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.
