A method for communicating in a digital conversation is implemented on a computing device and includes: receiving an interactive contextual emoji from a first digital conversation participant to post in the digital conversation with at least a second digital conversation participant, where the interactive contextual emoji is pre-defined to indicate at least a current availability status associated with the first digital conversation participant, requesting the current availability status from a status application based on at least an indication of the interactive contextual emoji, where the status application maintains the current availability status, receiving the current availability status from the status application, and displaying the interactive contextual emoji in the digital conversation with at least an indication of the current availability status.