ANAHEIM, Calif. — Two dozen people huddled around Sammie Lewis, 18, as she prepared to belt out her signature catchphrase.
“Here’s the mother frickin’ tea,” Lewis said, punctuating each breath by slamming her yellow acrylic nails into her phone screen while another person recorded the moment.
The crowd, along with thousands of other attendees who have descended on the Anaheim Convention Center, are part of the year's biggest event for youth-focused online content creators, VidCon, which is celebrating its 10th year. The event, which kicked off Wednesday, draws a varied collection of YouTube stars, young fans, digital and legacy media companies, and a variety of companies hoping to capture their attention.