2013 DIGIFAM SPEAKER: Karl Rivera

This is a series of interviews with the speakers of Digital Family Summit 2013, October 11-13.
Read all of the speaker interviews
See a list of our speakers
Register for the conference

 Karl Rivera is a blogger, scholar, and photographer. He is currently a sophomore on a four year leadership based scholarship at Wheaton College. Since 2009, Karl has blogged about teen lifestyle in its broadest sense: advice, reviews, and his thoughts on the world all from a fresh perspective. Karl has spoken at SxSW, and in 2011 was featured as a Top 25 Kid Blogger on Circle of Moms. He spent this past summer working as a Teaching Assistant at the International Center of Photography. Additionally, Karl has recently launched an innovative leadership development initiative on his campus calling young people to be more socially conscious of the world they live in.

twitter: @keenkarl
website: http://www.karlrivera.com

How did you get involved with blogging?

I initially started blogging because I wanted to share my thoughts on consumer technology. It was great for a while but I started to see that I had greater insight on teen lifestyle so my blog’s slant started shifting. It was then that I started seeing myself running into more opportunities and writing more passionately. It’s that shift in perspective that propelled me to speak at The Digital Family Summit!

What’s your favorite technology to help you blog/write/tweet/edit?

My iPhone, and its abundance of apps are my favorite tools. Tweeting, blogging, photo-editing, and Youtubing; there’s an app for that!

Do you have any hobbies other than digital media creation? What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about photography and the effects it’s had on social change; so much so that I created my own college major to reflect that interest!

What blogs do you read regularly?

One of my favorite blogs is The Art of Non-Conformity, written by Chris Guillebeau. His blog chronicles his dream of travelling to every country in the world while encouraging his readers to chase after their own goals. It’s so invigorating having someone tell you your dreams, even the most outlandish, are possible. I also find myself reading The Art of Manliness consistently. Its offers great insight on masculinity and the tumultuous culture surrounding it.

Any advice for young bloggers?

Never forget that your words, written and spoken, have power.

What’s the biggest danger facing digital teens & their families today?

I think oftentimes teens/tweens forget that their social media outlets will follow them… into both their college and job search. Be smart about what you post online. You don’t want one picture or silly Facebook status keeping you from the college/job of your dreams.

What’s next for you after the Digital Family Summit?

After The Digital Family Summit, I will be heading back to my campus to work on my leadership development initiative, LIFE House. We will be planning a great mix of interactive events and stimulating conversations for the rest of the year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 Adam Gertsacov is the co-founder and co-organizer of Digital Family Summit.  He wears many hats, including those of a professional clown, an author and publisher, an artist/educator, a non-profit administrator, a P.T. Barnum impersonator, a flea circus impresario, and the esteemed hat of the Clown Laureate of Greenbelt, Maryland.