New Red Bull Web Series MAVENS Spotlights Extraordinary Women Redefining Social Norms

NEW YORK, Dec. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- MAVENS is a new three-episode web series about people who encourage others to shatter expectations and become more than what society traditionally permits. The first season of MAVENS tells the inspiring stories of music industry pioneer and AFROPUNK partner Jocelyn Cooper, Tom Tom Magazine founder Mindy Abovitz, and global street artist Magda Love. Each episode shares a glimpse of these vanguards' journeys as they battle obstacles, prejudices and stereotypes while building communities around their passions and inspiring others to follow.

"MAVENS shines a spotlight on those who know that the only way forward is with confidence and courage, and that being yourself should never feel like a risk," said Abovitz. "These days it is more and more threatening to be an empowered, self-possessed person. So let us use our power as our main weapon and wield it compassionately and with a firm hand. Here's to undoing presumptions, assumptions and scripts."

Abovitz is a self-taught drummer and drum machine programmer, and the founder of Tom Tom Magazine, the only magazine in the world dedicated to female drummers. For the past four years, Abovitz has curated a series of female drumming performances titled, "Oral History of Female Drummers: Getting Louder," that explores the undocumented history of female drummers. It has been performed at prominent New York and New Jersey museums including the Guggenheim, MOMA PS1 and the Mana Contemporary. 

"Supporting and amplifying culture is AFROPUNK's mission, so we hope that the MAVENS series helps highlight this and bring new members to our growing community. I feel very proud to be featured in the series alongside two other inspiring women who are doing great things in pursuit of their respective passions," said Jocelyn Cooper.

Cooper is a partner in AFROPUNK, a global platform that celebrates alternative culture, known for producing the AFROPUNK festivals in Brooklyn, Paris and Atlanta. A 25-year veteran of the music business and a former A&R head at Universal Records, Cooper is also known for signing the likes of D'Angelo and Angie Stone and negotiated and signed some of the most innovative record deals in the music industry including that of Cash Money Records.

"Success is learning to listen to your voice and be determined to carry on no matter what. MAVENS shares how we carried on despite setbacks, despite resistance. It's about finding beauty in the process of your work. Be inspired by the journey, be graceful and most importantly be diligent," said Magda Love.

Love is a street artist and determined social activist whose vibrant paintings and murals throughout New York City and in cities and galleries across the globe aim to inspire people to connect emotionally through art. Love's unique perspective and colorful expression is rooted in her Argentinian upbringing. She is a mentor for students at Manhattan's City-As-School High School, where she is currently working on a six-story two-block wall mural, that when completed will be one of the largest in New York City history.

Watch MAVENS on RedBull.com/MAVENS as well as on YouTube.com/RedBullMusic and Facebook.com/RedBull.

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SOURCE Red Bull