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Inspiring Boldness Speaker Nonny de la Peña Brings Immersive Journalism to Marymount
On Monday, Jan. 8, Marymount was honored to welcome immersive journalist Nonny de La Peña to campus as this year’s first speaker in our signature Inspiring Boldness Speaker Series.
Ms. de la Peña, a Venice, CA native and Harvard and USC graduate, is known as the “godmother of virtual reality” and is widely credited with creating the genre of immersive journalism. Over ten years ago, Ms. de la Peña founded Emblematic Group, a media company that creates immersive news told through intense, empathic virtual-reality that places viewers at and in the scene of the story.
Head of School Jacqueline L. Landry first introduced Ms. de la Peña, praising her accomplishments and contributions to advancing story-telling that inspires and motivates change.
“What if I told you there is a way to be more compassionate about the things we hear in the media? How do we, as women, move the dial forward on compassion and caring about real-life situations and make a difference?” Ms. Landry asked our girls. “Nonny de la Peña is such a person. She is a pioneer who has found a way to use cutting-edge technology to motivate us to be activists of change – our very own Marymount mission.”
Ms. de la Peña spoke passionately about the impact that technology utilizing virtual-reality has on the media’s ability to tell relatable stories. She showcased how Emblematic recreates news stories’ sights, sounds and settings that produce greater compassion for the people whose stories are told.
“The biggest thing I want you to take away from this talk is that we need you. Young women like yourself. We need your heart right now. We need empathy,” Ms. de la Peña said. “We need people who care about other people more than any other time. We need your voice. We need your thoughts, your spirit and your kindness.”
She also recounted her personal struggles as a woman in the male-dominated tech industry and encouraged Sailors to show the world women’s contributions through their own actions.
“The biggest and hardest part sometimes is being brave in situations where you don’t feel so brave – when you have to walk into spaces and know that you are going to be the only female - still,” Ms. de la Peña said. “Take that situation and know it’s going to happen to you in smaller and bigger ways and just walk up to the table and be brave. You belong there as much as anyone does.”
Ms. de la Peña also recommended that our girls take advantage of Marymount’s many resources.
“Take the feelings that you feel right now, the heart and the strength that you get from this place and take it with you,” she said. “Even those moments that are filled with self-doubt, I learned something. And even that is worth something wherever you go.”
We are so grateful to Nonny de la Peña for spending time with our Marymount community, sharing her projects, advice and important work with our girls. Her continuous drive to seek the truth and educate society on world realities through immersive journalism is an inspiration to all.
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