Celebrating Globally Black History Month in the Metaverse 2022
William Jackson, Lead Organizer, Co-organizers
Prof. Aida Jackson (LoveBuilt Life), Captain Natalie Hannans
(WaterGirlRaw) and Dorothy Mlambo, STEM Educator in
South Africa and others have created a wonderful youth,
teen and young adult program.
“Black Meta Fest 2022 Youth & Teen Conference; Kids in the Metaverse”
held in virtual places on the Metaverse in collaboration with Black Meta
Fest 2022. This was the first of its kind, a virtual celebration of Black
History Month held in the US and globally. Celebrating Black, Brown
and African Diaspora in the Metaverse!
The youth and teen conference, attended by youth, teens, young adults
and adults from the United States, Africa, Canada, Jamaica, and other
global locations had an estimated 25 thousand viewers attending
online or watching the live stream across a week of events and
activities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puq3nEBnsuk&t=3s
The event provided adult and youth panel discussions, learning
workshops where youth shared their talents and skills and a NFT
gallery of digital works. Digital animation student Janae, an
accomplished art student at Fort Caroline Middle School of the
Arts, spoke about her love of animation and her future career
as an animator.
Students from Twin Lakes Academy Middle participated sharing
their NFTs that were available for sale. Their works represented
Black History Month and the history of Wendell Scott the first
Black to win #NASCAR races across the country. Prof. Aida Jackson,
a respected instructor and artist displayed her NFT works to an
international audience. Students from South Africa attending
Christopher Meyer Math & Science Centre provided their learning
experiences with robotics, engineering and STEM Education.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w3G51kN9vA&t=1s
The speakers are global influencers, educators and entrepreneurs.
The panel discussions and workshops invited students
and adults to speak on what is the Metaverse and how it will
influence education and business. Understanding what the
relationship of Web 3.0 technologies and how people will
interact with each other, manage their finances and even
attend schools virtually. This was a digital/virtual celebration
of Black History Month that involved those of multiple cultural
backgrounds and African-African American Diaspora.
The Metaverse and Web 3.0 technologies offers possibilities
for people to unite, connect, collaborate, cooperate, and
engage in virtual spaces that permits people to use avatars
to represent themselves in Metaverse spaces. People (avatars)
have the ability to walk, talk, fly and perform phenomenal
physical feats that are remanence of the movie “The Matrix,”
but with avatars.
The conference is an introduction to help parents understand
what the Metaverse is, what NFTs are, how youth, teens and young
adults globally may be affected and influenced with emerging
technologies. This free global event is the first of its kind with more
events planned in the future. Portions of the event were held on
virtual platforms and on Metaverse sites to show the current
evolutions and revolution of immersive places.
Digital works (NFTs) created by students and adults were placed
on sites Crypto Kids Gallery, WaterGirlRaw’s Gallery and Altspaces
to show digital artists, digital creators and digital innovators where
their works can be purchased. The future is NOW for African, Black,
Brown and those of the African-African American Diaspora for
global collaborations and building of digital businesses and
global partnerships.
Black Meta Fest will be offering more workshops and conferences
in the future in the Metaverse and on digital platforms. Juneteenth
is an event that will be presented online in the Metaverse https://blackmeta.io/youth/ will provide workshops and events for
youth, teens and young adults. William Jackson an educator of
33 years, STEAM Educator, Blogger and Podcaster has been preparing
his students at TLAM in developing digital works of Art and movies
to prepare his students for future careers in technology. and on the
Metaverse.
Adult Speaker / Panelists included:
Adaeze Merah (educator),
Henze Gustave (Crypto Zay)
Dorothy Mlambo of Chrissoph Meyer / Mseleni, South Africa /
Christopher Meyer Math & Science Centre
Mendez Holliday, Captain Natalie Hannas (educator)
Youth/Teen Panel Discussion and Workshops:
Bonita Oliver – Parent & Educator
Dorothy Christoph Meyer – Educator Teacher of Presenters
students from South Africa
Aida Correa Jackson – Artist – Professor parent
of Presenter – Janae Brown a student with Duval County Public Schools Natalie Hannahs – Captain in the Civil Air Patrol – Educator
Presenters Kevin Pinckney speaking on Cyber Security
Cadet Tyra Pearson and Cadet Candidate Timothy Pearson Cyber Patriot Experiences
Dave Estes, Crypto-Kids Gallery sharing Crypto Kids Gallery for student
works and NFTs https://www.cryptovoxels.com/play?coords=E@114E,144S
The Streaming site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puq3nEBnsuk