I attended the MagicCon Barcelona on the last weekend of the month of July on the New Perspectives Grant. This New Perspectives program aims to help the Magic Gathering “enthusiasts who belong to historically underrepresented groups.”
The program was organized by the diversity and inclusion team of the Wizards of the Coast. This New Perspectives Grant aims to help individuals from underrepresented backgrounds get the opportunity to go to MagicCon.
These underrepresented background individuals include people from underrepresented ethnicities, sexual identities, genders, military veterans, and people with disabilities. This grant was provided for all MagicCon events in 2023, with the next recipient visiting Vegas in September.
My New Perspective Grant included a 2000 dollar stipend for accommodation, travel costs, other costs related to flying worldwide, and a VIP Badge from Back Lotus to attend the event. Every morning you can chat and have breakfast with notable Wizards and cosplay attendees visiting the program.
I got the opportunity to meet the head designer of Magic: The Gathering, Mark Rosewater, and cosplay attendee, Tappy Toe Claws. MagicCon had hosted exclusive events for Black Lotus attendees, which extended to the grant’s recipients.
These events ranged from an UnSet event hosted by Rosewater and a sealed game that included six packs of Zendikar boosters. The grant asked me for a commemorative photograph with other grant recipients.
I also had the option to provide feedback on the Wizards of the Coast in the event. The feedback was open to each Magic player, regardless of their circumstances or background.
All the events that were exclusive were also optional. I attended the ‘Unknown’ event of Principal Designer Gavin Verhey instead of the Zendikar sealed event. Afterward, I was even given six Zendikar packs by a friendly judge.
The main events were not exclusive at all like Jimmy Wong and Josh Lee Kwai’s game Knights Live did not need any special ticket to attend.
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