Diversity in Role Play
Racism, Sexism, and homophobia. These are all tough subjects to face at the game table. Join us as we discuss the impact of discrimination at our game spaces and in our play. Learn best practices for what to do if discrimination does come up in play, and how to address it. We will also discuss what you can learn from diverse play.
- The impact of discrimination in gaming.
- How to deal with discrimination while playing a tabletop RPG.
- Learning about diversity through play.
Kayla Devorak, MS (She|Her)
Assistive Technology Specialist
CASTT Gamers
Kayla sits at the intersection of tech and mental health.
Kayla no longer practices therapy, but instead has used her marriage & family therapy training as a systemic foundation for the work she does in the Assistive Technology realm. She focuses on showcasing mental health assistive technology as well as adaptive gaming (both video and tabletop games). Kayla believes in bottom-up approaches, collaboration, and acknowledging the ways the systems create barriers to access to people of all identities and brings this to every interaction she engages in.
Kayla is currently employed by the PACER Center, Inc as an Assistive Technology Specialist and a STEM coordinator. Kayla offers AT consultations for all individuals, but specializes in mental health, education, and adaptive gaming.
As a STEM coordinator, Kayla is responsible for STEM programming with a focus on engaging middle school to high school students of all marginalized genders through workshops and EXITE Camp (a 5-day STEM camp in the summer). She is also currently working on bringing an adaptive gaming club and STEM TTRPGs to the STEM programming.
She is a founding member of CASTT Gamers, a multidisciplinary community with a focus on the applied, spiritual, and therapeutic applications of Tabletop Role-Playing Games. Kayla creates and produces the CASTT Gamers content including panels, workshops, live streams, and podcasts. She also supports Geek Therapy as a Technology Specialist.
She has appeared on GT Radio as a guest to discuss her and Lara's Kids on Brooms characters, Lexa & Riley (Episode 318). She was recently a guest on GT Radio to discuss Multiverse of Madness (To be released).
Starting June 10th, you can find Kayla playing one half to the Fire Nation/Earth Nation twin siblings in Friday Night CASTT: Avatar Legends RPG actual play. She will also reprise her role of Lexa in S2 of Friday Night CASTT: Yalecapades this Fall!
Kayla's claim to fame is her QA game developer credit for her QA work on Call of Duty: Cold War.
Dr. Brian Quinones LPC, ACS, REBT, RPT-S, BC-TMH
Co-Owner
Gaming Approaches Towards Education, LLC
Timothy Grant Sr. (He|Him)
Program Director
Gaming Approaches Towards Education, LLC
CASTT Gamers
Hi, I am Timothy Grant a man of many hats. The first hat is of Program Director at Gaming Approaches Towards Education, LLC.
Here I run day to day business and cofacilitate therapeutic Role-Playing Games alongside a Licensed therapist. By night I wear the hat of Game Designer.
I am currently working on a few projects, and one of those is with 9th Level Games called Venture Village. A game designed to be ran by parents, teachers, and therapists for kids 5 and up. The third hat is Podcasting and now Live playing Tabletop RPGs on twitch.
You can find me on Shrinks on Bikes as Jimmy over on the Rolling for Change Podcast and as the GM for CASTT Gamer's Avatar game on Friday Night CASTT!
Tinelle Evans Reno LPCC (She|Her)
Licensed Therapist
Journey
CASTT Gamers
I use role play games for therapeutic purposes to explore identity with the LGBTQIA community.
