A mother of two loud, messy, freckled, amazing daughters, Kate T Parker began taking pictures of them in everyday life and quickly came to realize the images that most resonated were ones where they were being their true, authentic selves. This morphed into a photography series “Strong is the New Pretty,” which went viral in 2015, a 2017 book by the same name, and has led to collaborations with brands such as Kellogg’s, American Express, Disney and Athleta. Parker’s new book, The Heart of a Boy: Celebrating the Strength and Spirit of Boyhood, helps positively redefine masculinity at a moment when the country is focused on how to raise our boys to become good people.

Through her work both with brands and as a professional photographer and former advertising producer and writer, Parker aims to inspire both boys and girls to be their best selves - to challenge and test their limits, to nurture their curiosity and intellect, to find strength in being creative and kind, and to accept the multitudes contained within themselves. It is this perspective that she brings to her work with brands, helping them find an authentic, unexpected, and disruptive vision that will resonate with consumers by challenging their expectations of what it means to be masculine and feminine in today's world.

Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.