A safe space for Latino gamers

 

POSTED ON Apr 20, 2022

 

Latinx in Gaming is an organization that serves as a platform for Latino gamers to interact and empower each other. According to their website, their goals include providing a centralized hub for all Latino Gaming events and projects and shining the spotlight on content creators within the gaming community.

The organization was originally founded at the Game Developers Conference when its president, Cristina Amaya, was looking for a way to revive the Latino chapter of the International Games Developers Association.

“It’s really interesting to hear the challenges that Latin American game developers face versus one’s overseas,” Gomez told UPROXX. “The issues are astronomically different. Everybody wants to know, ‘How do I get a visa to work at a big company like Ubisoft or Electronic Arts?’ and we’re trying to figure out, ‘Well, how can we help?’”

Elaine Gomez and her fellow Latinx in Gaming co-founder, Fernando Reyes, aspire to make the organization about more than just representation.

Reyes is originally from Mexico and says that finding your place in the gaming community can be especially difficult for immigrants like him. These challenges include learning English to interact with other gamers online and obtaining a work visa to be able to profit from streaming. Providing a safe space for all Latino gamers is one of Reyes’ main goals with the organization.

“It was ridiculous, the amount of challenges that I had to face compared to others. If there’s anything that I could do to prevent other people from going through the same challenges, or, even if they have to go through them, to not go alone,” Reyes told UPROXX.

Diversity can be a challenge for the organization, according to Reyes. He says that there is a very narrow view of what Latinos are, but they can come from diverse backgrounds with different customs, traditions, and dialects.

Gomez was part of the initial group of game developers Amaya recruited. Now the group has more resources and bigger budgets to take on larger projects. Years later, the organization’s purpose remains the same.