New social media site, new start, and I thought it might be nice to just introduce myself! My name is Gar Atkins but most folk know me as Sahoni. I'm a queer, Indigenous (ᏣᎳᎩᏱ ᏕᏣᏓᏂᎸᎩ), and disabled writer, game designer, and radio personality.
Outside of the aforementioned writing, (mostly analog) game design, and radio; I collect folklore and ways from around the world. I enjoy cooking, general outdoorsy stuff, horror, storytelling as an artform, and pop culture ephemera so expect to see a little bit of all of those. Also trying to get back into biology.
If you might have seen me before; it's probably from one of these things;
Furry
I've been in and around furry since about 2006. My fursona is a red wolf librarian of sorts and anything more than that requires me to give to a long and detailed lecture on Tsalagi cosmology. Maybe later. I have a secret second fursona that requires me to infodump about game design and abstraction, so I'll keep that one to myself too.
Indigenous Activism
In furry and sometimes beyond, I've been one of the louder and more visible voices about indigenous rights and representation. Though I've spent the last couple years being more quiet. Being one of the popular punching bags when pushing back against racial caricature and violence really wore me down in a major way. I dealt with a lot of frankly horrible stuff I usually kept to myself, but I never stopped caring. Politics are gonna do you where you do them or not and indigenous genocide is ongoing.
I just chose my battles with greater care and am not the only one out there doing the work anymore. I can't tell you how nice that actually feels. Even if they don't recognize it.
Podcasting
I've been a member of Barking Points memo for a couple years at this point and it's offered me a great platform to inform, educate, and even organize and call to action. I'm so thankful for that opportunity and always try my best to pay it forward. Most folks who know me are likely to have heard me on that show, or as a guest on an AP, or being interviewed about my games.
Game Design
I also do work as a game designer! I've done a bunch of work as a games critic, narrative designer, writer, and cultural consultant, but I also run and operate Bramble Wolf Games! At Bramble Wolf I've worn just about every hat in the box but I'm really proud at my growth as both an artist and producer.
At Bramblewolf Games I look to make stories with impact and systems to support them. You can find my shop below: https://bramblewolfgames.itch.io/
My first game, Exceptionals, is inspired by x-men and about the communities and spaces marginalized folks make for ourselves, as well as the different lenses through witch we view the mutant metaphor. It sold well, reviewed even better, was viewed by X-men Writers and Harvard English professors, has an official reading list I'll need to link later, but the things I'm most proud of is that it's allowed me to raise money for trans rights, reproductive justice, and even dig a well. Oh and that it's currently being used as therapy and outreach in a community facing gender health center.
I worked very hard on it and am very proud. I can't wait to make and show off more.
