<p>Welcome to our third Community Corner Creator Spotlight! In this article series, we interview two content creators within the <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> community and get their perspectives on various topics. We've covered many creators already, from <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/community-corner-creator-spotlight-uberguitardude-and-cats-and-commander?utm_source=edhrec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UberGuitarDude and Cats and Commanders</a> to <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/community-corner-creator-spotlight-guild-pack-and-kylegathersmagic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Guild Pack and KyleGathersMagic</a>. Today, we are interviewing <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MTGRookies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MTG Rookies</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@GarageTheGathering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Garage The Gathering</a>!</p>
<h2>MTG Rookies</h2>
<p><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/mtgRookies_banner2.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-185147" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/mtgRookies_banner2.jpeg" alt="MTG Rookies Banner" width="652" height="367" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/mtgRookies_banner2.jpeg 2561w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/mtgRookies_banner2-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/mtgRookies_banner2-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/mtgRookies_banner2-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/mtgRookies_banner2-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/mtgRookies_banner2-2048x1152.jpeg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 652px) 100vw, 652px" /></a></p>
<p>Blake and Jake, also known as MTG Rookies, host <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MTGRookies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a YouTube channel</a> and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mtgrookies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a TikTok account</a> where they put on skits, give advice for aspiring <em>Magic</em> players, and provide news about the game as well.</p>
<h2>Who/What introduced you to <em>Magic</em>? What is the first set release you remember playing?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Blake:</strong> I was introduced to <em>Magic</em> from a streamer that I watch, Paymoneywubby. I had some friends who also played, so once I started playing myself, they were great resources for all of the beginner questions that I had. Unfortunately, they did not live nearby, so I had to go down to the local game store for games, but that was also a great experience due to the knowledge and friendliness of the players that I met there. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Jake:</strong> Blake was actually my introduction to <em>Magic</em>! He and his wife taught Bailee and me how to play through a game of Commander. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pantlaza, Sun-Favored" href="#" target="_blank">Pantlaza, Sun-Favored</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> holds a special place in my heart as my learner deck, which Blake graciously let me borrow and play until I got a grasp on the rules. I’m someone who <em>loves</em> learning new things, being with friends, and competing, so I’ve always been a huge fan of strategy games. All I needed was an invitation from a friend and a sick <a href="https://edhrec.com/tags/dinosaurs">Dinosaur</a> deck to get hooked.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Pantlaza, Sun-Favored"></div></div>
<h2>What is your favorite card/commander and why?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Blake:</strong> My favorite commander has been the same for a while, and that is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arcades, the Strategist" href="#" target="_blank">Arcades, the Strategist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I love the fact that you are able to just take these huge walls and throw them at your friends. The built-in card draw is also a nice plus.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arcades, the Strategist"></div></div>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Jake:</strong> I have SO much trouble picking favorites, so I’ll just give a few. My newest commander is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xyris, the Writhing Storm" href="#" target="_blank">Xyris, the Writhing Storm</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which I built specifically because my wife bought me the foil <em>Secret Lair</em> print of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Time Reversal|SLD|1499" href="#" target="_blank">Time Reversal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with the flying goose horse on it.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Time Reversal|SLD|1499"></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">My hope is that it grows into a deck that has a reputation for accelerated gameplay and big swings in momentum, so that everyone sees a ton of their deck and has fun when it’s at the table. The first Commander deck I bought for myself was the <a href="https://edhrec.com/precon/miracle-worker"><em>Miracle Worker</em> precon</a> helmed by <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Aminatou, Veil Piercer" href="#" target="_blank">Aminatou, Veil Piercer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which I’ve heavily upgraded over the last few years. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shark Typhoon" href="#" target="_blank">Shark Typhoon</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Starfield of Nyx" href="#" target="_blank">Starfield of Nyx</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are two strong and absurdly fun cards that I always love to draw into.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Xyris, the Writhing Storm"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Shark Typhoon"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Aminatou, Veil Piercer"></div></div>
<h2>Why do you create content for <em>Magic</em>? What is the goal of your content?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Blake:</strong> Our channel mainly focuses on creating content for beginners to the game, but we also want to make sure that veterans of the game can find enjoyment in it as well. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Jake:</strong> We want to share the joy that can come from every facet of this game: the art, the deckbuilding, the strategy, the gameplay, and the gathering. We hope that this kind of content will invite new players to try <em>Magic</em> and grow to love it as well. When they do, we also want to be a resource that makes learning the game simple, approachable, and fun.</span></p>
<div id="attachment_185144" style="width: 382px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Blake_Photo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-185144" class="size-full wp-image-185144" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Blake_Photo.png" alt="Blake MTG Rookies" width="372" height="496" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Blake_Photo.png 372w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Blake_Photo-225x300.png 225w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 372px) 100vw, 372px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-185144" class="wp-caption-text"><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><strong>Blake of MTG Rookies (photo provided)</strong></span></p></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>What sets your content apart from other creators?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Blake:</strong> As beginners ourselves, we try to bring that energy and perspective into the content that we make. When we started thinking about making <em>Magic</em> content, we noticed there didn’t seem to be a lot of creators making content for beginners who were actually beginners themselves. We saw that and thought beginners might like to see others in the same boat making content about the game they were beginning to love. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Jake:</strong> Since we ourselves are new to the game within the past five years, we are still actively discovering new things. That “rookie experience” colors our content with a sense of discovery, wonder, and fun. And because <em>Magic</em> is always evolving, there will always be new mechanics, art, and characters to learn and connect with - even for vets.</span></p>
<div id="attachment_185146" style="width: 517px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Jake_Photo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-185146" class="size-full wp-image-185146" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Jake_Photo.png" alt="Jake of MTG Rookies" width="507" height="541" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Jake_Photo.png 507w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Jake_Photo-281x300.png 281w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 507px) 100vw, 507px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-185146" class="wp-caption-text"><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><strong>Jake of MTG Rookies.</strong></span></p></div>
<h2>What about life outside <em>Magic</em> influences your content?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Blake:</strong> A lot of the ideas for the skits that we make come from real situations we have run into with our pod. We try to play it up a little, but usually it isn’t too far off from what actually happened. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Jake:</strong> I come from a family of teachers, and I’ve always been a learner, so I love the process of teaching. I find it so rewarding to help others learn new skills and explore new ideas, but also discover new things about themselves as they grow in their character. I’m also a musician, and my wife is an artist (she actually did all of our branding), so we constantly have a hunger to create.</span></p>
<h2>Are you attending any upcoming events where players could meet you?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Blake:</strong> We are planning on attending MagicCon: Atlanta later this year and would love to meet anyone and everyone there. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Jake:</strong> You can find us on TikTok LIVE every Wednesday at 8 p.m. CST! We rate commanders, answer questions, give stuff away, and mostly just yap about <em>Magic</em>.</span></p>
<h2>What is one thing you would change about <em>Magic</em>?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Blake:</strong> It is hard to say what I would want to change with the game without having a long-standing history with it. From the small amount of time I have been playing, though, I have noticed a shift in Magic sets seeming to be more focused on selling product versus focusing on the playerbase and what they want. I am not going to pretend to know the backend business of a TCG, though, so I try not to harp on it too much. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Jake:</strong> Since I entered the game, Universes Beyond has shifted from a dessert to the main course. I don’t foresee Wizards of the Coast completely axing UB, and I’m not advocating for that. However, I would love to see a higher ratio of in-universe sets to UB sets. The feedback from the community seems to support this, as well as releasing fewer sets per year - especially when it comes to standard, because who on Earth can keep up these days?</span></p>
<hr />
<h2>Garage The Gathering</h2>
<div id="attachment_185148" style="width: 1012px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R68078-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-185148" class=" wp-image-185148" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R68078-scaled.jpg" alt="Dom of Garage The Gathering" width="1002" height="668" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R68078-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R68078-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R68078-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R68078-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R68078-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R68078-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1002px) 100vw, 1002px" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-185148" class="wp-caption-text"><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><strong>Dom of Garage The Gathering.</strong></span></p></div>
<p>Dom of Garage the Gathering is a creator who, alongside his buddy Joel, plays <em>Magic</em> from the comfort and familiarity of the garage. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@GarageTheGathering" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Their YouTube channel</a> has nearly 7,800 subscribers invested in the sacred tradition of garage <em>Magic</em>.</p>
<h2>Who or what introduced you to <em>Magic</em>? What is the first set release you remember playing?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Joel (of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@joelaremagic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joel are Magic</a>) actually introduced me back in college! He did that thing </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">where he handed me a box of bulk to make a deck from and then </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">immediately blew me up with a Red Deck Wins monstrosity. Big statement to </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">the game that I still wanted to play after that, haha. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">I came in at the end of the Alara block, so <em>Zendikar</em> is the set I call my true first. So </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">many fond memories of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kor Firewalker" href="#" target="_blank">Kor Firewalker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and Caw-blade.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kor Firewalker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Squadron Hawk"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sword of Feast and Famine"></div></div>
<h2>What is your favorite card/commander and why?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">My absolute <em>favorite</em> card is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Authority of the Consuls" href="#" target="_blank">Authority of the Consuls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I have no idea why that </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">card has so many words on it for one mana, but they all speak to my heart. I </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">like control, I like a long game where I outvalue everyone, and Authority </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">enables that in maybe the best way.</span></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Authority of the Consuls"></div></div>
<h2>Why do you create content for <em>Magic</em>? What is the goal of your content?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I am very fortunate to have made a slew of friends who were already into </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">content creation- so when they started gathering in my garage (get it?) to play, I </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">threatened to start filming them… and they were ok with it. The rest is history!</span></p>
<h2>What sets your content apart from other creators?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Garage is a special place; it represents the part of the Commander pod </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">that doesn’t get enough recognition: the location. The Garage has become </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">its own character in a way, and it sort of informed all the decisions we’ve </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">made along the way. Everything we do is about being a REAL pod and being </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">relatable. It’s almost like the filming is secondary to the camaraderie, which is </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">totally intentional.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R67560-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-185149" src="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R67560-scaled.jpg" alt="Dom of Garage The Gathering 2" width="784" height="1176" srcset="https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R67560-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R67560-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R67560-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R67560-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R67560-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cloudflare.edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Copy_of_D2R67560-1365x2048.jpg 1365w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 784px) 100vw, 784px" /></a></p>
<h2>What about life outside <em>Magic</em> influences your content?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">My biggest influences that seep into GtG content would be my family. It’s </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">really my Garage, you know? That’s my holiday storage, that’s where our </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">keepsakes are put away, where my kids and I play on the weekend. I am so </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">proud of what we’ve built while always making sure to put my wife and kids f</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">irst. Also pretty heavily influenced by food. I love food.</span></p>
<h2>Are you attending any upcoming events where players could meet you?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yeah! Catch me at MagicCon: Atlanta! And stay current on anything else by checking socials.</span></p>
<h2>What is one thing you would change about <em>Magic</em>?</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I would axe Bracket 1 as it’s explained now. Exhibition doesn’t need its own </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">bracket; it’s making everything else worse. I’d also reduce Universes Beyond releases to <em>Secret Lairs</em> only</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p>Read More:</p>
<p>https://edhrec.com/articles/magic-players-honor-tsc-global-awareness-day</p>
<p>https://edhrec.com/articles/an-interview-with-the-metal-band-planeswalker</p>
<p>https://edhrec.com/articles/community-corner-creator-spotlight-guild-pack-and-kylegathersmagic</p>


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Community Corner Creator Spotlight: MTG Rookies and Garage The Gathering

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lena, Selfless Champion" href="#" target="_blank">Lena, Selfless Champion</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="http://www.lucasgraciano.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lucas Graciano</a></em></p>
<p>On December 29th, 2025, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/12/29/black-nerds-magic-the-gathering-community/87846728007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USA TODAY published an article by Rachel Barber</a> titled, "How Black nerds are turning a fantasy card game into real community." You cannot imagine how important this was to the <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> Black creator space. An article about us? An article uplifting and celebrating all of us?</p>
<p>I was a little obsessed. To be honest, we were all a little obsessed.</p>
<p>When I sat down to write this article, I really didn't know what angle to navigate through. I could just reiterate all the things mentioned in the article. I could uplift the same voices mentioned in the article. I didn't like that. I don't like easy things, I guess. I wanted an interesting angle. I sort of figured, as a black, femme-presenting person, all the topics discussed in the article were obvious to me.</p>
<p>That was my mistake, though. I hadn't realized who the audience of that article and the one I'm writing now were. I'm not writing about Blerds (Black nerds) just for Blerds. Marginalized people of any kind know their own circumstances and triumphs - well most of us do.</p>
<p>My article will attempt to explain the effect of things like the USATODAY article on the space and on Blerds - and marginalized people in general.</p>
<h2>The USATODAY Article in Pieces</h2>
<p>First lets discuss some elements to the article.</p>
<h3>The Cookout '26</h3>
<p>The article discusses many different aspects to Black/Nerdy, Blerdy, community. The author discusses how <a href="https://linktr.ee/Blackneto_" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joseph Johnson, or Blackneto</a>'s, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TabletopJocks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TableTopJocks show</a> and Juneteenth Cookout Event has affected the community. The Cookout is a gathering of people playing games - predominantly <em>Magic </em>- and eating good food in celebration of Juneteenth. The 2026 event is June 19-20th and tickets go on sale February 1st, starting at $65. (More information about the 2026 event <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTD-mx9D4bm/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>).</p>
<p>It might not seem like a big deal, the events that Johnson has created here, but I've spoken to many members of the community, creators in the <em>Magic</em> space, and they think otherwise. Notably <a href="https://linktr.ee/highermtg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Higher</a>, a <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/commander-format-panel-update-december-11-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">member of the Commander Format Panel</a>, stated, "To be honest, the work Joe and TableTopJocks are doing really has opened a door that was closed."</p>
<p>There are so few Black nerd spaces. It's hard for Black people to know they feel safe and welcomed into a space. So often, all of us marginalized people have felt left out, or isolated by the community's homogeny. It's hard to find spaces that look and feel like us, especially spaces that want us too.</p>
<p>The Cookout, even it's name, is quintessentially Black. It has culture and community baked in. It is a space designed to make people who are othered - in ways other than just race - feel welcomed. This is so important to expanding the space towards people that aren't the white, cis, heterosexual, competitive men that this game typically attracts.</p>
<h3><em>Magic</em>, Not Mayhem</h3>
<p>The article talks about how <em>Magic</em>, "saved [Keontaye Williams's] life and thinks it could do the same for others." It discusses how Keontaye - better known as <a href="https://linktr.ee/Reversalwizrd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ReversalWizrd</a> - lost three family members to gun violence and launched a nonprofit focused on "gun violence prevention and uplifting his local community through outreach events." He said <em>Magic</em>, "Saved me from basically being swallowed up by the streets."</p>
<p>It is so impactful to see how <em>Magic,</em> or hobbies in general, can contribute to healthy hobbies. Associating Black people with <em>Yu-Gi-OH!</em> and Anime was something I've always jokingly thought. I've never met a Black person who didn't know <em>Yu-Gi-Oh!</em> and/or Goku from <em>Dragon Ball</em>. I'm not kidding. Maybe I'm kidding a little bit, but the media so regularly doesn't represent the prevalent nerdy subculture of Black people. Spaces like ReversalWizrd found is something we should encourage in our youth. It might even save them.</p>
<h3>A Community of Heroes</h3>
<p>In the article, Johnathon Jones - fellow <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/author/kurohitsuki" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EDHREC writer</a>, better known as <a href="https://linktr.ee/Kurohitsuki" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kurohitsuki</a> - tries to "build a community his heroes would be proud of." He discusses the normalization of players as players, not just <em>Black</em> players. Additionally, Kurohitsuki wants Black people to know, "there is an outlet. There is a game out there that allows you to be known for what you do, not just what people perceive you as."</p>
<p>So many young Black men are looking for role models, heroes. We have so few heroes in diverse spaces, like card games. We see them in sports and music, but rarely in professional nerdy spaces.</p>
<p><a href="https://linktr.ee/Mtgdrip?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&amp;ltsid=2ff9df94-09ea-42e3-9eaf-e57d2422adfb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MTGDrip</a> said, "Being a Blerd in competitive tournament <em>Magic</em> is definitely an experience to put it in so many words. The higher I go the thinner the air gets. So when I receive compliments. It's definitely a very quiet cry experience." Being able to see people like us on the pro-tour or people like us at MagicCons is huge for us to have those heroes.</p>
<p><a href="https://linktr.ee/powrdragn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PowrDragn</a>, a former member of the Commander Format Panel, added, "While there are several Blerds that play <em>MTG</em>, there aren't a lot that get promoted heavily. Some of that is due to algorithmic systems simply showing more of what you already consume/interact with, because you're sending signals that you enjoy that. The problem is that if mostly non-Blacks are shared/promoted, that stays the trend. So any chance I get to be more visible, I take it."</p>
<p>We need more heroes like us uplifted so more of us can become the norm in the space.</p>
<h3>Barriers to Entry</h3>
<h4>Cost</h4>
<p>The article talks about the introduction of, "proxies...and the 2019 launch of MTG Arena," and its attempt to erode the barriers to entry into <em>Magic</em> in relationship to its cost. It's not news to discuss the wealth disparity amongst marginalized people, especially Black people. If most Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, imagine what the lower end of that looks like. Expendable income is hard to come by.</p>
<p>And <em>Magic</em> is not a cheap hobby. I regularly use the money I make writing articles to fuel my hobby. Most Black Creators have full time jobs alongside creation. Having options to spend large sums of money is huge in getting marginalized people into the game. Deckbuilding playtesters like <a href="https://moxfield.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moxfield</a> and <a href="https://archidekt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Archidekt</a> are great resources for this as well for playing <em>Magic</em> for free online on <a href="https://spelltable.wizards.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spelltable</a>. These are ways to break down the barriers for marginalized people.</p>
<h4>Stereotypes</h4>
<p>The article discusses how <em>Magic</em> is seen as a white, male-dominated and hyper-competitive hobby. While the majority of its players are, this isn't what the whole community is made of. I love how Johnson puts it in this article: "If you’re pretending to be a wizard, skin color shouldn’t matter."</p>
<p>This idea that someone can't be a magical creature and Black has and always will be an insane "take" to me. Black Wizards - or in the case of <em>Magic</em>, Planeswalkers - should be common place and normalized. We are a part of the community.</p>
<p>Jasmine, the Director of <a href="https://linktr.ee/ondastack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">On Da Stack!</a> said, "When I made ODS, my original intention was to highlight my diverse and interesting <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> playgroup. And also showcase that “nerdy” people do not have to portray stereotypical characteristics."</p>
<p>We all yearn for a space to be seen. It's why <em>Magic</em> TikTok is filled with relatable moments from the game. It's what we love to see. This extends to our identities as well. We want people to look, think, talk like us. Representation like this, lots of it, helps dismantle harmful expectations and stereotypes amongst marginalized communities.</p>
<h4>Marginalized-Owned 3rd Spaces</h4>
<p>The article mentions ReversalWizrd's Black-owned game stores. "He felt it was his duty to attract more players who looked like him." Encouraging more people like us to speak up creates an understood sense of community. Being able to feel safe in a space with you considered, is hugely important. Safe for some isn't safe for everyone. I've felt this most of my life. Nerdy spaces have always been hostile to women.</p>
<p>Being a nerdy person my whole life made it hard, even in Black spaces, to feel safe. Spaces owned by marginalized people made me feel more safe by increment. Everyone needs that understanding and safety.</p>
<p>ReversalWizrd went on to say, "There are so many narratives on television and other things that show people of color, especially Black people, in a bad light, stereotyping is to always be a thug...Black people don't just do these bad things. We're not just all out here playing sports. We're also nerds. We can be whatever we want to be."</p>
<h4>Women</h4>
<p>The article attempts to broach the topic of marginalized femme people in spaces, recounting, "a young woman calling ahead to say she wanted to come in and play, but every time she attended other <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> events, she felt uncomfortable." However, they weren't able to interview a femme on this topic. So I did.</p>
<p><a href="https://linktr.ee/ondastack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jasmine</a> from On Da Stack! said,</p>
<blockquote><p><em>"We recently had a video go off on our socials and the most commented thing was depicted sentiments of shock regarding the mere presence of Black women existing in this space. As a Black woman myself, I was appreciative of the acknowledgement...at first. Then that appreciation turned into a bit of frustration/confusion, I suppose. We are not a monolith. We possess no limitations in our interests or capabilities. And we need more of us in this game to represent that. So now the mission is to draw in others with similar interests who can see themselves in us: just regular friends and family they feel comfortable enough to approach trying something they otherwise wouldn’t have - like </em>Magic<em>." </em></p></blockquote>
<p>No notes. She said it perfectly.</p>
<h2>Conclusions</h2>
<p>When I reached out to the community about this article, <a href="https://www.hopp.bio/hotsinglesinn?utm_source=ig&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=link_in_bio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HotSinglesINN</a> stated, "It's hard to receive validation from people who don't understand that you came into this space at a disadvantage." Which is so tough as a creator in a space like this, let alone existing in the space. They go on to say, "I started playing M<em>agic</em> in a LGS where I was ostracized by the very audience you make content for now."</p>
<p>As creators, we face unique struggles making content for people who might not even like us. Especially when compared through the lens of the success of others that don't face the same inherent opposition.</p>
<p>"Having giants in the nerd community be Black, and proudly so, makes space for people like me to start creating content. Not only that but the acknowledgment from Black creators is validation that we belong here. The kind you cant get anywhere else," HotSinglesINN ended with. So perfectly said.</p>
<p>We see it in the music industry with GloRilla and Sexyy Red featuring on Tyler, The Creator's Sticky and Doechii in Balloon on Chromokopia. It uplifts Black, women rapper's voices. We need to look out for each other.</p>
<p>At least, that's what <em>I</em> think. Tell me what <em>you</em> think! I'm <a href="https://linktr.ee/strixhavendropout" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@strixhavendropout</a>!</p>


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