People of Color needed for magazine article

[MekaC]

Hello to all,

 I'm in the process of doing my 1st peice for Hypergrid Business chose to highlight POC virtual worlds since in a few days it will be Black History Month and I'm a POC as well. You can discuss worlds you like or what its like being POC in a virtual space. If you are interested feel free to give your insight on this topic here or at tcobb@swarzee.com Thank you so very much!

[Scylla Rhiadra]

*bump*

This sounds really interesting and worthwhile.

[Pussycat Catnap]

Brand new resident who's basically joined just to survey us colored folks...

...

...

hmm...

(EDIT: I see you've actually been in SL since September 4th).

 

Edited January 27, 2019 by Pussycat Catnap

[MekaC]

@Scylla RhiadraThank you so very much, hoping to get others to be apart of it💗

@Pussycat Catnap I chose this topic because as a POC and someone who hasn't been in the virtual scene that long it would be a great way to highlight and get to know other folks like me. If your doubting my skin tone I've attached a real life pic of me, it's from this past summer..I don't want folks to get the wrong impression..Im trying to do something positive 😊💟

 

[LittleMe Jewell]

1 hour ago, MekaC said:

 ... someone who hasn't been in the virtual scene that long ... If your doubting my skin tone I've attached a real life pic of me ...

I have absolutely no reason to doubt your RL skin color. I'm responding because of the two phrases I've quoted. 

Since people can pretend to be anyone they want on the internet, including within virtual worlds, I want to at least warn you on assuming that if someone gives you a picture of them, that it is definitely a picture of "them". You will likely run across all sorts of folks inworld, claiming all kinds of things that may or may not really be true. The guy talking sweet to you may not really be single, in RL or in SL. The person claiming to be recovering from some terrible disease, may or may not actually be doing so in RL.  The gal chatting you up and trying to be friends may really be a guy behind the avatar. The person portraying an Asian in SL may or may not really be Asian in RL.  There are plenty of POC inworld that actually have their avatar in a white skin, for various reasons - and vice versa.  In addition to claiming falsehoods in SL, many of those folks will follow it up by offering pictures as proof. However, pictures are easy to pull of the internet and claim as your own.

As I said, this post is not because of any doubt about you, but as a cautionary message to you since you admit to being new to the virtual scene.

[MekaC]

@LittleMe Jewell thank you so much for the kind words💖🌹

I totally understand where your coming from but hopefully there is a person that is willing to open up. I'm not in anyway shape or form trying to do something malicious, just bringing some goodness out there! In fact I created my own grid called Swarzee Learning Center where folks can host meetings, workshops,classes, and presentations. Check it out at http://swarzee.outworldz.net:8002..just launched a week ago 😁

[Selene Gregoire]

So is this PoC event for blacks only or can other PoC attend?

Asking for myself since I am a PoC, I just don't happen to be black.

[MekaC]

@Selene Gregoire thank u for reaching out 💟 👄

Since next month is Black History Month I wanted to get a feel of how things were from people of the Afro Diaspora(whose lineage or part traces back to Africa) but you know what I'm willing to open it up and get words from anyone as long as they are a POC. You can send me your words of site at tcobb@swarzee.com😊

[Scylla Rhiadra]

1 hour ago, MekaC said:

I totally understand where your coming from but hopefully there is a person that is willing to open up. I'm not in anyway shape or form trying to do something malicious, just bringing some goodness out there! In fact I created my own grid called Swarzee Learning Center where folks can host meetings, workshops,classes, and presentations. Check it out at http://swarzee.outworldz.net:8002..just launched a week ago 😁

I'll be really interested to see where you go with this, Meka. I think that an exploration of the experiences of RL POC in SL has the potential to provide some really worthwhile insights.

That said, for reasons laid out by Lil, above, as well as others, you may find this a somewhat fraught project. Documenting the experiences of POC (or women, or members of the LGBTQ community) on a platform that is, in some ways, all about self-representation and exploration is likely to raise some very different issues than you'd face discussing experiences on platforms, such as Twitter, FB, or Skype, that are more securely "anchored" upon "real life" identities. In fact, you may even run across some push back from some who might argue that RL identity is not only irrelevant, but actually out-of-bounds in the context of SL.

But maybe you already know all of this! And there are others who are much more qualified to speak about it than I -- I'd recommend you touch base with Pussycat Catnap, above, to start with : this is a subject to which she has certainly given much thought.

Good luck! I look forward to reading what you produce!

[MekaC]

@Scylla Rhiadra Thank you for the response💖

I totally understand that folks will be somewhat apprehensive on here and that is why I gave my email. Also if they chose to they can give a fictitious name as well..Im not trying to embarrass or humiliate folks I just want to shed light on a topic that a lot of folks may not know. I respect boundaries and limits a million percent!!!

[Pussycat Catnap]

I recommend removing your RL picture. 

In SL the larger social norm is not to Facebook things with RL pics, names, emails, etc. Those are things that will likely detract a lot of people from reaching out rather than aid.

It's the "this is my first post and I want to study all of you" that is usually a taboo in pretty much all online and offline communities.

But we're here, in SL. And I'd recommend looking for folks from within the platform itself.

[MekaC]

@Pussycat Catnap Thank you for your response 💖

I will look and off you or anyone else you know that would be interested feel free to share as well😊

[MekaC]

I just need a few not a lot of folks to participate..probably 1-3 interested parties!

[animats]

On 1/25/2019 at 12:34 PM, MekaC said:

 I'm in the process of doing my 1st peice for Hypergrid Business

I thought Hypergrid Business was shutting down.

[MekaC]

Nope Sir @animats it's still running at the moment😊

[iamyourneighbour]

This forum never fails to amuse 😂

I am not into identity politics but if that's what you want to do fill your boots. I would recommend not having a photo and email to match if you decide to get into level 1 internet bloodsports. 

[MekaC]

@iamyourneighbour it's all good..was trying to do something positive😊

[Selene Gregoire]

5 hours ago, animats said:

I thought Hypergrid Business was shutting down.

She never planned on shutting it down completely. From the article you posted (and I read a few months ago):

 

Quote

I’m going to continue maintaining the site itself, so that the article archives stay up, and all the resources stay available.

I’m also going to do a monthly active grids list — just the list of active grids, not any of the usage stats. I’ll stop updating the list of popular hypergrid destinations, since I’ll no longer have the traffic numbers.

I’ll continue running press releases and guest columns, and the free ads will stay up.

We might do a short news piece or two each month as well.

If someone wants to take over editing Hypergrid Business, drop me a line [redacted]

Or if you want to do a regular column, or reviews of destinations or events, or a how-to advice.

Or if you have an automated way to find new grids and collect stats that I can post instead of doing our stats report.

 

[MekaC]

Thank you Madam @Selene Gregoire👄💗

[Selene Gregoire]

3 minutes ago, MekaC said:

Thank you Madam @Selene Gregoire👄💗

You're welcome. 

[Candice LittleBoots]

People of colour?

I'm eurasian, which colour am I?

Whatever color I am it is not black. So, for that reason, I'm out.

 

[Saturn Venus]

On 25 janvier 2019 at 3:34 PM, MekaC said:

Hello to all,

 I'm in the process of doing my 1st peice for Hypergrid Business chose to highlight POC virtual worlds since in a few days it will be Black History Month and I'm a POC as well. You can discuss worlds you like or what its like being POC in a virtual space. If you are interested feel free to give your insight on this topic here or at tcobb@swarzee.com Thank you so very much!

This is an amazing idea to do! ❤️ 

-----------------------------

Pertaining to the photo you added:

If I may add, you are really pretty 🙂

-----------------------------

On 27 janvier 2019 at 11:28 AM, MekaC said:

I totally understand where your coming from but hopefully there is a person that is willing to open up. I'm not in anyway shape or form trying to do something malicious, just bringing some goodness out there! In fact I created my own grid called Swarzee Learning Center where folks can host meetings, workshops,classes, and presentations. Check it out at http://swarzee.outworldz.net:8002..just launched a week ago 😁

I wish I still had my pc so I could attend this. I've always wanted to do things like this but could never find anything on here. ☹️ & Yes I am a Black POC in real life as well as in SecondLife. I would've loved to attend this. I'm sad. Haha

Edited February 1, 2019 by Aiiyaz
Adding text

[MekaC]

@Aiiyaz Thank ya so very kindly💖👄

No worries the grid is new and not going nowhere😊

 

[MekaC]

@Aiiyaz it's disappointing that there isn't much like that in SL, hopefully others will see it and create more content like it!

[Saturn Venus]

4 minutes ago, MekaC said:

it's disappointing that there isn't much like that in SL, hopefully others will see it and create more content like it!

Yes it is quite disappointing. I agree there should be more things like this in SL. Hopefully in the future it will be!

And not even just for discussing topics like you stated, just to be social in general. Like hangouts basically to talk about whatever for POC (not just Black POC but all POC). Possibly to bond and make friends? Things of that sort. That'd be great.