Pre-Convention:
Pre Convention Day, Line to pick up passes
My team and I arrived a day early to pick up our passes and were greeted at Esports Stadium by an already long line of people picking up their passes as well, a sign the next few days were going to be crazy! While inside checking in, I saw John of RDCWorld and Keats (@Keatsdidit), so casually blending in with the crowd I almost didn’t recognize them, and people were in line networking, sharing their social media pages, myself included. By the time we left, the line was wrapping around the building and going down the street. Between this, the extensive guest list, and long list of activities and events I was ready to attend and capture, my excitement level was officially boosted. Thankfully, there was a Dream Con app to help make preparing for the experience easier.
Day 1:
As working press, we arrived two hours before doors opened, and just as the previous day, the lines were wrapped around both sides of the venue.
*NOTE: if you get the chance to attend Dream Con in the future, you will make it into the venue*
First destination: the Exhibit Hall, where I saw a sea of Black vendors…a welcome and comforting sight that filled me with pride…an unusual sight for most conventions like this. Another refreshing sight: the featured guests had tables being set up with one key difference…no displayed prices for pictures or autographs! All this added to the anticipation of what was to come. As attendees began to trickle in, we stopped at the official Dream Con merchandise table to grab some things before the rush came in.
Hosts: Bri (Storymodebae) and Ify Ndwiwe
RDC World
First on the list was ‘Welcome to Dream Con with RDC World’ at 3pm. A friend who attended last year informed me that we didn’t want to miss it and the lines can get pretty crazy, so we decided to head to the Main Stage where it was being held. Sure enough, he was right, because the lines had already formed by 2pm and looked like a Chick-Fil-a during lunch hour. As people entered, I took a few photos, including shots of John and Ben of RDCWorld during an interview with Channel 4, Fox News. Then, the show began (right on time!). With the first row reserved for the press, it was cool to start the experience with an up close view. The hosts, Bri, a.k.a. Storymodebae and Ify Nwadiwe, entered, and the crowd roared. Soon after, they introduced RDCWorld to the stage and the crowd went crazy! Each member thanked everyone for coming out, and wished everyone an enjoyable weekend.
Afterwards, we headed to the Sheraton, which was connected to the stadium for ‘The Eezy Hour #EEZYGANG’ I knew it was going to be big because I kept hearing people talk about it while in line for the welcome session. Even during the welcome session, attendees in the crowd were representing Team Eezy Gang, taunting RDCWorld. (This friendly rivalry would be highly apparent throughout the weekend) By the time we got to the location, the room was packed with a line waiting outside the door. If it wasn’t for our press passes, we probably wouldn’t have gotten in. This session had a smaller room, but the energy was powerful enough to fill a huge auditorium. As Berleezy, front man of Eezy Gang, came out, the audience could not control themselves. It was pure love. He introduced the other members as the cheering continued, talked about first starting to work with RDCWorld and then opened the floor for Q&A. I wanted to stay, but with multiple events at the same time, I chose to catch King Vader’s premiere of his new short film, “Hood Jujutsu Kaisen.” After catching the remainder of the film, we went to the press area, where ended up briefly chatting and getting a picture with King Vader. I was also able to get a picture with John of RDCWorld as well.
Next, it was back to the main stage for a session. Along the walk, it hit me that the beautiful thing about Dream Con is the community and each time you walked through the halls, you saw Blerds from all over, cosplaying, gathering footage for their own platforms, doing interviews...it was special. But on this particular walkthrough, I noticed a man in a Powerline costume. Turns out it was actor/host Khelo Thomas, casually walking around. Once again, these are the type of surprises the convention brought. After speaking with him and grabbing a photo, we made it to the session, “Black Women in Nerdy Spaces” hosted by Kiera Please, a cosplayer and content creator. The session was cool as it featured voice actress Anairis Quinones, content creators/streamers, Jazzyguns, Krystalogy, Krystal Shanelle and Ninjayla. They played games and interacted with the crowd.
After grabbing food from one of the vendors, we headed to the highly anticipated Crew Battle: RDCWorld vs. Eezy Gang, in a tournament playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This was literally like being at a sporting event. It was so intense. And it began to run overtime. I didn’t want to leave but I had to because of a scheduled interview slot with Cosplayer/Cosplay Competition Judge, Akakioga.
When we arrived to the press room for the interview, Akakioga was awaiting us. She was in cosplay as expected and had a very calm energy upon introduction. I was nervous going into the interview because I was still having a surreal moment feeling fortunate that I had this opportunity. The interview went very well though. We spoke about her history with cosplay and how she approached it, and even debunked some views regarding the cost to get into cosplay. Most importantly, we spoke about the importance of conventions like Dream Con and how it allows Black people to feel comfortable to be themselves in these environments. (You can watch the interview below)
Afterwards, we had some time to spare so we met up with some friends and walked around the exhibit hall. This time it was more packed with guests and cosplayers walking around. The next event was the Dodgeball Tournament, sponsored by House of Highlights and Pizza Hut. We tried to get in, but couldn’t unless we had passes and apparently, we missed the drop earlier that day while going from session to session. Instead, we went to the Main Stage where it was being livestreamed. They had three teams playing and even the Main Stage was PACKED! The crowd was again divided which made it even more entertaining. We watched and cheered as RDCWorld took the overall victory of the night and won $100,000. By this time it was 10pm. Despite our fatigue, we decided to stop by one more session before leaving, and we saw a short film that one of the celebrity guests was promoting before the dodgeball tournament. It was a good watch and nice way to conclude the first night. Many people left early to get ready for “Club Dream” which was a 21+ event being held nearby. We couldn’t get tickets because they sold out quickly prior to the weekend. In hindsight, we honestly didn’t have room for clothes to dress up and were way too tired to do anything else but rest.
Day 1 could be summed up in one word: surreal. There was so much we didn’t get to see because there were sessions taking place everywhere all at once. We realized we really had to try to be strategic going forward or we would continue to be overwhelmed.
Day 2:
From left to right: Storymodebae, Whyt Manga, Arthell of D’Art Shtajio
Day 2 seemed a little more chill than Day 1. I think people were tired from the initial excitement. I was too, but I wanted to make the most of the convention. And while the app helps plan each day, you’ve got to be prepared to go with the flow because anything can happen. We made it to the first session featuring Arthell From D’ART Shtajio, the first major anime studio in Japan owned by Black animators, and Whyt Manga. Hosted by Storymodebae, the session featured both artists speaking on the Anime Industry and how they navigated it as Black animators. They even created live drawings in front of the audience. It was a good session but we left early to get food before the next event, stopping by the press room along the way to make sure we weren’t missing anything.
Next on our schedule, the “All-Star Smash Tournament,” which was the 4th installment of Dream Con’s Celebrity All-Star Tournament hosted by Ify Nwadiwe. When we first got in, I spotted Khleo Thomas (in regular clothes) playing around with his Snapchat Pixy and I got to chat with him for a few before the event started. Meanwhile, at the same time in the game room, there was a Game tournament amongst the attendees. I tried my best to bounce between each room, but in the end I had to settle in at the Main Stage. As I stated earlier, there was never a moment when nothing was going on…and by that, I mean there was so much going on at the same time it was hard to choose where to go!
Before the finale of the three-hour-long All-Star Smash Tournament, however, there was a special intermission. A video played showing RDCWorld surprising a fan named Alex from the Bronx, NY. It was special because Alex came with the Make-A-Wish foundation and his one wish was to meet RDCWorld. After the video played, RDCWorld came out and brought Alex on stage where he expressed how much the event meant to him and even hyped up the crowd a little. It was a touching moment as Mark reiterated why this convention was important, as it allowed for moments like this where they can connect with their fans.
The tournament concluded with a climactic battle that saw Leland of RDCWorld beat the former champion Cilvanis. Reminiscent of an NBA Finals game, the crowd robustly cheered during each match, then almost stormed the stage when Leland won. After the tournament, I captured some backstage photos of the players, including Leland with his Championship belt, as well as Mark Phillips (a founder of RDCWorld) and Berleezy.
Leland Beats Cilvanis in the Championship match
Backstage with All-Star Smash Bros. Tournament Champion, Leland
Backstage with Breezy (left) and Mark (Right)
Traffic in the hallway after the tournament
After the tournament, the halls were so crowded between people leaving and waiting to come in, we just stayed put, hanging around for “Family Feud” Hosted by Berleezy, which was completely entertaining…from Berleezy coming out in his best Steve Harvey look, to the competition between the celebrity guests and randomly chosen attendees from the crowd. It was like when Black people get together to play Uno, and the rules get changed mid-game. But it was still a good time, and a truly interactive experience that included the Cha-Cha Slide.
Berleezy doing the Cha Cha Slide with the audience
We left Family Feud early to make it to the “Cosplay Contest: hosted Urban Anime Lounge.” This was the second competition I’ve ever witnessed and I was amazed with how creative people get with their costumes. I even got to see Akakioga, one of the judges I interviewed on day one, in her secret cosplay, which was Powerline, from my favorite Disney movie, ‘A Goofy Movie.’ (Powerline was very popular amongst the guests so I felt my community was around).
After the cosplay contest, things seemed to be winding down, but in one of the Halls, a room had been opened for guests to play dodgeball. The game I saw going on was pretty intense. Honestly if I wasn’t working and was able to get my friends together, I might’ve played a match. But they weren’t ready for us.
Between 7:30 and 8, the temperature began to drop so we went outside to view the “Cars & Anime” event where there was music, vendors, and Itasha cars (cars decorated with images of characters from anime, manga, or video games).
The Official Afterparty was the big event of the night, But just like Club Dream, we couldn’t get tickets because they sold out quickly. From what I saw, it was a fun party with Keats and Aff of RDCWorld giving a live performance. Definitely not missing it next time. So we checked the app and ended up at the Sheraton for a session titled “One Stop Shop,” which featured content creator HardstopLucas, of whom I am a fan, as a panelist. The session was motivational as he, along with creators Dices and Metroo, talked about how they started, what kept them going, and the importance of being consistent, and offered attendees plenty of solid advice.
Elsewhere in the Sheraton, after 9pm, I attended “#AnimeAfterDarkCH Live & In Person,” a live event based on a weekly Twitter Space dedicated to conversations about anime/manga topics + Black life. It was interactive and full of comedy. Then it was back to the hotel to power down and charge up for the final day.
Day 3, The Finale:
Day 3 was the bittersweet final day, which we started by snagging some more Dream Con merchandise. We were also able to get a picture with voice actor, Zeno Robinson, known for his work on shows like ‘My Hero Academia’ as Hawks.
Next stop, the Main Stage, for another Gaming Tournament Finals, during which I reflected on how there truly is a lane for everyone at Dream Con, as well as a multitude of ways to make a name for yourself. Although it was the last day, my excitement remained on high, as I secured an extra interview with celebrity guest, Casey Lawrence a.k.a LeanandCuisine. It was exciting because I’ve been following his content for about a decade and had seen him throughout the weekend. So, to meet him up close and speak with him was a special moment. And it came about simply because I asked if there was a chance to interview another guest. You know what they say, “closed mouths don’t get fed.” You can also watch that interview below.
Afterwards, we ran into Akakioga again, in a new Cosplay. We actually saw her each day after our interview, and it was cool that she remembered us. It made that interview on the first day feel less like a business transaction, and more like new friends talking. We even went outside and did a mini photoshoot with her in her Cosplay as Froppy from My Hero Academia.
By this time, we were trying to go to any of the last sessions before the closing ceremony. After all the events over the weekend and many moments captured, it felt appropriate to attend one final seminar titled, “How to Monetize Your Content.” The panelists were more of the executives behind the scenes, and they spoke about how to get connected with brands and other companies. And to my surprise, after the session, none of the executives were trying to rush to the next spot. I heard attendees say, “I know you have to go, but…” and were met with the response of “I’m not going anywhere, I’m here for you.” It really showed that Dream Con was not just about having fun, but also giving back. After speaking with a few of the panelists, we headed to our last stop, the Finale at the Main Stage.
Let me remind you that the session rooms for the Sheraton were a good walk from the main stage (we were getting all our steps in that weekend). The second we re-entered the E-Sports stadium, there was already a line going from check-in, ALL THE WAY to the other side of the building where the Main Stage was. Fortunately, we were able to get inside and witness the weekend conclude from center stage. It really began to hit me as the screens were displaying “Dream Con Finale” It felt like the weekend flew by. While waiting, the magic of Dream Con continued as I met the official media team for the convention, then the Finale began.
The hosts came on stage and highlighted a few memorable moments from the weekend before getting the crowd to chant “RDC!” one last time. RDCWorld came out and expressed gratitude for everyone who attended this year. Then, after offering personal highlights from the weekend, they brought all the Celebrity guests to the stage. I was instantly reminded of how much we missed because there were some guests on stage that we didn’t even get a chance to see or meet. Each guest got a chance to give closing remarks, which included their favorite moments, advice, or a preview of what to expect from them in the future. The weekend then concluded with all the guests taking a group picture and Dream Con was over.
With the conclusion of the weekend, everything began to settle in. I couldn’t believe how much was seen over the course of the weekend. I got to achieve some goals I’ve had for a while, such as meeting creators I’ve wanted to meet for a while, and even speaking with or interviewing them. Dream Con felt like the safest, most judgement-free and supportive space for black nerds. So much fun and networking occurred within three days that you couldn’t help but feel motivated to chase your dreams. People were getting a chance to meet people for the first-time face to face and it was a hub for creativity in all avenues. I can only hope I get the chance to attend Dream Con 2023. The footage I did get was great, but it doesn’t do it justice. You just had to be there.
