PRGDA CAFECITOS 2024
PRGDA & LATINX IN GAMING CAFECITOS
ARE BACK FOR IT’S 5th YEAR!
November 15 - November 17, 2024
Versión en español de este anuncio y su información: AQUÍ
WHAT ARE CAFECITOS?
CAFECITOS are free, virtual, one-on-one mentoring sessions. We pair you up with game industry professionals around the globe who will guide mentees of all backgrounds and experience levels.
Whether you are just starting your journey, mid-level, or looking to transition into the game industry, we do our best to match you with an expert who can help guide you on a path that makes sense to you.
SCHEDULE & DATES
October 14th to November 3rd: Signups open!
The signup deadline is November 3rd at 8:59 PM PST (11:59 PM EST).
Before you sign up, check out our mentor and mentee prep presentations for more insights.
Sign up as a mentee!
“Cafecitos helped me get out of my shell at a moment in which I felt the most prepared to do so.”
Sign up as a mentor!
“The mentees I met floored me with deep conversations on navigating their career[…].”
November 3rd to November 10th: Matching starts!
We will match each mentee with at least one mentor for a 30-minute to 1-hour mentoring session. Sessions can include insights into game industry roles, portfolio reviews, resume reviews, and more.
We will send emails introducing you to your mentors and mentees during this time. In this email, you will receive instructions on where and how to meet for your session, as well as potential topics to discuss. It is up to you to schedule a time with your mentor/mentee and meet via the appropriate or chosen method.
November 15th to November 17th: Virtual Cafecitos in Zoom!
We love to make things easy for you! We will provide a free virtual space in Zoom for you to meet during these dates. You may use another platform, but this will be available for the convenience of both mentors and mentees.
We will provide breakout rooms to every mentor so they have a private space with their mentees. Find your name, as a mentor, or your mentor’s name, as a mentee, in the list of breakout rooms and join in!
IMPORTANT VIRTUAL SPACE SCHEDULING
Mentors and mentees can access their breakout rooms from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM PST (12:00 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST) on November 15th. From November 16th to November 17th, the virtual space is open from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM PST (9:00 AM to 9:00 PM EST).
FAQ
-
Mentors
Anyone who currently works in the game development industry at any capacity and has at least 4 years of experience in their field. It's okay if this is your first time mentoring, we can help you prepare.Mentees
Anyone who identifies as Latin American, Latino/a/e/x, or Hispanic in the game dev community, or who wishes to be a part of the game industry, regardless of where you live. If you identify as any of these, this event is for you! -
We welcome: artists, animators, game designers (digital or tabletop games), UX, UI, UR, data analysts, programmers or engineers (front or back-end), network & IT technicians, project managers, producers, sound creators & sound engineers, HR, recruiters, office managers, event coordinators, accountants, lawyers, streamers, content creators, journalists, voice actors, and more!
Anyone wanting to join the game industry in ANY capacity is welcome.
-
Fill out the Mentor signup sheet. Once you submit, you will become part of our pool of mentors and will be matched with mentees.
-
Fill out the Mentee signup sheet. Once you submit, you will become part of our pool of mentees and will be matched with mentors.
-
No. This event is 100% free.
-
Unfortunately, you can't choose your mentors or mentees. However, our virtual space will be open to everyone and include rotating breakout rooms for you to network.
-
Our team of industry professionals dedicates time to ensuring the best possible matches for all attendees. This includes a rigorous manual process that considers what mentees are looking for and what mentors are offering. This is how we can maintain a high-quality match for everyone.
-
In the Mentor signup sheet, you can enter how many mentees you want to be matched to.
-
From November 3rd to November 10th, we will send email introductions to matched attendees. This email will include an explanation of who your mentor or mentee will be, their experience so far, and what topics mentees would like to cover.
If by November 12th you have not received an email, please check your spam folder or contact prgdaa@gmail.com.
-
In your email introduction with your match, you will be encouraged to set up a time that works for both of you from November 15 - November 17, 2024, on our virtual platform or a video call platform of your choice.
If you can't find a time that's available in that time frame, we encourage matches to find another date or time slot that works for everyone.
If you are using our virtual platform, Zoom, please use the link provided in the email. Once in our Zoom space, click on the 'Breakout Rooms' button and choose the name of your mentor. Then click join!
-
All matches have a single 30-minute to 1-hour session. Sessions can be longer based on your match's availability.
However, if you feel you'd like to continue meeting with your match professionally, we encourage you to sync via email to explore the possibility of an ongoing mentorship arrangement.
-
In your email introduction to your match, we will include suggested topics and questions to discuss based on your answers in the signup sheets.
To make the most of your time, we ask that:
You keep introductions short–that's what the email introduction is for!
Maximize your time with your match by limiting to 1-2 topics to discuss. Quality over quantity is best in this case.
-
Reach out to your match to reschedule. Life happens; be flexible with your match.
If your match doesn't respond, reach out to prgdaa@gmail.com to discuss the next steps.
-
Contact prgdaa@gmail.com, so we can discuss next steps.
-
That's ok! We will ensure you're matched with someone who speaks a language you are proficient in, as you indicated in your signup sheet.
-
Reach out to prgdaa@gmail.com for assistance.
