Fred Benenson

Fred Benenson, former VP of Data at Kickstarter and creator of Emoji Dick, joins Jennifer 8. Lee, a former New York Times reporter and vice-chair of the Unicode Emoji subcommittee, to discuss the fascinating world of emojis. They dive into the cultural significance of emojis, exploring how they enhance emotional communication and reflect identity. The duo also navigates the political challenges faced in emoji representation and shares insights into the innovative project of translating classic literature into emojis, showcasing the evolving ways we express ourselves digitally.

Fred Benenson, a former VP of Data at Kickstarter renowned for the 'Emoji Dick' project, and Jennifer 8. Lee, a former New York Times reporter and Unicode emoji subcommittee member instrumental in the dumpling emoji, delve into the fascinating world of emoji. They discuss the evolution of emoji as a communication tool, the politics behind emoji representation, and the surprising journey of translating Moby Dick into emojis. The conversation reveals the balance between creativity and standardization in digital language and uncovers broader implications for emotional expression in our texts.