Presented by Gulf Coast Cosmos Comics
Too Black, Too Strong
What Video Games Can Teach Us About Activism and Resilience
DreamCon 2026
PROGRAMMING // COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS // EVENT PRODUCTION
THE SNAPSHOT
EVENT
DreamCon
LOCATION
Houston, TX
YEAR
2026
SERVICES
Programming • Speaker Curation • Sponsorship Strategy • Partnership Development
Originally conceived in December 2025, Too Black, Too Strong brought together Black writers and developers in the video game industry for a conversation exploring the intersection of video games, activism, and representation.
After the panel was accepted in April 2026, The Mighty Hostess developed the programming, coordinated speakers, secured Gulf Coast Cosmos Comics as Presenting Sponsor, and expanded the collaboration with an additional community event and branded activation.
THE PANELISTS
ZAIRE LANIER
Peabody-Award Winning Writer, South of Midnight
BRITTNEY MORRIS
Author & Game Writer, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Slay
CURTIS BAXTER
Game & Comic Book Writer, Marvel
JARORY DE JESUS
Narrative Designer & Founder, Coquito Studios, Saros
MIA GINAÉ
Moderator & Founder of The Mighty Hostess LLC
THE OPPORTUNITY
What happens when we stop treating games as an escape from the world and examine what they can teach us about changing it?
From Malcolm X’s Message to the Grassroots speech influencing the music of Sonic Rush to player-created Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, games have long provided spaces where real-world politics, identity, resistance, and community can emerge through play.
For DreamCon, the goal was to create a conversation centered on the intersection of Black culture, interactive storytelling, activism, and resilience.
Too Black, Too Strong asked what happens when we treat those moments not simply as representation, but as opportunities to examine what games can teach us about challenging systems, building community, and imagining something better.
Video games can teach us how to change the world.
THE STRATEGY
To connect the dots, The Mighty Hostess developed an original program specifically for DreamCon’s Black culture-forward audience and worked with a community sponsor to spread the message.
The discussion centered on six themes identified during development:
Black representation
Resistance narratives
Community storytelling
Digital protest spaces
Player expression
Culture memory
REIMAGINE
Develop a new conversation with an established group of industry leaders.
CONNECT
Use familiar games and characters as entry points into larger conversations around Black culture, politics, and identity.
CHALLENGE
Create space for nuanced discussions around anti-Blackness and the backlash against inclusive storytelling.
GROUND
Connect the convention experience with Houston’s all-Black fandom community through an aligned partner.
THE PARTNERSHIP
PRESENTING SPONSOR
THE MIGHTY HOSTESS X GCC COMICS
The Mighty Hostess sought an organization with an authentic connection to Houston’s Black fandom community and was fortunate to connect with Gulf Coast Cosmos Comics (GCC Comics), the only Black-owned comic book shop in Texas.
Approximately one month before the main event, GCC Comics connected with The Mighty Hostess and committed to supporting the DreamCon activation as its Presenting Sponsor.
Together, the teams expanded the collaboration with an additional panel hosted at GCCC Comics the morning of the convention programming, plus a branded giveaway designed to introduce convention attendees to the local shop.
THE EXECUTION
Over five months, The Mighty Hostess collaborated with speakers and partners to bring the DreamCon panel to life.
THE EXPERIENCE
One day. Two conversations. One community.
Promotional Event Flyer
Presentation Excerpt
THE IMPACT
Too Black, Too Strong demonstrated the power of developing programming and partnerships with cultural alignment at the center.
What began as a DreamCon panel grew into a collaboration connecting creators, audiences, a major fandom convention, and a local Black-owned business. A chance to create opportunities for conversation and community both inside and outside the convention walls.
2
Live Programs in One Day
PACKED
DreamCon Panel
$2,500
Sponsorship Secured
