I’ve had the great honor and pleasure over the last few years of learning from Lydia Wehmeyer, our diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) consultant. February is Black History Month, so I asked Lydia a few questions to share in today’s post.
Thank you for all the advice and guidance in 2023! In the gaming community and industry, what was your DEIB highlight last year?
Thank you for the platform for allowing the advice and guidance to be given! In the gaming community and industry, my DEIB highlight last year was connecting mental health and accessibility and inclusion to DEIB. Those two communities are often forgotten in the midst of the diversity that can come within this versatile space.
In the gaming community and industry, what is your greatest DEIB hope for 2024?
My greatest hope for DEIB in 2024 is to focus on the B which is Belonging where we take a bigger look at the organizations, the whole body of the industry to see where we need improvement instead of the individuals themselves because when we look at the at the whole picture, the clearer the outcome can become.
What action taken by a business (in any industry) during Black History Month this year has been meaningful to you?
To be honest, it has been silent this year. With the upcoming election, there has been a lot more focus on the political agenda and with Black History Month happening every single year – it seems difficult in my opinion to bring new content out. However, in our hometown of STL, they have announced an artistic project to bring more art to the community with new murals that will brighten and connect the city no matter what race.
What are a few amazing things you’ve seen other publishers do recently to make positive progress on DEIB?
I’ve seen other publishers feature more women and nonbinary characters on their covers as well as themes to reach other LGBTIQA communities.
What are a few ways that Stonemaier Games can improve our DEIB in 2024?
I would say brainstorm with myself more to figure out more ways to begin utilizing the B (belonging) more. I think we have a lot to offer the community and lead the way on how equitable communication such as this simple blog can impact readers.
What’s one simple action any business can take to improve their DEIB today?
Be unapologetically genuine. Come up with a mission statement of your values of why you want DEIB to reflect in your organization and implement it. Actions speak louder than words. Be the business that you want your business to be. That’s the way that DEIB will be successful.
Thank you, Lydia! I really appreciate these public insights and all of the private feedback and guidance you’ve provided to Stonemaier Games as we seek to bring joy to tabletops worldwide.
Visit here for more resources about DEIB in the tabletop industry and community. This page includes a form that has yielded huge results in connecting with organizations that use tabletop games for events, gatherings, and education within marginalized/underrepresented communities. We’ve donated nearly 1000 games thanks to this form alone.
4 Comments on “Black History Month, DEIB, and Small Businesses”
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Great read!
Spot on Lydia, it does feel like companies are afraid to engage with BHM and are staying silent on DEIB in general. I love your emphasis on B and totally agree – I love seeing how the gaming community has grown and evolved over the past few years. There is a real opportunity for companies in this industry to pull up, collaborate, and create more equity and belonging for the whole table.
Thank you Lydia and SM for making space for such important conversations!
Thanks Lydia, one of the core pillars in the company I work for is Gender and Economic Inclusion (GEI) but I think DEIB is even better. I fully agree with your more “inclusive” approach to inclusion and belonging taking on board (no pun intended) non-binary, accessibility and mental health. With the thousands of games produced each year, there is plenty of scope for our community to represent everyone and to provide games that both provide a sense of belonging to groups who are or feel ostracised and escape (even if only temporary) for those suffering from poor mental health and depression. Keep up the great work and thanks to Jamey and all at Stonemaier Games for engaging with you and supporting DEIB.
Thank you for your thoughts, Lydia. I’m happy that SM engages with you in order to be more intentional and impactful with their efforts to build an inclusive gaming community.
Hi Jonathan!
Thank you for the kind words. The key word here is intentional. We can always put our things but if there is no purpose – then there really is no reason for this work to even exist.
Thank you again just for taking your time to read. It means a lot