The Convergent Media Collective – Make Stuff, Take Risks and Be Awesome!

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CMC Visits Operator Foundation & Jams!

Post author By ludwigvan968
Post date June 25, 2026
No Comments on CMC Visits Operator Foundation & Jams!

We have been fortunate to build the Convergent Media Collective network through multiple university initiatives (UIW, UT, A&M) and through those networks we have a lineage of of academics and professionals spanning decades of experiences. One such network is through the Operator Foundation, co-founded by Dr. Brandon Wiley who is part of the ACTLab network, the program that proceeded the Convergent Media Collective.

“The Operator Foundation was founded in 2014 in Austin, Texas. Our purpose is to promote internet freedom, open communication and global internet security through technology development, deployment, and education. We develop technologies to facilitate access to credible and relevant information and open communication around the world.”

We have visited the Operator Foundation lab multiple times and always have had a good time. This time Jeremy Zunker, a CMC member and employee of Operator invited us to come and jam with him and Brandon on some electronics they have been developing, specifically the Songbird and a MIDI hex keyboard. Corina, jojo, Will and myself (joey) made the journey two days later on Wednesday June 24th, 2026.

First we loaded the car up with the synthesizers I have been developing out, which is a story in and of itself and really deserves a write up all of its own. I guess all in time for that one. But yeah, I have developed a main acrylic synthnesizer module, an acrylic vocoder synth module and combined them with Behringer Edge synth.

Will brought along his SOMA LABS Enner to jam with, as this was a last second event for him, having just gotta back from Germany the night before! I will say we can’t wait til Will can bring more of his tasty equipment next time.

So we headed over and I will admit it took us some time to get setup and comfy. Durning setup a good number of small awesome things were brought up and discussed. The first was Brandon giving jojo a Zelda D&D book for his bday! This book looks amazing and jojo was knee deep in the next day!

Operator Foundation Terminal

Then as we setup jojo and I got a demo of a battery-powered VT100-style hardware terminal developed by the Operator Foundation for use cases all around the world where people need open-source developed solutions hardware and software they can trust. I hope to do a video just about their terminal development in the future.

Another device we got to demo by Operator Foundation was the Abelhita Melogica, a midi controller based around a hall effect buttons and a hexagonal key arrangement. I have to say, in person the device looks and feel so cool. The hall effect sensors use magnectic buttons to have an analog feeling key stroke and so the device just feels neato. As mentioned in the video below, I got to hold on to this and will be doing a bunch of testing and demo’ing of the device over the coming months.

Operator Foundation Abelhita Melogica

Operator Foundation Synth Jam Setup

Then we were setup! Jeremy had finished up some work and we were good to go, so I went ahead and did a small video just about the equipment we had and what everyone was up to. We already went over the equipment Will and myself brought, Jeremy used a Moog and Brandon had a whole spread of modular units in various configurtions as well as a songbird and Abelhita Melogica. As you see in the video they all show a bit of their setup in action.

Operator Foundation Jam Session

So after about two hours of setting up and chatting and in general nerding out, we finally decided to jam all together. This was a new experience for me, unbeknownst to them I had never jammed with anyone else other than jojo ha ha ha with our synth. So to say the least, it was a fun adventure. I did ask Will before starting how he thought we should approach it and he gave some great examples of the different ways he tends to jam with others. Because for me, as an anthropologist, I know there are infinite ways for us to play these devices and interact with each others performances. So it was great to have someone reaffirm that it really is like that and then we worked away on our grooves and interactions.

Reflecting and until next time!

Reflecting on our jam session I see room for some much more exploration, it would be neat to also have us each play solo throughout the jam session and then have times we work our way back together and also do pairing performances. It is endless the directions you can take such a jam session. I will say it was amazing using the Tascam Model 12 mixer as it allowed us to all patch in and at the same time, record to the computer and hear ourselves on some mini monitors I brought.

While what we all considered too short of a visit, it definitely packed a punch, we all loved it and wanted more, that said we still didn’t get back to Bryan til past midnight.

That was also due to our ACTLab linage and ritual of getting food after such a jam session, and so a trip to Kerby Lane was made where we almost all had pancakes, actually, I think we did all have pancakes.

So instead of this story ending here, it is definitely to be continued. Brandon has invited us back to do some synth jamming, but also peaked my interest with having us come and document more of their work, both the hardware and also hear about the groups they have been working with and various initiatives they have been a part of as the Operator Foundation.

I left the jam exhausted and at the same time rejuvenated. I am excited to document Operator Foundation and all the work that has been done and to also work with their new hardware and see where we can find musical collaborations and beyond!

And lastly, thank you to Jeremy, Brandon, Will, Corina and Jojo for jamming and helping us make what I like to call ACTLab Magic happen for a day and open the TAZ back on up!

CML Spring 2026 Write Up

Introduction

Spring 2026 was a busy semester with a lot of various initiatives. From workshops to conferences to performances and personal projects, the Creative Media Lab stayed brewing all semester. Our temporary basement lab was fully operational this semester with students producing podcasts, doing gaming research and producing audio and video projects. We also utilized the basement classrooms for our workshops and talk series.

Presentations/Talks

We are super proud to have collaborated with PVFA to host 3 Game Studies Talks this semester that covered a range of themes and topics. We cannot thank those who led the events enough. If you have a topic you would like to present on, please reach out to us!

2026 Game Studies Talk Series – Bryan Weispian, What Remains of Edith Finch

This Spring, we hosted a great play through of Edith Finch with an introduction by Bryan Weispain, an amazing CML member who has helped us keep the game studies and game play momentum going. We would also like to thank professor Jake Beck Ph.D. for his further insight into the game and for meeting with Bryan to help flesh out the event.

2026 Retro Game Night, Glasscock Center Video Game Studies Working Group Event – Anna Holman Ph.D., Platformers

Curated by joey lopez and Matthew Campbell Ph.D., the platformers event focused around climbing games with a presentation by Anna Holman Ph.D. that took the audience from climbing board games to some of the latest climbing games like Carin.

2026, April, Game Studies Talk Series – Ricky Miller, Rhythm Video Games

Ricky Miller, a student whose passion for music in gaming has driven his studies, presented about Rhythm games and helped curate a series of Rhythm games for students to experience. A good time was had by all.

You Belong Here

In conjunction with Syracuse University’s Code^Shift Lab and the Data Justice Lab of Texas A&M we collaborated on a “You Belong Here” art workshop where students in NYU and CS created works of art exuding their belonging to their communities. The works were documented and will be presented by a panel at NCA 2026.

Workshops:

Audio Production Workshops

We hosted multiple Audio Production Workshops where faculty and students engaged with hands-on experiences and discussions about audio production. We discussed microphones, DAWs, audio production techniques and more. Then we did some recording and production work around joey’s eurorack acrylic synthesizer.

Conferences:

Afrofuturism Explored! 2026 –

The third annual Afrofuturism Explored! event occurred on Saturday February 28th, 2026 in the LAAH conference room followed by a dance performance, Celestial Bodies, in the Black Box Theatre downstairs. It hosted a theme of community and featured a keynote talk from Yale Afrofuturist scholar Dr. Tavia Nyong’o. Read the full write up here:

Synthposium 2.0 Spring 2026 –

Synthposium was a huge success, so much so that we did a full write up about it, check it out below:

Circuit Bending Workshop –

We had a circuit bending workshop hosted by Will and Campbell where participants took greeting cards apart and tried to find various bending opportunities. A good time was had by all. We look forward to many more in the coming semesters!

Course Excursions:

Climbing – Music Research & Writing – Anna Holmen Guest

Professor Campbell’s Public Scholarship & Performance and Visual Studies course took a trip to the A&M recreational center where they learned about indoor bouldering from professor Anna Holmen Ph.D. and were able to experience the sport and gain insight into bouldering as a form of climbing. Professor joey was able to capture some photos of the activity with the students in action.

Public Scholarship and Performance & Visual Studies

In addition to the above trip to the bouldering facility, Johnny & Joey presented about podcasting and public scholarship in Campbell’s class. Will also presented as well about prominent art experiences and how they affect the experience of the art and the walk/journey.

Austin Convenience Store Trip

A motley crew of Creative Media Lab members made a trip to Austin to check out a show at the Rio convenience store by performer, Brandon, aka Blackmagic Cyborg. The performer Brandon, aka Blackmagic Cyborg. A good time was had by all and we also made it by Operator to check out some cool audio projects.

Trip to Johnson Elementary –

Will, Jeff and Kyle Brisco attended Johnson Elementary’s STEM night and gave music and instrument demos along with interactive fun.

Aggies Robotics Production –

This year the Aggie Robotics team hosted a 46+ middle/high school robotics team tournament at the Texas A&M recreational center. It was amazing to see students put together such an event to build community and share their enthusiasm for robotic competitions. We are proud to work with their media team, who some are also part of the CML, to supply them with the equipment needed to document their events.

End of year BBQ

Our end of the year BBQ was one for the books, we had PVFA, CMJR, CML and TAMU Skaters all coming together and hanging out. These BBQ’s are more than just meals or parties, they are times for us to reflect on individual and group efforts from the semester and talk about the future. Catch up with our friends and loved ones and relax after a long semester, which is a big part of the Creative Media Lab’s MO, as well as that of the Convergent Media Collective.

CML Personal Achievements & Projects

Kali Johnson J.D.-

“To start, I am truly grateful for the time I’ve spent at Texas A&M law. The community at the law school is just as welcoming and convivial as the undergraduate community. As in undergrad, the extent to which the professors care about students and their learning is evident in the way they teach and talk about their respective subjects.

My favorite experience in law school was participating in the trademark and copyright clinic. Participating in this clinic in the fall and spring semesters of my last year provided invaluable firsthand experience on what it means to actually practice law. I learned about the multitude of legalities involved in music, film, and other entertainment areas and solidified my desire to incorporate this area into my future practice. In the clinic, I had the opportunity to help musicians, artists, and other creatives with their legal needs, and, as a musician myself, I found this experience to be immensely fulfilling. I came to law school to help real creatives with real issues and plan to continue doing so throughout my legal career.

Post-law school, I plan to sit for the July bar exam, so I can become a licensed attorney. I will also be moving to Austin later this year, as I’ve accepted an offer to work in either the corporate or venture growth group at a law firm in the city.”

A big congrats to Kali for obtaining her J.D.! She is someone who put some serious time into the CML in our early days and helped us develop who we are today with projects as script-writing workshops and development of our initial Music and Moviemaking Conference! Thank you Kali!

Rick Pulos –

Dr. Rick Plus defended his dissertation this semester and we are so proud of him and his accomplishments that we wrote a whole article about it, check it out!

Jonathan Guajardo –

Professor Guajardo is now Dr. Guajardo! Check out his full write up here!

Bomi (Doc and Marathon, Graduation!)

“I ran my last marathon (Houston Marathon) as a student on January 11 to start the spring semester. It would be my third one as a student. It was supposed to be the marathon that I finally put it all together, the one where it all clicked. It wasn’t the one I hoped for but it began my true understanding of what I actually signed up for when I started this journey in the fall of 2024. The Houston marathon marked the end of the documentary I’ve been working on with Joey. I set out with the documentary to show what was possible when you set a goal and decide you want to achieve it and although I fell short of mine I hope when it’s done it reflects what’s possible when you show up for yourself. We are currently working through the logistics of editing and what the story is.

I spent the rest of the semester focusing on school, taking a break from major racing. I helped friends with their goals, coached my friend for her marathon( she ran a 15 minute personal best) , tagged along as a long run buddy, and participated in my last Texas Independence relay as a student( it was a dream team), and ran my fastest mile yet. I did this all while trying to be present in moments I wasn’t sure would happen again and at the same time trying to figure out what was next for me. Where do I go from here? I got through what I wouldn’t call my hardest semester but was definitely filled with a lot of anxiety, doubt, fear. It took a lot of baby steps and leaps of faith to get to the end. In the end, I made it, I crossed the stage. It was anti-climactic and I’m not entirely sure what happened while I walked but I could only focus on Johnny’s face, hugged him and told him thank you. In that moment, he represented part of the things (creative media lab) that got me through college. Thank you Joey, Johnny, Will , Campbell, and every other person I ever interacted with through the lab.

As for what’s next for me, I’ll be in college station working at the college of architecture, making videos for at least the next year. I’m trying to figure out freelance photography and filmmaking so this is a next step to that hopefully. Early mornings and evenings I’ll be training, weekends I’ll be creating as much as I can. It’s been an honor to be part of a special group of people and hoping to still stay connected in some way as I move onto whatever’s next.”

We are so proud of Bomi and all his accomplishments, he is someone many students collaborated with, learned from and helped. Bomi is a CML member who brings such a positive energy to every meeting and activity he attends. Thank you Bomi for being awesome!

Arden Duffield

Congratulations to Arden Duffield, while not an A&M student, kudos to Arden for graduating from NYU!!! Arden spent two summers with us in the CML working on various projects, guest lecturing and adding positive energy to the lab. Arden, thank you for everything you have contributed to and congratulations!

News

Afrofuturism Explored 2026

Post author By ludwigvan968
Post date June 1, 2026
No Comments on Afrofuturism Explored 2026

The third annual Afrofuturism conference saw an expansion in both the amount of participation and the support from donors, aligning with the 2026 theme of “Community.” Panels included public outreach, business, and health within the community, Latinx Futurist art, Afrofuturist music, various student projects related to Afrofuturism including video games, music, and poetry/spoken word, and literary research and discussions. The day was capped off with a new work of Afrofuturist dance and theatre conceived and choreographed by Everett Perry-Johnson. The event was sponsored by the TAMU College of Performance, Visualization, and Fine Arts, College of Arts and Sciences, the Creative Media Lab, and a new donor, H.E.B.

The opening panel was community focused discussions by Kia Dolby, creative design consultant, and Chet Sisk, community development and affirmative action consultant. The talks were separate, but both participated in a cross-talk, round table style discussion, introducing Afrofuturism as a model and inspiration for community growth and improvement.

The second speaker was artist Ernesto Cuevas, a Latinx Futurist artist who spoke to his background, influences, and work with and for the communities with which he has ties. His talk also displayed striking images of his works, as well as pictures of his childhood and current life in the San Antonio area, featuring his recent car art project, among many other incredibly impressive pieces.

Following lunch (supplied by H.E.B.), Dr, Tavia Nyong’o spoke on the state of Afrofuturist music in his talk, Reckonings and Reverberations: The Cultural Politics of Silencing Rock Music. His fascinating presentation drew upon his years of research at Yale University, bringing together his knowledge of historical development of Afrofuturist songs and sounds alongside his work with science fiction and the LGBTQ+ communities.

The fourth panel of the day featured three TAMU students who have all engaged with Afrofuturism on various levels in different ways. Kevin Johnson presented new poetry with music and visuals, setting the stage for how Afrofuturism is being employed and embraced as a means to artistically express oneself in today’s East Texas social climate. Justin Hopson updated the conference goers on the development of his Afrofuturist video game Duskfire Chronicles: Echoes of Tomorrow, that takes place in an alternate dimensional version of Houston (where Hopson grew up). Wrapping up the panel was an electronic music performance by composer/artist Ilana Rahim-Braden, playing two bespoke synthesizers made by Spanish instrument company Synamodec, specifically for use with TAMU Music Program students.

[Conference Video 05 – Justin Hopson Presentation]

The final panel focused on English scholars reflecting on Afrofuturist writing. Dr. Claire Carly-Miles presented new research on Octavia Butler’s various works, and Dr. Rebecca Hankins connected previous discussions (from last year’s conference) to African science fiction and fantasy in Kenya.

After the conference, the attendees relocated downstairs to the Black Box Theatre for the new Afrofuturist dance piece, Celestial Bodies, conceived of and choreographed by PFVA dance professor Everett Perry-Johnson. The performance featured two members of the production team, D’Mya Tabron and Jam Martinez, as well as several TAMU dance students.

The 2027 Afrofuturism Explored! conference is already being organized, and the guest artists and speakers, theme, and satellite activities will be announced soon! For more information, please visit the Afrofuturism Explored! Website.