Jayd email

If the text is not readable, it’s an email I got after GenCon, shared with permission from the sender.

Hey Tanya!

Holy shit. I just wanted to thank you for being at Gen Con.

It was my first time at the convention, and as a QWoC in game design interested in making my move into indie tabletop games, I attended every single seminar on diversity/inclusivity/safety I could because I wanted to get a bead on where the industry stood on that. In the end, you turned out to be one of the only people on those panels who I fully trusted to be up there, speaking on those issues. You, Eloy Lasanta, and Jerry Grayson. 15 hours of seminars. Honestly, there were more than a couple full panels of white women poorly fielding questions on things like culturally sensitive ways to approach game worlds, and I nearly chewed my tongue off sitting through them.

The rest of the time I spent walking the floor trying to keep my shit together from all the microaggressions I was running into, deciding pretty early on that I wouldn’t be sitting at a table to game this year because I couldn’t trust myself to not contest problematic behaviors. I didn’t realize how much energy I had to budget for this con, I did NOT have enough to risk it.

THANK YOU for being visible, for all the emotional labor you generously endure, and for shouldering such weight from such a widely ignorant industry. Thank you for the few moments of safety I was able to experience this weekend. It really meant a lot to me. I left Indianapolis feeling angry, inspired, and empowered. And I will certainly be back next year, much better ready.

I look forward to catching you at another con sometime, and will be sure to thank you in person!

All the best,

Jayd 

This is important, a reminder of how you can affect someone and not even realize it at the time. That representation matters, that what you say and do, being visible really matters. TY Jayd!

It matters because so many people don’t realize their impact, the weight of their words especially when they are among the visible few POC in #TTRPG spaces. That it matters so much to be seen, and heard. It’s a reminder that we too belong in this space. That you cannot and should not let anyone tell you that you do not belong because you’re black, brown, queer, non-binary, disabled. That you are part of this community too & you matter.

After my second GenCon, and this email I’m renewed in my mission. Especially to show folks they have a place at the table. That they can belong and thrive and be part of this community and not be shoved aside. if you’re reading this, and you never felt like you belong at the table? You’re wrong, you do belong here. You are wanted, don’t let the few, the vocal minority who gatekeep lock you out. You belong. You matter

Published by cypheroftyr

Tanya DePass is the founder and Director of I Need Diverse Games, a not-for-profit organization based in Chicago, which is dedicated to better diversification of all aspects of gaming. I Need Diverse Games serves the community by supporting marginalized developers, attendance at the Game Developer Conference by participating in the GDC Scholarship program, helps assist attendance at other industry events, and is seeking partnership with organizations and initiatives. Tanya is a lifelong Chicagoan who loves everything about gaming, #INeedDiverseGames spawn point, and wants to make the industry better and more inclusive for everyone. She’s part of the Rivals of Waterdeep actual play stream on twitch.tv/rivalsofwaterdeep, a partnered Twitch variety broadcaster; and often speaks on issues of diversity, feminism, race, intersectionality & other topics online, at conventions and as a public speaker.. She’s also contributed to publications at Green Ronin, Paizo and Monte Cook Games and is the co-developer for the Fifth Season RPG based on N.K. Jemisin’s three time Hugo award winning Broken Earth trilogy. She’s the creator and Creative Director of Into the Mother Lands, a Twitch supported RPG and Actual Play stream, airing weekly on her channel, twitch.tv/cypheroftyr. Additionally, she is a Senior Annenberg labs Civic Media Fellow at USC. She’s also the creator and Creative Director of Into the Mother Lands, a new sci fi afro-futurist RPG developed with a team of all POC and Black creators; live streamed on her twitch channel, /cypheroftyr. She’s named as one of The Game Awards Future Class 2020, a diverse group of builders, thinkers and dreamers whose voices elevate and diversify our artform. It recognizes individuals around the world who represent the bright, bold and inclusive future for video games. She was also named as one of Gamers of the Year 2020 by Kotaku along with three of her contemporaries. She was also invited to the Xbox MVP program in February 2021. Her work to make the industry more inclusive has been highlighted in Game Changer, Directed by Tina Charles, WNBA star & olympian as well as filmmaker. The short documentary premiered at Tribeca 2021, as part of the Queen Collective; an initiative started by Queen Latifah, supported by Proctor & Gamble in an effort to get more Black women into film making. Game Changer was also featured as part of BETHer’s 2021 Juneteenth Programming on 19 June 2021. Tanya is the programming & diversity coordinator for OrcaCon and GaymerX. She also serves on the Board of Directors for OrcaCon and was named the Chair for Take This in January 2023. She often speaks on issues of diversity, feminism, race, intersectionality & other topics at conventions. Her writing about games and games critique appears in Uncanny Magazine, Polygon, Wiscon Chronicles, Vice Gaming, Paste Games, Mic, and other publications. She’s the editor of Game Devs and Others: Tales from the Margins (2018, CRC Press) and contributed to The Advanced Game Narrative Toolbox. (2019, CRC Press) Writer Bio for pubs: Tanya is the Founder and Director of I Need Diverse Games, a not-for-profit organization based in Chicago. She’s part of Rivals of Waterdeep, an actual play D&D show on twitch.tv/rivalsofwaterdeep; the programming coordinator for OrcaCon & GaymerX; and often speaks on issues of diversity, feminism, race, intersectionality & other topics at conventions. She’s on the Board of Take This as well as a Stream Ambassador, and was part of the inaugural cohort of The Game Awards Future Class. Her work to make the industry more inclusive has been highlighted in Game Changer, Directed by Tina Charles, WNBA star & olympian as well as filmmaker. The short documentary premiered at Tribeca 2021, as part of the Queen Collective; an initiative started by Queen Latifah, supported by Proctor & Gamble in an effort to get more Black women into film making. Game Changer was also featured as part of BETHer’s 2021 Juneteenth Programming on 19 June 2021.