GDC 2025 Session Viewer
Skins in the Game: Indigenous Storytelling in Cyberspace
Nancy Townsend (Associate Director, Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace)
Vanessa Racine (Skins Coordinator, Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace)
Maxime Perreault (Skins Workshop Instructor, Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace)
Destiny Chescappio (Skins Workshop Instructor, Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace)
Taylor McArthur (Skins Workshop Instructor, Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace)
Margaret Summers (Skins Workshop Instructor, Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace)
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Core Pass, Summits Pass, Expo Pass, Audio Pass, Indie Games Summit Pass - Get your pass now!
Track: Advocacy
Format: Lecture
Vault Recording: TBD
Audience Level: All
The Skins Workshops, hosted by Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace (AbTeC), encourages Indigenous youth to continue traditions of storytelling in new, innovative ways. This session covers the history and findings from the Skins Workshops in relation to self-determination in creating and diversifying Indigenous media, including video games, experimental media and more. In teaching over 74 workshops to 1,178 participants and counting (with a majority Indigenous staff as facilitators), the Skins Workshops fosters learning environments to underrepresented groups in an ever-competitive, ever-growing industry. Speakers will present the Skins Workshop's framework in decolonizing game design at various stages of development, where weaving in cultural values throughout the process allows participants to challenge stereotypes and bring in new narratives into multi-media platforms.
Takeaway
Attendees will understand the importance of culturally grounded workshops in relation to innovative technology education to communities underrepresented in media. Sharing such tools and knowledge is proven to empower Indigenous youth towards STEAM professions that would otherwise be out of reach, while exploring unique narratives that hold cultural value.
Intended Audience
The target audience to this session are current game developers, underrepresented communities, and educators.
While there are no prerequisites necessary, an intermediate understanding of colonial history of the United States and Canada is recommended, as this session is not covering nor providing educational materials on Indigenous history.
