Celebrating Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

Here at Paizo, we take pride in the diverse perspectives our staff bring to our games and workplace. The worlds and narratives that result from these perspectives inspire thrilling adventures that everyone can enjoy. We’re delighted to share some of these voices and viewpoints from our community in their own words. Read along, be inspired, and happy Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month to everyone!

Illustrations by Valeria Lutfullina

James Case (he/him), Organized Play Developer

I think I have a pretty typical background for many people from Hawaii. One of my grandfathers was Native Hawaiian, one of my grandmothers is a Korean immigrant, and my other two grandparents are white—one from the neighbor islands of Hawaii, one from Missouri (definitely pronounced with a -ruh). Growing up in an environment where (checks wiki) 25% of the people were hapa, or mixed race, I never thought much of it, but after leaving the island, I realized how much I took growing up in a multicultural environment for granted, with a diverse set of influence both within my own family and in the ones around me to draw on. In my work now, I’m happy to be able to help push towards a broader view of what fantasy can be. It’s no secret that fantasy games especially have often skewed to a predominantly European setting, and while I love my knights and dragons, don’t get me wrong, I also know that that’s just one mythology among many that each have their legendary heroes to embody and monsters to slay (or beseech, or fight alongside!). I’m happy to see more and more stories coming out of games lately, and to be in a place where I can contribute to them by pitching creatures from stories that my grandfather first told me around a campfire on the beach.

Eleanor Ferron (she/her), Pathfinder Developer

My grandfather was Nisei—a Japanese American son born to first generation Japanese immigrants to America. He was one of the most interesting people I ever knew, serving in American military intelligence even during a war when Japanese American citizens, including his family, were unjustly forced into internment camps with only the things they could carry. He inspired in me both a fascination for East Asian culture, but also in the Asian immigrant communities that helped build the American West Coast. My work at Paizo has allowed me to work with peoples and myths inspired from East Asia, and in our own Golarion setting, with Avistani immigrants who draw from those same people and myths, such as the Tian communities in Varisia or the well-known tengu jinx-eaters who sail the Shackles.

Joan Hong (she/her), Customer Service Representative

I’m the daughter of two Korean immigrants who left everything behind to chase their American Dream. I grew up learning Korean traditional instruments, eating rice at every meal, and thinking that the dishwasher was just an oversized drying rack. If I’m being honest, I spent a lot of my childhood resenting my Korean heritage because I felt like an outsider. What I wish I knew back then is that the culture and traditions my parents passed along to me don’t make me an outsider, they provide me with a rich background and history that broaden my perspective. Recently, seeing greater Asian representation in media has touched me in ways that I can’t express well in words. It makes me realize how important representation is, and how much I missed out on because I felt like I wouldn’t fit in with people I couldn’t see myself reflected in. As an Asian staff member and freelance writer for Paizo, I feel empowered to share my perspective thanks in part to the support of wonderful colleagues. The TTRPG industry is changing for the better every day, and look forward to more content from diverse writers and streamers.

Ianara Natividad (she/her), Editor

I come from a family of immigrants, myself included, who moved from the Philippines and settled in the United States. I grew up surrounded by the most hardworking people I’d ever known. There was always that sense I had to work just as hard. Sometimes, I felt the pressure of what it means to have to succeed, knowing that many of the people around me—my mom and dad especially—endured and sacrificed so much to build my life in America.

For most of my schooling, I was set for a STEM career. All of my extended family’s children, in my generation, were pursuing similar opportunities: STEM, medicine, law, and business. My exposure to gaming all came from external sources, such as school and friends, so it wasn’t something I openly shared with my family. Eventually, I realized STEM careers weren’t for me. My parents felt confused and disappointed at first, but they understood that I wanted to do something that kept me happy. They supported me as I studied history, worked at a nonprofit, and pursued my editing and writing work. It felt like my family knew I would work hard regardless of what field I chose, an ethic that I witnessed and learned from them. So I did. I went into my gaming interests hard, and all that ultimately led me down the path that got me working at Paizo. Just one of the many reasons I love and appreciate my family.

Lu Pellazar (he/they), Editor

Ohai! I’m Lu, an editor (and occasional contributor) at Paizo. Most of my experience with being API in the gaming industry is not just about incorporating my roots in the products I work on. For me personally, it’s a lot of learning from other API gamers, writers, designers etc. As a mixed-race diaspora kid who was raised by my Black dad and Filipino/German mom (who was herself raised by my 100% Bavarian oma), it’s hard to feel like I fully “fit in” with ANY of my cultures, let alone my Filipino side. I never really embraced my Filipino culture until my mid-20s, when I started looking into it more myself. I’m in my 30s now, but I’m still learning new things about my culture every day; yes, even “basic” things that “every” Filipino person knows. AND THAT’S FINE!! For anyone reading who might relate (my friends have to remind me of this): Just know that being a diaspora kid is a cultural experience in and of itself, and none of us are any less valid for it. There are a ton of amazing creators and gamers in our community that we can learn from if we want to.

Illustration by Mirco Paganessi