Changing the game for Black hair

A. M. Darke

Founder of the Open Source Afro Hair Library

A.M. Darke (she/he) is a critical game maker and professor of Games and Playable Media at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She teaches in the departments of Performance, Play, and Design; Digital Arts and New Media; and Critical Race and Ethnic Studies. Professor Darke is the founding director of The Other Lab, an intersectional feminist research space for experimental games and new media, and the Center for Black Virtuality.

A.M. is an internationally recognized media artist, award-winning game developer, and influential public scholar. In 2020 she founded the Open Source Afro Hair Library, a free resource of 3D assets celebrating Black hair textures and styles, developed in collaboration with Black 3D artists from around the world. In addition to his creative scholarship in the arts, Professor Darke has also won awards for her groundbreaking work in computer graphics, helping to develop the first algorithm dedicated to the simulation of Afro- textured hair.

A.M. describes himself as a gender-chaotic Black woman who values comfort, agency, and direct communication. She’s the CEO of Darke Digital, a playful media studio and consultancy located in Oakland, California.

Nai'Vasha Johnson

Celebrity Hairstylist

Nai’Vasha is a bicoastal hairstylist who specializes in natural hair, hair color, wigs, and men’s grooming. Her celebrity clientele includes Alicia Keys, Tracee Ellis Ross, Yara Shahidi, Lupita Nyong’o, Elaine Welteroth, Laura Harrier, Aurora James, and Serena Williams. Nai’Vasha has collaborated with top photographers such as Scott Trindle, Yelena Yemchuk, Nagi Sakai, Bruce Weber, Bjorn Iooss, and Renell Medrano on shoots appearing in major publications such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, ELLE, W, Harper’s Bazaar, and Allure. Additionally, Nai’Vasha worked on major campaigns for Aerie, Google, Chanel, Bloomingdale’s, Tory Burch, and Tiffany & Co.

Isaac Olander

CEO of Tallgran

Isaac is the CEO of TALLGRAN studios and has extensive experience in game design and 3D graphics. He’s had the privilege of working for world-renowned VFX studios and has since founded his own successful 3D production company. Throughout Isaac’s career, he’s gained valuable insight into the many pitfalls and endless possibilities of 3D design with the mission to deliver exceptional 3D content from creative vision to final rendered product.

Isaac feels honored to play an active role in a cause that he truly believes in. He is personally grateful to the many talented artists who have selflessly shared their knowledge before him. Their generosity has shaped his artistic journey and enabled him to reach where he is today. As such, Isaac feels incredibly lucky to have the chance to give back to the artistic community with this guide, by sharing his knowledge of 3D as well as his personal experiences.