This essay describes Akil Fletcher's Research Program. Akil's research looks to examine the navigation and expression of black individuals within online gaming spaces, while heavily looking at what forces threaten or allow these spaces to exist. This is because while online spaces may boast a "for everyone" or colorblind ideology, race comes to be a key factor in how online spaces are shaped. Akil has chosen games ideally for this reason because gaming spaces have come to be viewed as predominately white and Asian in the public consciousness—thus examining how black people manage these space will reveal not only how black community is formed and survives online, but will speak to a larger conversation of how individuals online interact in the face of oppressive forces.
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