Leon Winkler

One application. That’s all it took. In the latest edition of Black Game Pros Sessions, Eugene Rivers II (@gene_lantern ) shared how applying to a role he almost overlooked completely changed his life. Not because it was luck. Because everything he had done up until that moment… lined up. The skills. The experience. The way he understood people, partnerships, and business. And when the right opportunity showed up, it clicked instantly. What he thought was a side quest… turned into a whole new chapter. That’s the part people don’t talk about enough. We spend a lot of time trying to plan the perfect next move. But sometimes the move is already in front of you. You just don’t recognize it yet. So here’s the real question: - Are you actually ready when that moment shows up? - Or are you still waiting until everything feels “perfect”? Because chances are… it never will. BGPS exists to surface these moments. Real stories. Real paths. No shortcuts. Curious to hear from you: What was a “side quest” in your life that turned into something much bigger?

Some people think cosplay is just dressing up. It’s not. For a lot of people, it’s stepping into a story that never made space for them… and claiming it anyway. No permission. No invitation. Just presence. And in that moment, something shifts. Because it quietly says: “I belong in this story too.” Not louder than anyone else. Not more deserving. Just… equally. And that’s where it gets uncomfortable. Because it forces a question most people don’t even realize they’re carrying: Did we love these characters for who they are… or for what they’ve always looked like? That question cuts deeper than expected. Because representation isn’t just about being seen. It challenges the defaults we’ve been accepting for years. A powerful moment from my conversation with @tonyweaverjr on Black Game Pros Sessions.

I just had a wonderful conversation with @tonyweaverjr for this week’s edition of Black Game Pros Sessions. Confidence is a funny thing. People often assume it arrives fully formed. Like some people are simply born with it. They’re not. Confidence is built. Through failure. Through awkward rooms. Through being underestimated. Through choosing yourself before the world does. It comes from surviving moments that should have broken you and realizing… you’re still here. Still standing. Still building. Still becoming. Maybe confidence isn’t about never doubting yourself. Maybe it’s about moving anyway. #BlackGamePros #BGPS #TonyWeaverJr #Leadership

April is stacked. This month on Black Game Pros Sessions, we’re bringing together four voices that don’t just talk about change… they’ve lived it, built it, and pushed through it. From community builders to storytellers to culture shapers, this lineup is about one thing: Turning voice into power. 🎙️ April Guests • Moustapha N’Dome / @mouss_otakool (@ubisoft ) - Thursday April 9th • Chris Robinson / @deafgamerstv (DeafGamersTV) - Wednesday April 15th • Leah Newman (@blizzard ) - Wednesday April 22nd • Tony Weaver Jr. / @tonyweaverjr (Weird Enough Productions) - Wednesday April 29th Different paths. Different perspectives. One shared reality: the industry doesn’t move forward unless people step up and make it move. BGPS was built to amplify those stories. Not the polished version. The real version. The doubts. The pivots. The moments where things could’ve gone left… but didn’t. Because that’s what people actually need to see. And the proof is already there. We’re not building an audience. We’re building a room full of operators, creators, and decision-makers who show up, stay engaged, and come back. That’s where the real value is. If you’ve been following, you already know the energy. If you haven’t, this is a good month to tap in. Let’s build. #BGPS #BlackGamePros #GamingIndustry #Representation #Community #Leadership #VoiceToPower

There are moments in this industry that can shape people forever. One of them was Gamergate 2.0. What struck me during my conversation with Kim Belair / @bagelofdeath wasn’t just what she went through during that period, but what she chose to do after. She didn’t disappear. She didn’t shrink herself to fit a quieter version of the industry. She didn’t let that moment define her ceiling. She kept working. Kept writing. Kept building. And years later, she’s helping shape narratives in games with intention, care, and clarity, while creating space for others to exist more safely in this industry than she once did. That kind of resilience doesn’t come from outrage. It comes from conviction. This conversation reminded me that progress in games hasn’t come from silence, but from people who stayed, endured, and kept pushing the work forward. Grateful to host voices like this on Black Game Pros Sessions. Register for all upcoming Sessions this #BlackHistoryMonth and support the BGPS movement :)

Black History Month felt like the right moment to go a little bigger. So this February, Black Game Pros Sessions doubles up. Four weeks. Four conversations. Four people shaping culture, community, and the future of games in their own way. Week 1 Kim Belair @bagelofdeath Narrative designer, co-founder of Sweet Baby Inc., and one of the sharpest minds in the industry when it comes to storytelling with intention. Week 2 Ryan Johnson @ryanranitup Founder of Cxmmunity. Building real infrastructure for Black and underrepresented talent in gaming and tech. Week 3 Gordon Bellamy @cybercooper A true end boss. Educator, strategist, and one of the most respected voices at the intersection of games, ethics, and impact. Week 4 iAsia Brown @tech_picasso Consultant, creator, and connector. Moving culture forward by design, not by accident. Four Sessions. Live. Open. Honest. No panels. No PR polish. Just real stories, real paths, real people. Registration links are in the bio. Pull up, support, and share with someone who needs to see what’s possible. #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackGamePros #BGPS #RepresentationMatters #GamingCulture #communityoverclout

During yesterday’s Black Game Pros Session with Tiffany Onyeyiriuche, I asked what representation in gaming means to her. For a long time, representation was framed as a “nice to have.” A bonus. An extra. A box to tick. But this conversation was a reminder of what it really is. Representation is the moment someone realizes they exist in a world they love. Not as an afterthought. Not as a stereotype. But as themselves. When a player finally sees a character that looks like them, sounds like them, moves like them, something shifts. It’s no longer just a game. It becomes belonging. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: if people don’t feel seen, they will eventually disengage. Emotionally first. Financially next. Time, attention, loyalty; none of it is guaranteed. That’s why representation isn’t about optics or politics. It’s about respect for your audience. Next week’s session features Kim Belair: https://lnkd.in/edmteJfT

Giving people their flowers while they can still smell them matters. This conversation with @jayannlopez_ , founder of Black Girl Gamers, is now live. Jay-Ann is one of the original blueprint builders. Long before gaming crossed into lifestyle, culture, and identity, she was already doing the work. Building space. Protecting it. And showing what was possible when you stop waiting for permission. This session is about community, legacy, and what it really takes to build something that lasts. Watch the full conversation.

Finding Your Unique Voice in the Industry. In this short clip from yesterday's Black Game Pros Session, award winning actor and voice actor Eli Harris speaks on finding and embracing his unique voice. It all starts with accepting who you are and what makes you unique, deciding which direction you want to take, and then going full steam ahead to reach your goal. He says: "Find your own voice in this business and make it your own." A big thank you to the amazing Eli Harris for sharing all this knowledge. Follow me for more amazing Black Game Pros Sessions coming up soon.

One of the standout moments today was @mr.eli.harris talking about the exact moment he understood his voice was his superpower. Grateful to Eli for sharing some of his amazing knowledge and stories and to @tnicolepr for helping turn episode 7 into another special moment…

It's been a whirlwind of projects and meetings, so while I am trying to play catch up with major announcements coming this week and next week, I may as well start with an epic podcast that I'll be on, on @linkedin live with a good buddy of mine, @drsleon from @ubisoft where we'll be talking about my journey in the industry, relationships, projects and the importance of being authentic and genuine. Leon has led award-winning global productions like Ubisoft Forward, E3, and @gamescom , and has even hosted his own @ted -Talk called "The Upgraded Nerd." He also co-created the Black Game Pros Initiative to spotlight and celebrate the incredible people of color that are leaders and shaping our industry to inspire the next generation by showing what’s possible, so to be interviewed by someone with his prestige is an honor. You can click on the link below to tune in and hear what we delve into and nerd out, while also dropping some jewels. /events/7399368311429361664/ #stayTuned #iameliharris #voiceactor #Gaming #videogames #awardwinning #podcast #Ubisoft #blackgamepros #blackexcellence #linkedinmarketing #LastFlag #GameAwards #GamesBeat

@_nataliahinds about creating a Legacy in Voice Directing