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7. Gamers Universe is Chicago’s first youth-led gaming convention
Case: Gamers Universe, youth-led gaming convention Vastaaja: Taylor Bayless
Verkkosivut: https://www.gamersuniverse.org/con-info/schedule
WHAT IS IT ABOUT IN A NUTSHELL AND WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM?
Gamers Universe is Chicago’s first youth-led gaming convention. The inaugural one day event was held on May 28, 2022 at the Harold Washington Library Center, the central downtown branch of the Chicago Public Library (CPL).
The con was created by the Chicago Teen Gamers Guild, a group of eight teens who worked from October 2021 to May 2022 to plan and implement the convention under the mentorship of library staff. While the event was planned by teens aged 14–18, it was important to the group that the event was open to all ages but with an emphasis on highlighting youth voices. All of the programs were selected and planned by the teens. A full list of what was offered can be found on our website.
We have done branch level gaming programming for many years at the library but have never done something related to gaming on a larger scale. Gaming plays a crucial role in the lives of young people. However, it is often dismissed as a waste of time by adults and mainstream culture. Video games in particular are often misunderstood and therefore teen players can feel a stigma or shame related to their interest. We sought to give teens a platform to share their love of gaming and to create a safe, welcoming and accessible community for gamers, which is why the Chicago Teen Gamers Guild was formed.
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