This Saturday, I'm heading to Harlem to attend the Game Developers of Color expo! Consider this my pre-road trip preview. My main goal for the expo is to talk to folks and network. I want to connect with fellow developers of color and get a feeling for the state of diverse games and creators within the industry. I know a few people who will be in attendance, but for the most part, this is going to be an opportunity to make some new friends, play and talk about games, and most importantly to learn.
I also plan to sit in on the "Hip Hop and Video Games" talk. The intersection of black culture and wider games culture is a place full of life and creativity, and I can't wait to hear from developers and rappers alike about where they think that intersection is heading in the future.
Other than that, I don't have much of a step by step plan. I'm just going to talk to as many people as I can. Hopefully I can attend an after party or two and meet more folks there too. My business cards are locked and loaded, and I can't wait to introduce myself to fellow devs of color. I didn't even know this expo existed until last year, and the opportunity to nerd out as a player and creator with people that look like me is already getting me fired up.
The industry can sometimes feel vast and lonely when all the high profile developer interviews and large team pics seem to lack diversity. A lot of people of color play games; it only makes sense that those people should make them too, and I think this expo will showcase that fact. All of which is to say, I think this weekend will be a whole lot of fun.
Here's to an expo that makes the world of game development a little bit smaller and just a little bit blacker.