A quick @GaymerX 4 wrap up and thank you’s
I saw some people giving sad emoji when I said I cried a lot during @GaymerX this year.
They weren’t sad tears at all. Those were joy, gratitude and being overwhelmed at the kindness of people speaking with me at @GaymerX.
It’s powerful and humbling for even one person to tell you that your work has affected them or made them feel safe or comfortable. I don’t do the work of @INeedDivGms for pats on the head, definitely not to get rich, or for fame. It’s daunting in a way but I love it.
I do this because it needs to be done, and hearing that even one person was touched by what I do? That’s amazing. So thank you, thank you to anyone who thanked me for being visible, for doing the work, for speaking. I am grateful and humbled.
This past weekend was amazing. I got to see so many people that I admire, like Karin and Patrick Weekes, Katherine Cross, Toni Rocca, Donna Prior, Joe Carriker. I’m always so grateful for Brian Kunde’s presence and all the GaymerX crew. Got to meet the lovely Ebony Aster from FemFrequency and panel with Carolyn Petit!! I also got to see Robert (BloodyBHoney), Rokashi Edwards, David Gaider, Shawn Alexander Allen, MagFest Crew, Soraya, Mel Fox, Aeevee Bee (who made We Know the Devil) and so many other folks I know I might be forgetting.
Meeting new folks was such a highlight. I got to meet and spend some time with the awesome Dave Fennoy, and Crystal Frasier is so lovely in person! Her wife Lisa is just as awesome. Also met KittyPowers, such a lovely person! AND, AND I got to talk fandom with folks and bask in our love of Dragon Age! I got to meet Tinkerqueen!!! and give a hug. Also, saw so many folks I like, like Sa_Roux, RitzyFox and other DA fandom friends from twitter.
What made me even happier, was seeing so many people of color there. SO MANY MORE than last year, and I might have cried a bit. Ok I’ve cried a lot, especially after reading Bianca Anderson’s great wrap up post on her GX4 experience. I also threw down the gauntlet to other POC to submit panels to GaymerX East (coming up in November) and to support the next GX Australia so it can happen and more POC voices can be heard there in 2017.
One of the highlights of the weekend was paneling with people I love so much, that I admire and am honored to work with on speaking at the convention.
Thank you to: Katherine Cross, Donna Prior, Bianca Anderson, Rokashi Edwards, D.J. Kirkland, Crystal Frasier, David Gaider, Joseph Carriker, Matthew Baume, Lauren Comp, Carolyn Petit and SimplyUndrea for making all of the panels I was on phenomenal.
I’ll have a longer write up with pics later, but now I am off to rest up, get fed and catch up on much needed sleep.
