywhere from the high school level (including being a high school principal) and in university lecture halls—while also putting in the same amount of time in mental health and juvenile justice. My career has been anything but ordinary: before all that, I worked more than 15 years as a bouncer, toured as a roadie for various bands, and even did a short stint as a movie stuntman.

I’ve picked up degrees in philosophy, religious studies, cultural anthropology, and digital humanities along the way, which basically means I love asking big questions about people, culture, and the stories we tell. I’m a Senior Fellow with the Pop Culture Collaborative, where I study how fandoms and fan communities can help spark real social change.

I’m a writer. I’m a The Moth StorySLAM winner. I am a Poetry Slam champion, a failed stand-up comic, and a solo theater performer.

I’m a lifelong horror, sci-fi, and comic book nerd, and I helped launch The Nerds of Color as well as the Black Comix Arts Festival (BCAF). No matter what I’m working on, I’m all about uplifting creators, celebrating pop culture, and building community through the things we love.

Best of all, I’m a dad of an incredibly bright and talented daughter who holds me accountable and tries to protect me from getting cancelled.

I’m so happy you made it here. Hopefully, this is a space where we can connect, grow, laugh, and gut-check each other when needed.

Peace.

Shawn D. Taylor