Dream Con 2024
July 26th-28th, 2024
Austin, TX

 

 

First Dream Convention in the Books: What a Great Time

I’ve heard quite a bit about this convention over the years—some good things and some not so good. However, you have to experience these events for yourself to know what’s really true, and I’m glad I did. I wasn’t planning on attending, but after a colleague recommended I apply for press credentials, I got my life together, submitted my application, and booked the flight and hotel after I was approved (more about this later).

Speaking candidly, in our world of geeks, content creators, and influencers, it’s not uncommon to encounter people who offer critiques (both good and bad) of spaces and events that aren’t easy to put together. We take these spaces for granted, forgetting that not too long ago, they didn’t exist at all. What RDC World has done with Dream Convention is impressive. Few conventions grow this fast, and with that growth comes growing pains, but ultimately, it was a great experience. During the closing ceremony, they made it evident that not only do they hear their patrons, but they have also established feedback loops to ensure they continue improving the overall experience for everyone attending. This was just chapter six. There’s still ample room for improvement (especially regarding RSVPing for events and the different drops), but I’m looking forward to what this convention will grow into in 2025. I have faith they’ll improve on the pain points from previous years and cultivate an experience everyone will be able to enjoy.

One thing I realized pretty quickly is that people come to this con with an array of goals. Some are fans of the talent. Others want to spend their time in the gaming hall. Most of us want to turn up for the parties (lol), and quite a few of us came here to network. Going back to the press credentials, I’m really grateful that they extended the opportunity to be press to outlets that not only have huge followings but also the smaller and emerging outlets (like myself) that are still in the early stages but actively working on building our platforms. Shoutout to all the teams I met in the press room during the con. If you see this, definitely don’t be a stranger, and let’s work on something in the near future. I’m rooting for all of you, large and small.

As an avid con-goer, I found the activations throughout to be solid. Many of them were unapologetically created by and for people of color while simultaneously being inclusive for everyone who attended, regardless of their background. I wish I had spent more time really checking these out. I’ve been to a few cons now, and so far there’s only two that I’ve attended that I feel have done this well (Dream and Blerd). The YouTube Lounge was a highlight for me. Shoutout to the Morehouse fam I connected with while I was in there! I left motivated to up-level some of the content I’ve been working on. They answered a ton of questions and equipped me with some of the tools I need to improve my newest channel (@GXFTD).

The nightlife was pretty lit, lol. E 6th Street held us down this year. The tacos at Tacowey slapped, lol. The camera was usually back and safe at the hotel by the time we hit the streets, so there isn’t much for the after-dark portion of this con, but trust we had a good time. Shoutout to Plus Ultra Entertainment, Shonen Pump, and LAN for hosting some solid parties!

As always…
“I SEE YOU”

That’s the goal. I want everybody to feel seen. Not just the influencers or the cosplayers but any and everybody I feel that enhances the vibes around me. I hope you enjoy these shots.

Feel free to download and share but please credit @GXFTD as the photographer if you’re posting on IG (or @iamGXFTD on Twitter).

Right-Clicking and selecting ¨Open Image In New Tab¨ will allow you to see the larger version of the images (long press if you’re on mobile for the download option).

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