Meet Samantha!
The Interview
My name is Samantha, and I am a stay at home of three children, two boys and a girl! My oldest Devin, is 13 years old, next is my only daughter, Alyssa who is 9 and my littlest one is named Dylan who is 3. We also have a dog, Tyson, and he’s a 14 year old Shih Tzu. We currently live in Anchorage AK, but have lived in Baton Rouge, LA, Houston, TX and Madison, AL. We move a lot due to my husband’s job. I have a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and I hope to pursue getting my Master of Science in Child Psychology in the future. When I’m not gaming, I love to sew, especially costumes for my kids, scrapbooking, card making, painting and photography. I really love being creative and participating in thoughtful activities.
Social Media
-Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/sim-antha
-Twitter: @samgibbyb
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/samgibbyb
-Instagram: @samgibbyb
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/official_simantha (weekly streams coming soon here)
BGGC: Tell us your stream schedule if you have one/stream! As well as information about the games you stream and the focus of your channel and what systems you play on (Console/PC, etc.)
Samantha: As a content creator, I upload daily on youtube, and stream weekly on Fridays from 5-7 AKDT (which more often goes over lol!) I am currently implementing a second weekly stream which will be on Wednesdays. I hope to start streaming on Twitch in June! I mostly play Sims 4 and mobile games, such as SimCity BuildIt and Last Day on Earth. I also sprinkle in console gaming in my schedule. I currently own an Xbox One X, and a Nintendo Switch (also have my old Wii and Playstation 2, but they don’t get played with as much). I mostly love simulation and RPG games, so I mostly play those on my channel. Examples would be Sims 4, Final Fantasy, Planet Coaster, Walking Dead, Batman, etc., but honestly there is a great variety I’ve played on my channel. I’ve also done tutorials on the Sims 4, machinimas, mod reviews, vlogs and unboxings!
BGGC: Describe your favorite games that you grew up playing!
Samantha: BY FAR my favorite game I played growing up would be Super Mario 2 & 3! I also loved playing Mortal Kombat and Star Fox. Kirby’s Dream Land, Madden, Donkey Kong, Mario 64, and Sonic the Hedgehog
BGGC: What does gaming mean to you and what is its significance in your life as a Black Woman or Woman of Color?
Samantha: Gaming to me is an outlet. I often find that it’s an activity that helps me escape, something that I have to myself, and in a world where so many people depend on you and you are responsible for so many things, sometimes all at once, it’s nice to have a “getaway” all for yourself. Even though all by myself is a “rare” occurrence! As far as gaming for an audience, I’ve always strived to create things that can be positive and thought provoking to the viewers. Things that may can start a conversation or teach valuable lessons. Also, I want to show my younger audience you can have fun with games and make them your own experience, not following the mainstream or trends. In a world where negativity surrounds us on a daily, it’s nice to have an escape and gaming for others allows them to have a positive escape as well. As far as gaming as a black woman, I feel like it’s important for us to have representation in games as well as the streaming and online communities
BGGC: What does motherhood mean to you and how do you balance being a mom with being a gamer? Are your children gamers too? If so, do you play together? How does this influence your relationship with each other? Are there games that you loved as a kid (or currently) that you want to pass on to your children and share with them?
Samantha: I absolutely love being a mother! I love watching my kids grow, learn new experiences, react to new things and I love being able to shape them into future successful adults! There really isn't a balance, being a mom is priority over gaming, but the kids do understand every once in a while mom likes to play video games LOL! But honestly, I strive to keep to a schedule in my household, on certain days I do certain household chores and I squeeze time in for my video gaming. In my office/gaming area, I have extra lounge chairs for the kids, and they are always welcome to come “hang” with me while I’m playing or recording. I make sure they know mom is never too busy gaming to not be with them. My children are definitely gamers! My oldest, Devin, loves playing Fortnite, Splatoon 2, Rainbow Six Siege, and PUBG. He loves games with lots of action. We often play Fortnite together, though he is WAY better than me LOL! Alyssa loves playing Minecraft, Animal Crossing, Pokemon, Cats & Dogs DS and currently a Nintendo Switch game called Snipperclips. She loves thought provoking games that require strategy, and especially puzzle games. She also likes playing games based on decision making, and we often play those games together. Dylan is probably a little gamer in the making, he loves to watch us play, especially when we play together! Gaming together with my kids give us more opportunities to bond, talk about things while playing and just overall have time to laugh and giggle with each other. As crazy as it sounds, we even talk about valuable lessons through video games! Some games just really make you think!! The only game really that has withstood the test of time regarding my childhood would definitely be Super Mario 3! We downloaded it on our wii and still play it together now!
BGGC: Lastly, is there anything else that you would like to include about yourself that isn't mentioned in the prompts listed above?
Samantha: I am also part of the EA Gamechangers Program, have been a game changer a little over a year now. I also I have a discord for my viewers, link here: https://discord.gg/gJZgTQ3. I also love cosplaying, something I want to do more of in the next couple years.