LPS News
Bittersweet Endings, Hopeful Beginnings - An Announcement from the Founder
I am officially making a huge announcement. After months of serious consideration, I’ve decided to resign as the Organizer of the Lady Planeswalkers Society, effective January 1, 2019. This was not an easy decision or one I’ve taken lightly, but it is time.
After 8 years, I am ready to move on to the next stage of my life. I’ve been unable to be as involved as I would like since having a child, so I’m stepping down to focus on family and to further pursue my career as a writer. I am the kind of person that when I am dedicated to something, I want to give 110%. I have not been able to do this for LPS since having Xander. I feel like I have done all that I could as a mother, full-time worker, wife, and community leader. When I quit my job for my mental health and to refocus, I found that I am ready to move on to the next chapter of my creativity and passions.
8 years is longer than I’ve consistently committed myself to one project and I’m very happy with the success that the group achieved across the globe and in the Seattle convention and Magic scene. This organization was bigger and better than I’d imagined in all of my wildest dreams. I’m ready to chase my next dream!
There is no way for me to accurately describe what this group has meant to me and the effect it had on my life. I am very grateful for all of the help and support over the last 8 years from the incredible volunteers, friends, family, the Magic community, and the gaming industry. I am thankful for the opportunities that this organization allowed me to pursue. This was an incredible journey that I will always be grateful for and look back on with fond memories. I have made lifelong friendships and grown as a person from this experience.
I hope to see chapters continue to open across the globe and I hope the group continues to be successful. I will miss being so involved, but I know this is the right decision for me. I will still be connected to the Magic scene as a player and a writer, hoping to continue opening the gates for new players.
Thank you for being such an amazing community to me. I look forward to seeing you around at conventions and Magic events <3
With love,
Tifa Robles
After 8 years, I am ready to move on to the next stage of my life. I’ve been unable to be as involved as I would like since having a child, so I’m stepping down to focus on family and to further pursue my career as a writer. I am the kind of person that when I am dedicated to something, I want to give 110%. I have not been able to do this for LPS since having Xander. I feel like I have done all that I could as a mother, full-time worker, wife, and community leader. When I quit my job for my mental health and to refocus, I found that I am ready to move on to the next chapter of my creativity and passions.
8 years is longer than I’ve consistently committed myself to one project and I’m very happy with the success that the group achieved across the globe and in the Seattle convention and Magic scene. This organization was bigger and better than I’d imagined in all of my wildest dreams. I’m ready to chase my next dream!
There is no way for me to accurately describe what this group has meant to me and the effect it had on my life. I am very grateful for all of the help and support over the last 8 years from the incredible volunteers, friends, family, the Magic community, and the gaming industry. I am thankful for the opportunities that this organization allowed me to pursue. This was an incredible journey that I will always be grateful for and look back on with fond memories. I have made lifelong friendships and grown as a person from this experience.
I hope to see chapters continue to open across the globe and I hope the group continues to be successful. I will miss being so involved, but I know this is the right decision for me. I will still be connected to the Magic scene as a player and a writer, hoping to continue opening the gates for new players.
Thank you for being such an amazing community to me. I look forward to seeing you around at conventions and Magic events <3
With love,
Tifa Robles
25 Years Of Magic: The Gathering, And How It's Changed The Gaming World
The founder of LPS, Tifa Robles, was joined by Mark Rosewater (head designer for Magic, Wizards of the Coast) and Neima Jahromi (writer, The New Yorker) to discuss the importance of Magic and the game's success over the last 25 years on NPR's On Point.
Listen to the podcast or read more here!
Listen to the podcast or read more here!
LPS at PAX West 2018
This last Labor Day weekend was our 6th time attending PAX West in some capacity. This year, the organization partnered with Planeswalkers for Diversity. The two groups focused on teaching attendees in the Diversity Lounge all about their mutual mission to increase inclusivity in Magic: The Gathering through building chapters around the world that welcome players of all skill levels, genders, races, ages, and abilities into the game in a friendly way. We focus on helping beginner players into the game, but also provide a stepping stone into tournament play. The Diversity Lounge had a crowd all 4 days and lots of people were interested in how they could be involved. Overall, it was very successful for the organizations’ continuing footprints in the gaming industry.
Read more about it here!
Read more about it here!
The Twenty-Five-Year Journey of Magic: The Gathering
The New Yorker featured an article all about the history of Magic. The engaging article included interviews with many community members and Wizards employees, including lots of women who have influenced the game in a variety of ways. This article also discusses the importance of inclusivity within the game, the game's representation of women, and how the player base has changed over the years.
Magic 25th Anniversary!
The founder of the Lady Planeswalkers Society dives deep into how Magic has helped shape her life in celebration of Magic: The Gathering's 25th anniversary. We'd love to see your stories too! Share them in our Facebook group.
The founder of the Lady Planeswalkers Society dives deep into how Magic has helped shape her life in celebration of Magic: The Gathering's 25th anniversary. We'd love to see your stories too! Share them in our Facebook group.
Death By A Thousand Paper Cuts - Thea Miller
|
Thea Miller, a local Seattle Lady Planeswalker, discusses what it's really like to be woman in the Magic scene. From learning how to play to playing in high level tournaments and everything in between, Thea discusses and shows what it feels like being a woman and how sexism manifests itself in the community.
|
|
Humans of Magic Podcast
James Hsu speaks to Tifa about the Lady Planeswalkers Society, motherhood, and working in games. This podcast is about the players of Magic - their background, passions, and perspectives. The game is only the starting point -- because we are all about so much more than Magic.
"It was exciting to have the opportunity to talk about my experiences in a very real, human way. James was a fantastic interviewer and made me feel like my perspective was unique and valued. This was a refreshing talk and I hope it will be an interesting listen as well."
- Tifa Robles
"It was exciting to have the opportunity to talk about my experiences in a very real, human way. James was a fantastic interviewer and made me feel like my perspective was unique and valued. This was a refreshing talk and I hope it will be an interesting listen as well."
- Tifa Robles
Featured on Geek & Sundry!
|
Tifa was very excited when she received an email from Geek & Sundry asking to interview her for a feature article about The Lady Planeswalkers Society, who we are, what we do, and our involvement with Evergreen Tabletop Expo.
LPS has been a huge supporter of Geek & Sundry and it is an honor to be part of their site. We hope to work together more in the future. Check out the article here! |
Lady Planeswalkers Society 5 Year Anniversary!
FIVE YEARS! That's an incredible feat.
Five years is longer than I've ever worked in one place, longer than I went to college, longer than I've been with my husband.
The Lady Planeswalkers Society is five years old.
In five years we have grown and continue to grow, evolving with the group as time goes on. The events each week have a high attendance, we have roughly 80 chapters all over the world, our FB group has over 1600 members, and we are the official Learn-to-Play Magic experience for many conventions. I never imagined the impact it would have on me, the Magic community, and the gaming world.
I've made more friends through this group than I count and my life has truly been changed forever. This group has helped me grow as a person, personally and professionally, and as a Magic player.
Thank you to anyone and everyone who has helped to create this community ♥
If you'd like to celebrate with us next week, we will be drafting a grab bag of almost all the sets that have launched in the last 5 years: https://www.facebook.com/events/197187874016843/
- Tifa Robles
7.13.16
Five years is longer than I've ever worked in one place, longer than I went to college, longer than I've been with my husband.
The Lady Planeswalkers Society is five years old.
In five years we have grown and continue to grow, evolving with the group as time goes on. The events each week have a high attendance, we have roughly 80 chapters all over the world, our FB group has over 1600 members, and we are the official Learn-to-Play Magic experience for many conventions. I never imagined the impact it would have on me, the Magic community, and the gaming world.
I've made more friends through this group than I count and my life has truly been changed forever. This group has helped me grow as a person, personally and professionally, and as a Magic player.
Thank you to anyone and everyone who has helped to create this community ♥
If you'd like to celebrate with us next week, we will be drafting a grab bag of almost all the sets that have launched in the last 5 years: https://www.facebook.com/events/197187874016843/
- Tifa Robles
7.13.16
2 Ways to Grow Your Community
The Lady Planeswalkers Society and our sister organization Planeswalkers for Diversity were featured in this article on the official Wizards of the Coast Organizaed Play website!
We are super excited and honored to be included, and we are thrilled that this movement of diversity in the game is being taken seriously at such a crucial level. Thank you, Wizards!
We are super excited and honored to be included, and we are thrilled that this movement of diversity in the game is being taken seriously at such a crucial level. Thank you, Wizards!
Polygamer #42: Tifa Robles of the Lady Planeswalker Society
Polygamer is a biweekly audio podcast that encourages and celebrates equality and diversity in gaming by interviewing voices pushing for change. By speaking with traditionally marginalized voices, Polygamer provides a platform to discuss problems and seek perspective on matters of sexism, racism, ableism, ageism, and more, within our industry, our community, and our games. Polygamer publishes on iTunes, Stitcher, and TuneIn the second and fourth Wednesday of every month.
In this episode, Tifa Robles discusses how the Magic scene has changed in the last five years and what the LPS has done to address issues of harassment; how players can create diverse, safe play spaces, including starting their own LPS branch; and how playing a collectible card game isn’t as expensive as it may seem.
Listen now!
In this episode, Tifa Robles discusses how the Magic scene has changed in the last five years and what the LPS has done to address issues of harassment; how players can create diverse, safe play spaces, including starting their own LPS branch; and how playing a collectible card game isn’t as expensive as it may seem.
Listen now!
Meet the women of MagicThe Gadgette features The Lady Planeswalkers Society, Tifa Robles, The Girlfriend Bracket, and Erin Campbell from The Deck Tease.
Check it out! |
|
|
LPS at Pax Prime 2015What an amazing weekend we all had teaching Magic for Wizards of the Coast at PAX2015! We taught hundreds of people how to play Magic, brought many new members into the LPS circle, and spread the message of equality in gaming. It was an extremely successful weekend, and we cannot be more excited about our future as the official Learn to Play group for Wizards of the Coast!
|
Happy 4 Year Anniversary LPS! |
Tifa wanted to say a few words to celebrate the last four years. Also, she made a big announcement about a partnership with Wizards of the Coast for PAX Prime! Read all about it here.
|
|
LPS and Founder Tifa Robles interviewed for M:tG Pop Culture Article in The Guardian"...Magic’s audience hasn’t just been growing: it’s been changing.
Tifa Robles is the founder of the Lady Planeswalkers Society, a group which aims to bring more women into the game. When she started playing in 2010, an estimated 10% of Magic players were female. Now that figure stands at 38%." Read more by clicking here! |
Breaking Boundaries in Gaming! Featured on The Real Stan LeeTifa Robles had the honor of meeting Stan Lee and was asked to write a piece on his website about our group!
She wanted to share her story of why and how the group was created and how much it has grown in that time with a different audience. This was a great opportunity to reach outside of the Magic scene, even outside of the gaming scene, and into the Comic Book world. Check it out here! |
|
|
Moxtropolis: The Gauntlet 2015This was our second year being involved with The Gauntlet and we were honored and excited to be back! We didn't do so great in the tournament, but we did raise $1500 for families in need. Thank you Mox Boarding House and Hopelink for an amazing opportunity.
|
Founder Tifa Robles speaks on EqualityAt the 2015 Emerald City Comic Convention, LPS Founder Tifa Robles moderated and spoke on the panel "Women in Gaming." Tifa moderates Becky Taylor and Yakaru Dezaki in a panel discussion about the status, struggles, and stories of women in the games industry.
|
|
|
Meet the Awesome League of Female Magic: The Gathering PlayersWrite up on Founder Tifa Robles and the Lady Planeswalker Society by Bitch Media, out of Portland, OR.
|
There and Back Again: A Wizard's TaleFounder Tifa Robles talks about being a woman in competitive Magic, working at Wizards of the Coast, and then getting BACK into competitive Magic.
|
|
|
Sex, Sexy, & SexismFounder and Organizer Tifa Robles was on the Sex, Sexy and Sexism panel, a PAX East 2014 panel on fixing gender inequality in gaming. Also featuring Susan Arendt, Brianna Wu, and Duane de Four, and moderated by Ken Gagne.
|
Melissa DeTora at MTGO Community Cup 2013We are so pleased to hear that Melissa DeTora will be representing the community at this years MTGO Community Cup! See who her teammates are and read about her favorite Magic Card by clicking through!
|
|
|
Tap, Tap, Concede - Lady PlaneswalkersOur friends at Loading Ready Run dedicated an entire episode of their Magic podcast, Tap Tap Concede, to talk about The Lady Planeswalkers Society!
|
Magic: The Gathering director addresses player gender disparityA great story from Polygon. At PAX Australia Aaron Forsythe talks about gender disparity in the Magic scene, and credits Tifa Meyen and Lady Planeswalkers for making it easier for more women to get into the game.
|
|
