College can teach you how to make a game, but not how to survive in games culture or industry as a cis-woman of colour. In my presentation, I will identify the ways in which post-secondary programs can improve on to prepare students for dealing with the toxic parts of games culture that we know exist, but don’t make it onto the syllabus. Using my own personal experience, I will illustrate how these gaps in cultural knowledge can and do negatively impact a student’s experience, both within the program as well as outside of it.
About the presenter
Thadchayani Kupendiran is currently a programming student at George Brown College. Ever since she was young, she has always wanted to make her own games since she had loved playing them. From the story to the game play, she wanted to be in every part of it. Now, she makes her own games and teaches kids how to make their own games. Even after many hardships, she remains passionate and hopes to make a positive difference in the game industry.