Tracks Blizzard employees across various accounts.
Designing Black Is Magic
"No matter who you are, you can celebrate Black history. You don't have to be Black to enjoy Black stories. Black stories are human stories, and human stories deserve to be told. So, we'll write them, and draw them, speak them, and play with them. Until everyone realizes that Black is not a stereotype, a trauma, or a threat.
Black is magic."
Hi! My name is Sydney. Most of you don't know much about me (which means my methods are holding), but it is my hope that by the end of this article series, you'll feel like you do. I'm a game designer at Wizards of the Coast, and I have had the privilege and honor to be the creative lead for the Black Is MagicSecret Lair drop. I did not do this alone. Every step of the way, this project was lifted by the efforts, desires, and hopes of so many. I'd like to think we each grew as a result. Difficult conversations were had, tears were shed, and ultimately, we ended up here.
Three years ago, I walked into a New York office in Chelsea and taught code to a room filled with intelligent and beautiful little Black girls. For many of them, it was the first time they'd been in a group of their peers. It was also the first time they'd been taught by someone who looked like them. It is an experience I myself have never had. I was still a student at the time, and as I puffed myself up in front of 16-year-olds, trying my best to exude authority, I thought about how much things have changed. Not once in my schooling was game design ever a suggested career path. Realizing this on my own has still been one of the most enlightening experiences of my life. The power of seeing the possibilities and paths forward and then being given the tools to succeed is so powerful at that age. At the end of the day, that experience is what we should aim to foster, not just the potential of the next generation, but the resources and support. It started with Kimberly Bryant wanting to give her daughter a bias-free environment to explore her interest in gaming. She used her own 401K to start the program. Now, Black Girls CODE teaches workshops and classes to girls in underprivileged communities around the world.
Our partnership with Black Girls CODE is not just because of my personal connection to them, but because we seek to encourage and support a new generation of innovators. We need more Black game designers, artists, engineers, and beyond. Black creativity, ingenuity, and innovation deserves to be fostered and celebrated, and it is my hope that the proceeds of this drop will fill more classes with clever little Black girls who just need to know that they have a chance to become innovators in STEM fields.
Black Is Magic seeks to honor Blackness in its beautiful, global entirety, and to celebrate Black history and culture in both Magic: The Gathering and the real world.
But what is Black history?
Is it a 28-day shout that ends in 337 days of silence? A million stories lost to time and oppression? A necessity for progress? I don't think there's a right answer, but I came to my own conclusion as a guiding light for this project. I'd say Black history is the reflection of the lives Black people live. An accurate, unflinching look into the darkest corners of our legacy to find the brightest examples of human excellence. To understand that the past informs our present and that to acknowledge it is to do more than survive its consequences. It is about thriving. It is the celebration of lives well-lived and a profound connection that all Black, African, and African American peoples share. Black stories are global stories.
My hope is that this drop says one thing to Black and Black Magic: The Gathering communities—
"My community."
You are here, you have always been here, you always will be here, and we will fight for you to be here. In our history. In our culture. And in our games.
You can hop between the stories behind the cards (as well as the cards themselves), the introduction to Black Is Magic, and product details here:
So, without further ado, I present to you the first card of the month, Shalai, Voice of Plenty.
Shalai, Voice of Plenty
Serra Angels are the most renowned (not literally) angels in Magic's history. Their giant white and brown-tipped wings are impossible to mistake, and Shalai is one of the most recognized. Shalai is the only Serra Angel of African descent, though her art in the past has been racially ambiguous.
When concepting this card, I thought about who Shalai was at her core. She is an angelic being created to protect, to be a warrior of light, to stand up for those less fortunate. I thought about why she chose to protect the Llannowar elves in the Phyrexian invasion, her most notable achievement. Then I realized, of course she would. In human-dominated Dominaria, Llanowar elves are in some ways, a marginalized group.
Guardian angels have taken many forms in popular media, but in my home, they have always been Black. Representation is very important to us, and my mom always went out of her way to make sure my sister and I grew up with dolls, books, and shows that reflected our colorful lives. Every year for Christmas, my dad uses his superior height to put a Black angel on the top of our tree, and my mom decorates the house with a Black nativity, a diversely populated Christmas village, and Black angel figurines.
Many of the angel figurines cover children with their wings, a visual sign of their protection. In this card, I wanted to imagine who Shalai would protect in our world, and how she'd go about it. The wings of a Serra Angel are special, so I envisioned Shalai spreading her wings wide to shield the innocent, to be like so many women of color and put her heart, soul, and body on the line for her community.
Shalai, Voice of Plenty | Art by: Ernanda Souza
Shalai stares out, looking directly at the danger. She is unafraid, and she is powerful. If you look under her wings, you'll see the silhouette of a small child on either side holding the hand of their parent. The artist of this piece, Ernanda Souza, did a phenomenal job showing the scale of the children and their innocent body language. They also did a great job showing that the danger Shalai is shielding the people from is very real. She is looking straight toward the viewer for a reason. Whatever that danger is, don't worry, she's looking right at it and is prepared to defend you. In a lot of ways, this card is a talisman that I want to put out into the world. We might not find any real-world equivalent of hexproof, but we can try. I want the future generation to be under protection from the generational curses that plague us.
Ponder
It was quiet. It had been the first thing she'd noticed about Rielle's private quarters. Often her world was a cacophony of sound and noise. In the day she might hear the terrifying bellow of a Skyshark. At night she laid awake in fear, wondering if a nightmare from the Indatha might wander in where she slept. Like all children born to bonders, the wilderness of the outposts was not unfamiliar. She knew the perpetual conflict of their existence, the human cities that saw them with hate, and the monsters that sought to devour them. She also knew the joy that came with being truly free. Her older bonder brethren and their bonded protected her, but she was still too young to know the mystical bond of eludha. Instead, she was plagued with these fearful visions that—
"Come child."
The girl startled, realizing she had stood awkwardly at the entrance.
Rielle's kind eyes crinkled with amusement, and she smiled, gesturing for the girl to come closer. She hurried over, sitting quickly, her head bowed.
"I know this is a great honor. My mother wanted me to thank you properly for ridding me of these visions."
"Ridding you?"
She bowed lower. "I—I mean helping me."
Rielle let out a full-bodied laugh, placing her cane down by her side.
"My child, you once asked me how I became so wise," Rielle said. "Do you remember?"
"I remember."
"Good."
The older woman raised a hand, and the girl gasped, jaw dropping in surprise, when blue swirls of magic erupted from her weathered hands.
"How . . . how are you doing that? What is that?"
"The future," Rielle chuckled.
She turned over her palm, and the swirls began to look like the moon. The girl drew closer.
"It's never certain you know. Always changing and shifting. It can never be certain. It is easy to fear the unknown."
Rielle took the girl's hand, her callouses embracing her soft brown skin. "Would you like to hold it?"
She nodded, fearful her words would break it. She held her breath, and slowly, carefully, took it in her hands.
"I did it," she whispered.
Rielle looked down at the child, her smile bright and beautiful.
"Well done. You certainly have a powerful gift. This is the first spell I learned when I was your age."
"My age?"
"Well, yes." She smirked at her mischievously. "I wasn't just born old, you know."
Rielle placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, guiding her focus back to the wavering moons.
"I know you fear your visions," she said, her eyes softening. "But you need not heed them. Think of them as possibilities. Do you understand? You are the one holding your future."
They sat in silence, letting the weight of the words wash over them, staring at the magic they could make together. The girl turned to Rielle, the fear long abandoned.
"Will the future be brighter?" asked the girl.
Rielle smiled.
"I will teach you how to make it so."
White is a color that symbolizes healing and purity, and has a direct connection to African spirituality, both traditional and modern.
The concept of religion for some Black American, African American, and African peoples is fraught with so many unspoken narratives. After the African Diaspora, those who were scattered from their original homelands lost their indigenous religions and connection to the spiritual practices of their ancestors. As an act of resistance to the pressure of Christianity, some indigenous peoples combined their beliefs with Christianity, creating new traditions like Santería and Vodun, which both have connections to Catholicism.
In modern times, there has been a rise in young Black Americans seeking out these lost traditions as a grounding way to heal and build community. I wanted this card to be a nod to this transition. It shows an elder, most notably our new Ikoria commander, Rielle, the Everwise, guiding a young seer. They are both in white clothing and headscarves, and there is a sense of power and excitement in the air. You can see African bangles on the young girl's arms, and it brings me back because I grew up with bangles in my culture. Ejiwa "Edge" Ebenebe did such a beautiful and realistic portrayal of how older Black women support younger ones, and the eagerness the younger generation has for seeking a connection with what they have lost, not to mourn, but to build a better future for themselves.
"No matter who you are, you can celebrate Black history. You don't have to be Black to enjoy Black stories. Black stories are human stories, and human stories deserve to be told. So, we'll write them, and draw them, speak them, and play with them. Until everyone realizes that Black is not a stereotype, a trauma, or a threat.
Black is magic."
Hi! My name is Sydney. Most of you don't know much about me (which means my methods are holding), but it is my hope that by the end of this article series, you'll feel like you do. I'm a game designer at Wizards of the Coast, and I have had the privilege and honor to be the creative lead for the Black Is MagicSecret Lair drop. I did not do this alone. Every step of the way, this project was lifted by the efforts, desires, and hopes of so many. I'd like to think we each grew as a result. Difficult conversations were had, tears were shed, and ultimately, we ended up here.
Three years ago, I walked into a New York office in Chelsea and taught code to a room filled with intelligent and beautiful little Black girls. For many of them, it was the first time they'd been in a group of their peers. It was also the first time they'd been taught by someone who looked like them. It is an experience I myself have never had. I was still a student at the time, and as I puffed myself up in front of 16-year-olds, trying my best to exude authority, I thought about how much things have changed. Not once in my schooling was game design ever a suggested career path. Realizing this on my own has still been one of the most enlightening experiences of my life. The power of seeing the possibilities and paths forward and then being given the tools to succeed is so powerful at that age. At the end of the day, that experience is what we should aim to foster, not just the potential of the next generation, but the resources and support. It started with Kimberly Bryant wanting to give her daughter a bias-free environment to explore her interest in gaming. She used her own 401K to start the program. Now, Black Girls CODE teaches workshops and classes to girls in underprivileged communities around the world.
Our partnership with Black Girls CODE is not just because of my personal connection to them, but because we seek to encourage and support a new generation of innovators. We need more Black game designers, artists, engineers, and beyond. Black creativity, ingenuity, and innovation deserves to be fostered and celebrated, and it is my hope that the proceeds of this drop will fill more classes with clever little Black girls who just need to know that they have a chance to become innovators in STEM fields.
Black Is Magic seeks to honor Blackness in its beautiful, global entirety, and to celebrate Black history and culture in both Magic: The Gathering and the real world.
But what is Black history?
Is it a 28-day shout that ends in 337 days of silence? A million stories lost to time and oppression? A necessity for progress? I don't think there's a right answer, but I came to my own conclusion as a guiding light for this project. I'd say Black history is the reflection of the lives Black people live. An accurate, unflinching look into the darkest corners of our legacy to find the brightest examples of human excellence. To understand that the past informs our present and that to acknowledge it is to do more than survive its consequences. It is about thriving. It is the celebration of lives well-lived and a profound connection that all Black, African, and African American peoples share. Black stories are global stories.
My hope is that this drop says one thing to Black and Black Magic: The Gathering communities—
"My community."
You are here, you have always been here, you always will be here, and we will fight for you to be here. In our history. In our culture. And in our games.
You can hop between the stories behind the cards (as well as the cards themselves), the introduction to Black Is Magic, and product details here:
So, without further ado, I present to you the first card of the month, Shalai, Voice of Plenty.
Shalai, Voice of Plenty
Serra Angels are the most renowned (not literally) angels in Magic's history. Their giant white and brown-tipped wings are impossible to mistake, and Shalai is one of the most recognized. Shalai is the only Serra Angel of African descent, though her art in the past has been racially ambiguous.
When concepting this card, I thought about who Shalai was at her core. She is an angelic being created to protect, to be a warrior of light, to stand up for those less fortunate. I thought about why she chose to protect the Llannowar elves in the Phyrexian invasion, her most notable achievement. Then I realized, of course she would. In human-dominated Dominaria, Llanowar elves are in some ways, a marginalized group.
Guardian angels have taken many forms in popular media, but in my home, they have always been Black. Representation is very important to us, and my mom always went out of her way to make sure my sister and I grew up with dolls, books, and shows that reflected our colorful lives. Every year for Christmas, my dad uses his superior height to put a Black angel on the top of our tree, and my mom decorates the house with a Black nativity, a diversely populated Christmas village, and Black angel figurines.
Many of the angel figurines cover children with their wings, a visual sign of their protection. In this card, I wanted to imagine who Shalai would protect in our world, and how she'd go about it. The wings of a Serra Angel are special, so I envisioned Shalai spreading her wings wide to shield the innocent, to be like so many women of color and put her heart, soul, and body on the line for her community.
Shalai, Voice of Plenty | Art by: Ernanda Souza
Shalai stares out, looking directly at the danger. She is unafraid, and she is powerful. If you look under her wings, you'll see the silhouette of a small child on either side holding the hand of their parent. The artist of this piece, Ernanda Souza, did a phenomenal job showing the scale of the children and their innocent body language. They also did a great job showing that the danger Shalai is shielding the people from is very real. She is looking straight toward the viewer for a reason. Whatever that danger is, don't worry, she's looking right at it and is prepared to defend you. In a lot of ways, this card is a talisman that I want to put out into the world. We might not find any real-world equivalent of hexproof, but we can try. I want the future generation to be under protection from the generational curses that plague us.
Ponder
It was quiet. It had been the first thing she'd noticed about Rielle's private quarters. Often her world was a cacophony of sound and noise. In the day she might hear the terrifying bellow of a Skyshark. At night she laid awake in fear, wondering if a nightmare from the Indatha might wander in where she slept. Like all children born to bonders, the wilderness of the outposts was not unfamiliar. She knew the perpetual conflict of their existence, the human cities that saw them with hate, and the monsters that sought to devour them. She also knew the joy that came with being truly free. Her older bonder brethren and their bonded protected her, but she was still too young to know the mystical bond of eludha. Instead, she was plagued with these fearful visions that—
"Come child."
The girl startled, realizing she had stood awkwardly at the entrance.
Rielle's kind eyes crinkled with amusement, and she smiled, gesturing for the girl to come closer. She hurried over, sitting quickly, her head bowed.
"I know this is a great honor. My mother wanted me to thank you properly for ridding me of these visions."
"Ridding you?"
She bowed lower. "I—I mean helping me."
Rielle let out a full-bodied laugh, placing her cane down by her side.
"My child, you once asked me how I became so wise," Rielle said. "Do you remember?"
"I remember."
"Good."
The older woman raised a hand, and the girl gasped, jaw dropping in surprise, when blue swirls of magic erupted from her weathered hands.
"How . . . how are you doing that? What is that?"
"The future," Rielle chuckled.
She turned over her palm, and the swirls began to look like the moon. The girl drew closer.
"It's never certain you know. Always changing and shifting. It can never be certain. It is easy to fear the unknown."
Rielle took the girl's hand, her callouses embracing her soft brown skin. "Would you like to hold it?"
She nodded, fearful her words would break it. She held her breath, and slowly, carefully, took it in her hands.
"I did it," she whispered.
Rielle looked down at the child, her smile bright and beautiful.
"Well done. You certainly have a powerful gift. This is the first spell I learned when I was your age."
"My age?"
"Well, yes." She smirked at her mischievously. "I wasn't just born old, you know."
Rielle placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, guiding her focus back to the wavering moons.
"I know you fear your visions," she said, her eyes softening. "But you need not heed them. Think of them as possibilities. Do you understand? You are the one holding your future."
They sat in silence, letting the weight of the words wash over them, staring at the magic they could make together. The girl turned to Rielle, the fear long abandoned.
"Will the future be brighter?" asked the girl.
Rielle smiled.
"I will teach you how to make it so."
White is a color that symbolizes healing and purity, and has a direct connection to African spirituality, both traditional and modern.
The concept of religion for some Black American, African American, and African peoples is fraught with so many unspoken narratives. After the African Diaspora, those who were scattered from their original homelands lost their indigenous religions and connection to the spiritual practices of their ancestors. As an act of resistance to the pressure of Christianity, some indigenous peoples combined their beliefs with Christianity, creating new traditions like Santería and Vodun, which both have connections to Catholicism.
In modern times, there has been a rise in young Black Americans seeking out these lost traditions as a grounding way to heal and build community. I wanted this card to be a nod to this transition. It shows an elder, most notably our new Ikoria commander, Rielle, the Everwise, guiding a young seer. They are both in white clothing and headscarves, and there is a sense of power and excitement in the air. You can see African bangles on the young girl's arms, and it brings me back because I grew up with bangles in my culture. Ejiwa "Edge" Ebenebe did such a beautiful and realistic portrayal of how older Black women support younger ones, and the eagerness the younger generation has for seeking a connection with what they have lost, not to mourn, but to build a better future for themselves.
Wizards of the Coast
"No matter who you are, you can celebrate Black history. You don't have to be Black to enjoy Black stories. Black stories are human stories, and human stories deserve to be told. So, we'll write them, and draw them, speak them, and play with them. Until everyone realizes that Black is not a stereotype, a trauma, or a threat.
Black is magic."
Hi! My name is Sydney. Most of you don't know much about me (which means my methods are holding), but it is my hope that by the end of this article series, you'll feel like you do. I'm a game designer at Wizards of the Coast, and I have had the privilege and honor to be the creative lead for the Black Is Magic Secret Lair drop. I did not do this alone. Every step of the way, this project was lifted by the efforts, desires, and hopes of so many. I'd like to think we each grew as a result. Difficult conversations were had, tears were shed, and ultimately, we ended up here.
Three years ago, I walked into a New York office in Chelsea and taught code to a room filled with intelligent and beautiful little Black girls. For many of them, it was the first time they'd been in a group of their peers. It was also the first time they'd been taught by someone who looked like them. It is an experience I myself have never had. I was still a student at the time, and as I puffed myself up in front of 16-year-olds, trying my best to exude authority, I thought about how much things have changed. Not once in my schooling was game design ever a suggested career path. Realizing this on my own has still been one of the most enlightening experiences of my life. The power of seeing the possibilities and paths forward and then being given the tools to succeed is so powerful at that age. At the end of the day, that experience is what we should aim to foster, not just the potential of the next generation, but the resources and support. It started with Kimberly Bryant wanting to give her daughter a bias-free environment to explore her interest in gaming. She used her own 401K to start the program. Now, Black Girls CODE teaches workshops and classes to girls in underprivileged communities around the world.
Our partnership with Black Girls CODE is not just because of my personal connection to them, but because we seek to encourage and support a new generation of innovators. We need more Black game designers, artists, engineers, and beyond. Black creativity, ingenuity, and innovation deserves to be fostered and celebrated, and it is my hope that the proceeds of this drop will fill more classes with clever little Black girls who just need to know that they have a chance to become innovators in STEM fields.
Black Is Magic seeks to honor Blackness in its beautiful, global entirety, and to celebrate Black history and culture in both Magic: The Gathering and the real world.
But what is Black history?
Is it a 28-day shout that ends in 337 days of silence? A million stories lost to time and oppression? A necessity for progress? I don't think there's a right answer, but I came to my own conclusion as a guiding light for this project. I'd say Black history is the reflection of the lives Black people live. An accurate, unflinching look into the darkest corners of our legacy to find the brightest examples of human excellence. To understand that the past informs our present and that to acknowledge it is to do more than survive its consequences. It is about thriving. It is the celebration of lives well-lived and a profound connection that all Black, African, and African American peoples share. Black stories are global stories.
My hope is that this drop says one thing to Black and Black Magic: The Gathering communities—
"My community."
You are here, you have always been here, you always will be here, and we will fight for you to be here. In our history. In our culture. And in our games.
You can hop between the stories behind the cards (as well as the cards themselves), the introduction to Black Is Magic, and product details here:
Introduction to Black Is Magic
Designing Black Is Magic
Black Is Magic Product Details
So, without further ado, I present to you the first card of the month, Shalai, Voice of Plenty.
Shalai, Voice of Plenty
Serra Angels are the most renowned (not literally) angels in Magic's history. Their giant white and brown-tipped wings are impossible to mistake, and Shalai is one of the most recognized. Shalai is the only Serra Angel of African descent, though her art in the past has been racially ambiguous.
When concepting this card, I thought about who Shalai was at her core. She is an angelic being created to protect, to be a warrior of light, to stand up for those less fortunate. I thought about why she chose to protect the Llannowar elves in the Phyrexian invasion, her most notable achievement. Then I realized, of course she would. In human-dominated Dominaria, Llanowar elves are in some ways, a marginalized group.
Guardian angels have taken many forms in popular media, but in my home, they have always been Black. Representation is very important to us, and my mom always went out of her way to make sure my sister and I grew up with dolls, books, and shows that reflected our colorful lives. Every year for Christmas, my dad uses his superior height to put a Black angel on the top of our tree, and my mom decorates the house with a Black nativity, a diversely populated Christmas village, and Black angel figurines.
Many of the angel figurines cover children with their wings, a visual sign of their protection. In this card, I wanted to imagine who Shalai would protect in our world, and how she'd go about it. The wings of a Serra Angel are special, so I envisioned Shalai spreading her wings wide to shield the innocent, to be like so many women of color and put her heart, soul, and body on the line for her community.
Shalai stares out, looking directly at the danger. She is unafraid, and she is powerful. If you look under her wings, you'll see the silhouette of a small child on either side holding the hand of their parent. The artist of this piece, Ernanda Souza, did a phenomenal job showing the scale of the children and their innocent body language. They also did a great job showing that the danger Shalai is shielding the people from is very real. She is looking straight toward the viewer for a reason. Whatever that danger is, don't worry, she's looking right at it and is prepared to defend you. In a lot of ways, this card is a talisman that I want to put out into the world. We might not find any real-world equivalent of hexproof, but we can try. I want the future generation to be under protection from the generational curses that plague us.
Ponder
It was quiet. It had been the first thing she'd noticed about Rielle's private quarters. Often her world was a cacophony of sound and noise. In the day she might hear the terrifying bellow of a Skyshark. At night she laid awake in fear, wondering if a nightmare from the Indatha might wander in where she slept. Like all children born to bonders, the wilderness of the outposts was not unfamiliar. She knew the perpetual conflict of their existence, the human cities that saw them with hate, and the monsters that sought to devour them. She also knew the joy that came with being truly free. Her older bonder brethren and their bonded protected her, but she was still too young to know the mystical bond of eludha. Instead, she was plagued with these fearful visions that—
"Come child."
The girl startled, realizing she had stood awkwardly at the entrance.
Rielle's kind eyes crinkled with amusement, and she smiled, gesturing for the girl to come closer. She hurried over, sitting quickly, her head bowed.
"I know this is a great honor. My mother wanted me to thank you properly for ridding me of these visions."
"Ridding you?"
She bowed lower. "I—I mean helping me."
Rielle let out a full-bodied laugh, placing her cane down by her side.
"My child, you once asked me how I became so wise," Rielle said. "Do you remember?"
"I remember."
"Good."
The older woman raised a hand, and the girl gasped, jaw dropping in surprise, when blue swirls of magic erupted from her weathered hands.
"How . . . how are you doing that? What is that?"
"The future," Rielle chuckled.
She turned over her palm, and the swirls began to look like the moon. The girl drew closer.
"It's never certain you know. Always changing and shifting. It can never be certain. It is easy to fear the unknown."
Rielle took the girl's hand, her callouses embracing her soft brown skin. "Would you like to hold it?"
She nodded, fearful her words would break it. She held her breath, and slowly, carefully, took it in her hands.
"I did it," she whispered.
Rielle looked down at the child, her smile bright and beautiful.
"Well done. You certainly have a powerful gift. This is the first spell I learned when I was your age."
"My age?"
"Well, yes." She smirked at her mischievously. "I wasn't just born old, you know."
Rielle placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, guiding her focus back to the wavering moons.
"I know you fear your visions," she said, her eyes softening. "But you need not heed them. Think of them as possibilities. Do you understand? You are the one holding your future."
They sat in silence, letting the weight of the words wash over them, staring at the magic they could make together. The girl turned to Rielle, the fear long abandoned.
"Will the future be brighter?" asked the girl.
Rielle smiled.
"I will teach you how to make it so."
White is a color that symbolizes healing and purity, and has a direct connection to African spirituality, both traditional and modern.
The concept of religion for some Black American, African American, and African peoples is fraught with so many unspoken narratives. After the African Diaspora, those who were scattered from their original homelands lost their indigenous religions and connection to the spiritual practices of their ancestors. As an act of resistance to the pressure of Christianity, some indigenous peoples combined their beliefs with Christianity, creating new traditions like Santería and Vodun, which both have connections to Catholicism.
In modern times, there has been a rise in young Black Americans seeking out these lost traditions as a grounding way to heal and build community. I wanted this card to be a nod to this transition. It shows an elder, most notably our new Ikoria commander, Rielle, the Everwise, guiding a young seer. They are both in white clothing and headscarves, and there is a sense of power and excitement in the air. You can see African bangles on the young girl's arms, and it brings me back because I grew up with bangles in my culture. Ejiwa "Edge" Ebenebe did such a beautiful and realistic portrayal of how older Black women support younger ones, and the eagerness the younger generation has for seeking a connection with what they have lost, not to mourn, but to build a better future for themselves.
For more information, check out these articles:
More cards, art, and stories coming soon.
Check back on February 9 and 16 to learn more about Secret Lair: Black Is Magic.