The table is crowded with card decks, dice, and custom playmats. Around it sits Joseph Johnson, a Black content creator behind the meetup, alongside a diverse group of players laughing, trash talking, and explaining rules to anyone who needs them.
The cameras are rolling, too. What looks like a casual Magic: The Gathering night is also the latest episode of Tabletop Jocks, Johnson’s online series built to make room for Black and queer players in a hobby where they haven’t always felt represented.
For a growing group of Magic: The Gathering players, the fantasy card game has become something more than a fun pastime. Through events, online platforms, and intentional mentorship, they’re trying to make a historically exclusive space more accessible.
Among them is Keontaye Williams, another Black content creator based in Columbus, Georgia, who said the game saved his life and thinks it could do the same for others.
“It saved me from basically being swallowed up by the streets,” Wililams said. “This game saved me from that dark path of life. That’s why I’ll play this game until I can’t no more.”
