Dear friends and colleagues, Please join us for two upcoming events (online or in-person) hosted the University of Waterloo Games Institute: 1. On Wednesday, 20 September from 11AM-12:30PM EDT/UTC+4: Emerging Voices in Black Game Studies <https://uwaterloo.ca/games-institute/events/panel-emerging-voices-black-games-studies>, featuring Dr. Akil Fletcher, Cyan DeVeaux, and Dr. Steven Dashiell. Register for free using this Eventbrite link <https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/710305652327?aff=oddtdtcreator>. This panel highlights emerging scholars in Black game studies. Panelists will present recent and/or ongoing work, sharing a glimpse of the emerging research questions animating the field. Topics include Black worldbuilding in and across games (Fletcher), perceptions of Black male exceptionalism in gaming cultures (Dashiell), and the relationship between avatar representation and Black user experience in social VR (DeVeaux). 2. On Monday, 25 September from 1PM-2:30PM EDT/UTC+4: Black Virtuality <https://uwaterloo.ca/games-institute/events/panel-emerging-voices-black-games-studies>, a lecture by A.M. Darke. Register for free using this Eventbrite link <https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/710316966167?aff=oddtdtcreator>. Across digital media, Black people are portrayed in ways that are derogatory and harmful–if we are depicted at all. The representation of afro-textured hair is noticeably limited, with options ranging from comically large afros, unstyled “dread” locs, and misshapen cornrows. Through projects like ‘Ye or Nay? and the Open Source Afro Hair Library, artist A.M. Darke explores the consumption of Black bodies and the construction of a Black virtuality. In this talk, Darke shares a critical and liberatory approach for engaging marginalized communities in games and digital media. Best regards, Gerald