Meet Shannon!
The Interview
Hi! I'm Shannon, a Black, 33 year old, Stay at home Mom, Gamer and Twitch Affiliate. I've got 3 wonderful girls, all gamers in training. They're 12 years old, 4 years old, and 2 years old.
Social Media
You can find me on Twitter as RuiGold and Twitch as MsShannonIfYoureNasty!
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.)
Shannon: Right now, I'm taking a bit of a Mental Health Hiatus, so my streaming schedule is nonexistent. I usually start streaming after the youngest two are in bed, which translates to about 8-9pm CST (UTC -6) Tuesdays and Thursdays. I play a bunch of different PC games from The Sims 4 to Mass Effect 3/Mass Effect: Andromeda to The Division and whatever else catches my fancy.
BGGC: Describe your favorite games that you grew up playing!
Shannon: I was born and raised playing Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition, which is a tabletop RPG, and to this day is one of my favorites. Anything that engages my imagination and creativity is always high on my list. That being said, I did spend alot of time on GTA 3 in highschool. The Sims has been a mainstay since the very beginning.
BGGC: What does gaming mean to you and what is its significance in your life as a Black Woman or Woman of Color?
Shannon: Gaming is an important facet of life, honestly. If I had a really hard day and just want to zone out and chill, I can turn on something simple and soothing like Mini Metro and just veg out. Other games engage my need for social interaction or enflame my creativity. The Sims is a method for me to hone and develop my storytelling skills.
And as a Black woman in today's world, gaming can offer a means to step outside of myself, outside of the seeming helplessness and inability to be recognized as a human being, and into the role of someone or something that can affect real, tangible change. I can exist in a world that loves me for who I am, and for what I can do. At least in the games themselves, anyway. Some of the communities are a different story.
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?
Shannon: Being a parent is one of the most difficult jobs in the world to me. It's something that I've always wanted, but now that I'm actually here, it's so much more intense than I ever expected. Motherhood is like putting on a oneperson production of 'It takes a village to raise a child'. Caretaker. Spiritual guide. Teacher. Friend. Disciplinarian. Therapist. All these roles and responsibilities and then having to remember to still be yourself. It can be hard trying to find the time to balance parental duties and personal time/activities. Honestly, it can be almost impossible to find time to just be an adult period.
Now that the girls have a solid sleeping schedule, it's easier to make the time to game. Which is why I stream and game after they go to bed. It gives me the opportunity to have my adult time and space, while still enjoying the games I love.
My Eldest games a bit and we're almost done building a gaming PC for her since her grades are good. She told me that one of her main motivations is so that we can play Minecraft together and she can run alot of the shaders and texture mods that I run. She doesn't know it yet, but I'm also going to preload a full copy of The Sims 4 on there for her as well. She's watched me play the Sims her entire life and wants to 'learn how to play'. Now, we'll be able to sit down together and play. Plus, with her on her own machine, I don't have to worry about her messing up any of my saves or my mods folder!
The Younger ones will probably get to that point some time soon. My 4 year old has already expressed interest in playing some of the games that Sir and I play on PC, and she loves mobile games. Our 2 year old has been studying Sir while he plays Street Fighter and Dragon Ball FighterZ, so we're hoping she takes after him in that regard.