Thread by @TheDovetailor

So, I am still not home yet from @bigbadcon. Many farewells have been said, but none of these are endings. I am overwhelmed with gratitude, more assured of who I am in ttrpgs spaces, filled with love, and alight with the desire to push even further then we already did this year.

First: in case anyone wants to read it, here is the transcript of the Keynote Speech I delivered during the opening ceremonies. I will edit the title and such of this when I am not working out of my tablet. link.medium.com/hXOjgbykAub

This year marked being on the other side of the fence for me. I am not a recipient of the scholarship now: I was part of the Programming Committee that paved the way for as many scholars as we could. Walking the floors and connecting with scholars was such a powerful experience.

Being able to be part of the process of holding the door open for more of my own, guiding them through the process of building their own networks, and providing a space for their thoughts and feelings was deeply inspiring. It's a glimpse into what we all want: to own the room.

On the other hand, meeting with our sponsors and the industry professionals - seeing how excited they were to meet this next wave of power and diversity in the space, and seeing how ready they were to uplift us - was a deep assurance that we do, indeed, belong.

Thank you @ajitgeorgeSB and @the_strix to continue to believe in who I am, and what I am capable of. I would be lost without the two of you. Thank you to @SeanNittner for being in our corner - you worked your magic and kept all of us in your heart every step of the way.

To @AJoyce_Rivera @justicearman @elwarius @CarlosCrits @SurenaXMarie - I am so glad that I met you all in person. Getting to bask in the brilliance and warmth of your presence, and watching you all kick ass as my fellow Programming Committee members was breathtaking.

And here's a special tweet for @nonagondice - you are, indeed, sister to me. I love you, and will always and ever be in your corner. We will walk our paths together, and the oceans between us at any given point in time will never destroy our relationship.

I love each and every scholar, and amexcited to see what you are all going to do for our spaces! For @TanShaoHan @ehronlime and @BabblegumSam in particular: #RPGSEA would not be what it is without you. To @momatoes and my fiance @diwataMANILA - I hope to see you next year.

Seeing friends like @Alastorgv @BasheerGhouse @MothLands @GermanCityGirl @GaySpaceshipGms @NJekich @NinjaPenguinAM @tgurantz and properly meeting folks like @hello_malika @Mistletoetrex @BGGameWorks @MauricePoplar, @jeeyonshim regardless of how brief it was, filled my heart.

@KP11Studios - thank you for telling me that you love my laugh. Seeing how you captured me in photographs makes me remember that yes, I am beautiful, and I am exactly enough. @sailorsctaustin @bananachangames - my only wish is that we could have hung out properly!

And of course here's a special mention to @nirele and @DeckNine_Felice as some of my co-writers from Journeys Through the Radiant Citadel. Breaking bread, and sharing laughs and dreams with the both of you has been. Let's do more awesome things together!

@TaylorAnnNx - we got to hang out so much and I am glad for it. I wish you luck with your plan to bring PoCs in the UK together and am ready to help in any way that I can. @wildrosemage - words can't express my joy at meeting you, someone who made me a better designer, in person.

To @matthewmercer @SpenserStarke @DarcyLRoss @toriariaria @donatoclassic @eddievegas - I had wonderful, enlightening, and empowering conversations with each of you. From the bottom of my heart: thank you for supporting me and so many others in this space.

There are so many others I could tag here, given all the tiny interactions I had during the convention. Please know that I love you all, and I mean it when I say: let's keep in touch. You all have my Twitter, and yes, I am on discord. Please, reach out. I'll reach out to you too.

When I am settled, I will send out those emailed or DMed copies of the Elements of TTRPGs handout. You don't have to have been at BBC to get one. Some of you folks have asked - if anyone else wants a copy, let me know.

These things will have their own threads in the near future:

+ I will be giving out invites for #RPGSEA folks looking for a Discord space.
+ I will be offering slots for what mentorship/advice I can offer other PoCs
+ I will prep for writer sprints/coffee time over online calls.

I said it in my Keynote Speech and have told this to many folks who asked me on the floors: our scholarship program is all about giving space to POCs who don't yet have the access they need to be professionals in ttrpgs spaces, and uplifting each other.

To us PoCs who are in a little more comfortable positions in the spaces, myself included - it falls to us to keep the ladders down, let more of our peers take up space with us, and shine light on the even more underrepresented or basically invisible members of our communities.

Strix told us during the dinner: Please don't leave her alone. Ajit said: let's own the fucking room. I told all of you: let's make more tables, own more rooms, and rise together.

Here's to 2023.