Black History Month took place across the UK this October, a chance to recognise and celebrate the invaluable contributions of black people to British society while also serving as an opportunity to inspire and empower future generations.
The theme for this year was ‘Saluting Our Sisters’, paying homage to black women from past and present who have often had their contributions ignored, ideas appropriated, and voices silenced but have challenged adversity to succeed.
At Talewind, we’ve marked the occasion by sharing resources throughout the month in our dedicated ‘Equity, Diversity & Inclusion’ Slack channel, including:
Information on BHM events hosted by companies within the gaming community such as BAFTA, Activation Blizzard & Twitch.
Articles from activists and thought leaders in the black community, such as this one from Ateh Jewel.
Information around Black Pound Day and platforms such as Jamii which promote black-owned businesses.
Black women from past and present who have fought for equality such as Doreen Lawrence, Lady Phyll and Olive Morris. You can find a more comprehensive list here.
Organisations Leading The Way
Wider afield, there are many organisations and individuals within the gaming industry doing great things to amplify the voices of people of colour, such as:
Melanin Gamers: Melanin Gamers is dedicated to increasing diversity and inclusion in the video games industry so that it reflects all who are part of it. It’s more than a gaming community – it’s a show of support and an online and in real life community for people of colour to come together, share ideas and feel represented. They host online and in person events all year round, as well as producing their very own podcast.
Black Girl Gamers: Since its foundation in 2015, Black Girl Gamers (BGG) has grown from a small Facebook group into a thriving collective of 8,000+ black women around the globe, all with a shared passion for gaming and a shared ambition to make impact on it. Across content, events, education, consulting and talent, BGG partners with brands throughout the gaming space (Google, Facebook, Netflix, etc.) and gaming communities to grow the influence, representation, equity and experience of black women in gaming. Check them out on Twitch and Twitter for the latest events & news.
BAME in Games: BAME in Games, also known as BiG, is a grass-roots, advocacy group, dedicated to improving ethnic diversity and encouraging minorities to work within the games and broader entertainment industry. Founded in 2016, BiG has since developed into a professional network, celebrating and cultivating diverse talent within the UK. As an advocacy group, BiG is a volunteer-led organisation, open to everyone who cares about equality within the industry.
Jennifer Lufau: Jennifer joined Sophie Vo on the Rise and Play podcast (this episode entitled ‘How to Approach Racism’) where she shared her journey as a young player, not finding representation of herself in games, and what motivated her to later fund the non-profit organisation Afrogameuses.
How Can We Do Better?
However, it’s important to note that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to increase diversity within the gaming industry and games themselves. According to UKIE’s 2022 UK Games Industry Census, 10% of people working in games are black, Asian or minority ethnic. Although this is a slightly higher percentage than in the national working population, there are still barriers that those from the black community face when progressing in their careers, with representation notably less in senior roles.
So how can studios ensure that they are inclusive and offering opportunities to those from the black community? Here are some places to start:
Sign up to UKIE’s #Raisethegame Pledge, which aims to increase diversity at every level of the gaming industry by recruiting as fairly and as widely as possible. The pledge holds studios accountable to be more inclusive by educating and inspiring people to take more personal responsibility for promoting diversity.
Create an Employee Resource Group for the staff in your studio who are from the black community. ERGs are crucial to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within a company. This is because they create a safe space for employees to connect with others who share similar experiences and to discuss the issues that affect them as individuals and employees. Staff networks also provide opportunities for personal and professional development, which can lead to increased employee engagement and retention, as well as (equally importantly) increased job engagement and satisfaction!
Recruit from diverse pools of talent. Proactively connecting with diverse talent is key to creating an inclusive culture at your studio, as well as promoting diversity and inclusion at all levels of your organisation. This article from UKIE on ‘How to Recruit Diversely Within the Games Inustry’ and Games Industry Biz’ article on ‘Best Practices to Hire and Retain Diverse Talent’ are great resources to read through.
Black History Month & Beyond
Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate and mark moments in black history that have brought us to where we are today. However, it’s important to recognise that our support of black communities and work to encourage diversity and inclusion within gaming (and wider afield) must continue throughout the year to be truly impactful. As a company, we’re committed to building a diverse team and making Talewind as inclusive as possible for those from all walks of life.
As individuals, there are many ways you can become a better ally – from understanding white privilege to using books, podcasts and documentaries to educate yourself on anti-racism. But in addition to all of these incredibly important actions, supporting charities that do great work in Black communities across the UK could make the biggest impact. Here’s a list of some organisations you can support, amplify and champion:
Stop Hate UK: A charity which provides independent support to those affected by hate crime and challenge all forms of discrimination.
UK Black Pride: An organisation that advocates, fights for, supports and celebrates LGBTQ people of colour.
StopWatch UK: A national research and action organisation that works to promote fair, effective and accountable policing.
Black Minds Matter: An organisation that provides free mental health resources and therapy for the black community. Donations go towards linking black families and individuals with black therapists and provide free sessions for those in need.
If you work in a HR, People or Operations role in the games industry and would like to share information on how your studio is committed to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, join our Games HR / Ops Network. With over 100 members from studios across the UK, the platform is used to share knowledge and best practices (and we host the occasional meet up too!) If you’d like to find out more, reach out to: bronwen.ellis@talewind.co.uk.
Bronwen Ellis (she/her)
Studio Operations Manager @ Talewind