Dream Con Spotlights Black Women in Gaming

Keisha Howard 

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In the gaming industry, Keisha Howard is a recognized leader, celebrated for creating Sugar Gamers, a community-based organization that champions diversity and inclusion. In her capacity as an advocate for underrepresented gamers, she has developed safe spaces designed to facilitate connection, competition, and shared celebration of gaming among women and marginalized groups. 

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Besides community development, Howard provides consulting services to companies to promote more inclusive gaming environments. She has achieved notable recognition for her efforts, which have positioned her as a key figure in advocating for industry transformation.

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Prior to her current work in video game advocacy, Keisha Howard pursued a career in opera.  

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Latoya Peterson

A renowned narrative designer and cultural critic, Latoya Peterson, expertly blends sophisticated storytelling techniques with a keen awareness of the social issues inherent in gaming. She is currently engaged in creating immersive and inclusive narratives at Activision’s Elsewhere Entertainment,  advancing the field of game design.

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Peterson's experience in journalism and activism underpins her work, resulting in games that reflect diverse and subtle viewpoints. The significance of her contributions lies in demonstrating storytelling's capacity to promote representation and empathy in video games.

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Latoya Peterson's prominent role as co-founder of *Racialicious*, a blog focusing on the intersection of race, popular culture, and gaming, receives wide recognition.  

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Danielle ‘Ebonix’ Udogaranya

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Danielle Udogaranya, recognized as Ebonix, is a visionary creative technologist whose work, particularly her game modifications and designs for games such as The Sims, is lauded for its focus on representation. Her custom content, which showcases a diverse range of hairstyles, skin tones, and cultural elements, has fostered a sense of representation for players in virtual worlds. 

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Ebonix's activities extend beyond modding to encompass collaborations with major studios committed to fostering an inclusive environment. Her entrepreneurial pursuits and advocacy work have garnered her significant admiration within the gaming community.

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The widespread success of Ebonix's The Sims modifications led to partnerships with EA focused on promoting greater diversity within the game.

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Next blog: Women in Tech!

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