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Post Arcade chatted with her via email to find out more about the new GDC program, what it aims to do for the industry, and where Canada sits on the global stage when it comes to diversity in games.

Post Arcade: Why were you chosen by the Diversity in Games Alliance?

Jill Murray: We’re seeing growing support and opportunity for aspiring developers from non-traditional backgrounds, and those just starting their careers. But new and complex needs arise as those same developers mature and enter mid-career, and encounter the challenges of moving into leadership roles. Programs like Amplifying New Voices, which are aimed at mid-career developers who differ from the norm, can help provide support, training and solidarity during these transitions.

Discoglobe Interactive has a mandate to hire teams of diverse writers, building on my own reputation for including diverse characters in games and representing them well – something that can still be controversial in games and other media, as recent movements like #OscarsSoWhite have helped to highlight. All the participants in this workshop are similarly invested, each in their own way, whether they’re independent or working within larger organizations.

What is this bootcamp intended to accomplish for those who attend?

This bootcamp specifically addresses the role of speaking engagements – and speaking out – in industry leadership.

Among peers, participants are given an opportunity to define the issues for which they have the most passion and expertise – topics range from the technical, to the creative, to soft skills and diversity itself – to develop our public voices, and the materials to support us in speaking.