Melody is a fantastic Artist and Art Director. Using her fashion expertise she creates beautiful and diverse communities on Roblox, working closely with both brands and charities. We spoke to her about her work Minee World, a wonderful socially engaged project using game to design to build inclusive communities and her plans for educating in Web3. Can you describe your project Minee world? 'Minee World' is a socially engaged artistic project addressing two of the most pressing social issues in the tech industry: diversity and inclusion, and the digital divide. It does so by educating children from the UK and Mongolia through free workshops; the drawings, AI prompts, and feedback forms from these workshops are then turned into a social digital exhibition in the form of a Roblox Game, a site-specific AR filter, and original music.
'Minee World' is a socially engaged artistic project addressing two of the most pressing social issues in the tech industry: diversity and inclusion, and the digital divide. It does so by educating children from the UK and Mongolia through free workshops; the drawings, AI prompts, and feedback forms from these workshops are then turned into a social digital exhibition in the form of a Roblox Game, a site-specific AR filter, and original music.
'Minee World' utilises game design to champion diverse communities by showcasing their hopes, creations, and lived experiences through technology and art, built upon participation. 'Minee' is Mongolian for 'my,' reflecting the project's emphasis on ownership and co-creation. Collaboration is key to this figital (digital+physical) project. The project acts as a roundtable discussion on the inextricable links between education, technology, and community. Above all, 'Minee World' strives to provide genuine value and care to the communities it serves.
As the next iteration of the internet - and I would argue the next stage of our evolution Web3 represents the opportunity to build new systems that have historically excluded marginalised voices. As someone who grew up apart from family in Mongolia, the interoperability aspect is particularly exciting. To be able to connect seamlessly with anyone in the world, and share experiences that feel ‘real’ is a game-changer. In the future I envision, we live among a kaleidoscope of technologies
developed by communities all over the world.
As a former school teacher, artist and founder of the Decolonising Fashion Society - I’ve taught over 500 children via projects that produce educational and digital outcomes. To help bridge the digital divide, I've used technology to create more accessible lessons, games, and exhibitions through collaborations and partnerships. I’ve worked with AI, VR, and AR in order to improve my curriculum and more effectively communicate with all learners.
I am a Project Manager for some exciting community-impact projects - working closely with brands and charities. Later this year, I plan to expand ‘Minee World’ to work with disabled children's groups in the UK. My late brother had Down's Syndrome, and disabled people are disproportionately more excluded from the digital world - therefore I intend to work with diverse groups of disabled children and their families to develop even more speculative futures via digital worlds.