{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/63b458521043e00011114396/64feeff7e6f2ad0011fde43a?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Annabel Ashalley-Anthony, founder Melanin Gamers.","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/63b458521043e00011114396/1694972982140-5e293683a4d012c888743920bc9464f7.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>My guest today is a British-Ghanaian writer and advocate for inclusion and diversity in the video game industry. Having graduated from the <strong>University of Westminster</strong> with a degree in creative writing with English literature, she founded <strong>Melanin Gamers</strong>, a support community for people of colour who play video games, or who want to join the game industry but feel unsure that there is a place for them within it.</p><p><br></p><p>The initiative, which has more than four thousand members worldwide, has hosted tournaments, worked alongside <strong>Microsoft</strong> and <strong>The Prince’s Trust</strong>, and in 2020 won <strong>Barnet's Big Idea Entrepreneurial Prize</strong>. That same year my guest’s novel, ‘<strong>A Thousand Natural Shocks</strong>’ was long listed for the<strong> Lucy Cavendish Prize</strong>, Cambridge University’s literary award for unpublished women authors. She currently represents the <strong>Ghanaian Esports Federation</strong> in International Relations.</p><p><br></p><p>Play the console:</p><p><br></p><ul><li><a href=\"https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grand-Theft-Auto-Trilogy-Definitive/dp/B09K7XFFMS/ref=sr_1_3?crid=MSRRVO1LAE37&amp;amp;keywords=Grand+Theft+Auto%253A+San+Andreas&amp;amp;qid=1701036350&amp;amp;s=videogames&amp;amp;sprefix=grand+theft+auto+san+andreas%252Cvideogames%252C123&amp;amp;sr=1-3&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=chewingpixels-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=0b0d31f671403dbd88d869f460ae7329&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas</a></li><li><a href=\"https://www.amazon.co.uk/Assassins-Creed-Ezio-Collection-PS4/dp/B01LXUGJKB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=9BDF468FJI57&amp;amp;keywords=Assassin%E2%80%99s%252BCreed%252BThe%252BEzio%252BCollection&amp;amp;qid=1701036404&amp;amp;s=videogames&amp;amp;sprefix=assassin%252Bs%252Bcreed%252Bthe%252Bezio%252Bcollection%252Cvideogames%252C65&amp;amp;sr=1-1&amp;amp;th=1&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=chewingpixels-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=7cfe2cfa4f990e565bd49498e14d021b&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection</a></li><li><a href=\"https://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Us-Part-I/dp/B0B4D7STV7/ref=sr_1_2?crid=34P6EAMSLXK3R&amp;amp;keywords=The%252BLast%252Bof%252BUs&amp;amp;qid=1701036447&amp;amp;s=videogames&amp;amp;sprefix=the%252Blast%252Bof%252Bus%252Cvideogames%252C160&amp;amp;sr=1-2&amp;amp;th=1&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=chewingpixels-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=284c281e45933170f9f021c2cbf56510&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">The Last of Us</a></li><li><a href=\"https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Sims-4-Xbox-One/dp/B074F2HDRV/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1JE89576UH74R&amp;amp;keywords=the+sims+4&amp;amp;qid=1701036616&amp;amp;s=videogames&amp;amp;sprefix=the+sims+4%252Cvideogames%252C79&amp;amp;sr=1-6&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=chewingpixels-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=62213527fc550cc3c348f75d8ba1a9e9&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">The Sims 4</a></li><li><a href=\"https://www.amazon.co.uk/Apex-Legends-Bloodhound-Xbox-One/dp/B07XYL87HC/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3MN05I7HQWFH0&amp;amp;keywords=Apex%252BLegends&amp;amp;qid=1701036670&amp;amp;s=videogames&amp;amp;sprefix=apex%252Blegends%252Cvideogames%252C135&amp;amp;sr=1-5&amp;amp;th=1&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=chewingpixels-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=7dbda97f8a1d182a9e5c801d9930c441&amp;camp=1634&amp;creative=6738\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Apex Legends</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p>Please consider becoming a Patreon supporter; your small monthly subscription will help to make the podcast sustainable for the long term, and you'll receive bonus content, and access to the My Perfect Console community: <a href=\"https://www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole</a></p>","author_name":"Simon Parkin"}