AIAS Foundation 2024 WomenIn Scholar Testimonial
By Aunesty Cano, AIAS Foundation WomenIn Scholar
When I was a little girl, l'd sit beside my grandpa on the couch, snacks in hand, watching him play video games. Every week, he'd buy me a new game to try- just me, him, and whatever new world we'd get lost in that week. I didn't know what "working in games" meant back then. I didn't know about game engines or topology or the countless hours of artistry behind every pixel. I just knew that video games made me feel something big, something real. And I wanted to be a part of that.
Flash forward to today, and somehow, l'm a 3D environment artist. Somehow, my years of quiet, stubborn determination led me to be chosen as one of only seven scholars in the nation for the DICE Summit. And somehow-somehow—I found myself backstage at the DICE Awards, hands clammy, trying to process the fact that I was about to help hand out awards at one of the biggest nights in the industry.
Then Greg Miller said my name on stage. Unexpected. Kind. Surreal. The kind of thing you don't plan for, that catches you so off guard it doesn't feel real until hours later when you're lying in bed thinking, "Did that actually happen?"
And then, after the awards, I found myself standing in front of Neil Druckmann.
He told me that at his first DICE Summit, he was just like me-eyes bright, wide with awe, surrounded by industry legends he had looked up to for years. He told me how surreal it felt back then, standing in the same room as the people who had shaped the games he loved. And now, here he was, the one on stage, shaking hands, giving speeches. And here I was, looking up at him the way he once looked up at others. "One day," he said, "it'll be you in my shoes."
"We'll keep in touch," he added.
Truthfully, I was at a loss for words. I hadn't expected I'd even get the opportunity to speak to him, hadn't wanted to get my hopes up-but my dreams came true.
I am endlessly grateful to the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Foundation for recognizing my abilities and giving me this experience. I am also incredibly thankful to my industry mentor, Katelyn Johnson. Her support, wisdom, and the warmth in our conversations have been a guiding light on my journey.
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