Many creative individuals have known their passions since childhood. Nevertheless, creative expression does not come at the same time for everyone. At the age of 30, 50, and even 65, some may discover that brushes are in fact an extension of their arms. Others discover that videogames can be branches of their imagination. After her mom passed away in the summer after her second year of law school, Ariana Washington ’04, a Loomis Chaffee alumna, found herself in need of transformation. As a result, she drastically changed her career from a lawyer to a screenwriter, then a videogame designer. 

“When something tragic or traumatic happens, you need to try to change course and find a new life for yourself. For me, it was creating a life for myself where I could be happy without [my mother],” Washington said.

Determined to pursue a new passion, Washington started screenwriting in her third year of law school at Emory. The task came with many challenges, from her difficulty to get her screenwriting off the ground to her lack of industry connections. She eventually found a job as a lawyer and pursued screenwriting until her last year of law school but eventually moved to video game designing. From law school to present-day, she has been designing and launching a video game involving composition and storytelling. 

“Story creating is like the narrative. It’s the story that you tell, the story of the character, the protagonists. Video game designing is how a player operates in an atmosphere. It is determining how the video game will play from start to finish,” Washington said.

The transition from screenwriting to video game design, she explained, made her explore more of her creativity and also utilize her previous expertise as a lawyer. 

“For me it wasn’t enough that I just created the story, I also had to do the design piece … It was about utilizing all the skills I already had, being able to research things … analyze … and buffle down … arduous task[s] of my own. [Kyrion] took me 6 years and two and a half months,” said Washington. 

Kyrion, her new world video game, tells the story of Kyrion Dawes, a young Black man living in the Midwest of 2062 who is suddenly given the responsibility to prevent the world from falling into ruin. 

Washington loves crafting a parallel universe and magical items. However, as for any other lawyer, creator, entrepreneur, or student, her job involves exciting as well as “tedious” work. In spite of the unenjoyable parts of video game creation, Washington’s love for the process made her unstoppable. Now, she aspires to become the first Black female AAA video game designer and storyteller. 

“The technical part was the video game designing, but it was tedious … [My mindset] eventually … became ‘Okay, if you love this and this is your passion then you have to do everything you need to do to get it done, and that includes the stuff that you don’t really enjoy.’”

Washington gives valuable advice to students pursuing their passions each day.

“Start now. I really do think life gets in the way … Life [is] changing, personal things [are] changing as well,” Washington said.

Her creation process navigated between moments of deep focus, when it was necessary to sit down and complete the task, and sudden voilá moments, when she developed her best work. 

“There are times when I had to sit down and say you need to get this done. Focus! But I think the very best of my ideas came from … doing other things,” Washington said.

Washington, with her mind at rest, would be in a grocery store, see an apple, and get inspiration for her game. Next, she would immediately write the idea down on her phone and embed her new ideas into the game.

Washington’s time on campus was split into ​​discussions with computer science and robotics students, as well as collaborating with the Problem-Solving for the Common Good class at the Pearse Hub for Innovation (PHI). During her visit, she had the opportunity to connect with members of the Black Alumni Mentorship program and leaders of Loomis’ multicultural group, PRISM (People Rising in Support of Multiculturalism). 

The PHI, where ideas flow from table to table, embraced Washington’s story gracefully. 

“You may not have an idea of what you want to do, or you may have a path, but it’s okay to pivot and switch. You will find your way eventually,” Washington said. Mr. Scott MacClintic further explains that works such as Ariana’s involve creations that lead to change– a mission also aligned with the work done in the PHI. Ariana’s new character is ready to shake the world and bring feminine and black representation to the gaming field.