Hughes Who Technologies Studio-NFP

11/08/2025

This year we have 19 incredible students, and we’re leveling up our curriculum in a big way. Along with game development and animation, we’re now integrating AI and Augmented Reality (AR) so our students can stay ahead of the newest tools shaping the gaming and tech world. 🎮🚀

We’re also working to secure laptops so our students can learn professional software like Unity, Adobe Creative Suite, etc. — something Chromebooks just can’t support. We want to give them the tools to build real, industry-ready projects. 💻✨
We’re looking forward to an amazing season of creativity, learning, and innovation! 🙌🏾

You can still support our program by grabbing your movie tickets — it’s not too late! 🎬❤️
https://www.groupraise.com/.../63059-hughes-who.../5TB9LZ...

09/26/2025

Yesterday Hughes Who Technologies Studio-NFP took 13 of our students and staff from Ronald Brown Academy to Raven Software in Wisconsin. They got to see how the AAA game "Call of Duty" is created first hand. They had a chance to observe the MOCAP (Motion Capture) room and had an opportunity do to a QA session with their sound designer, creative director, environment artist and gameplay designer and what they do. The students had a great time!!
I want to thank Mallory, Brit, Rob and Sara at Raven Software for giving our students a warm welcoming. I have to give a big shout out to my ex-student and Raven's senior environment artist Dennis Glowacki for helping me make this possible. And our partner Phalanx Family Services for helping us supply the lunches and luxury bus to take our students.

Edye and I want to thanks those who recently donated to our Tuesday Giving, and those in the past because of your continued support helps us to do these types of things for our students. To give them experiences that will help them in their future careers. We are excited about 2025 and doing more events like this for our students.

Happy Holidays to everyone! ❤

Darryl and Edye

09/26/2025

Hughes Who Technologies Studio-NFP, this past Thursday during our after school's gaming workshop in partnership with Phalanx Family Services we had pizza and gave each of the students 4 gift cards totalling $100 for their hard work they have been doing all semester. I'm proud of these guys...talented, bright and a room full of successful people. This is what makes Edye and I do what we do!
"Don't Just Play the Game, Get in the Game" TM

https://www.hugheswhotechstudio.org/

09/26/2025

Edye and I attended my Black in Gaming Awards Ceremony in San Francisco. Where I received the Jerry Lawson Lifetime Achievement Award in Gaming on my birthday March 18th. We had the opportunity to meet some awesome black people in the gaming industry. I got to meet the daughter of Jerry Lawson the black man who created game cartridges Karen Lawson. I also attended the GDC (Game Developers Conference). A special thanks to the Black in Gaming organization for this award and recognition. To Edye for supporting me all these years in this business...thanks sweetie! ❤

09/26/2025

Surprise delivery today!
I wasn’t expecting a package, but when I opened it, I was thrilled—it was my Jerry Lawson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Game Developers Conference back in March!
What makes this award even more special is the incredible detail: it includes a replica of Jerry Lawson’s very first game cartridge—a true piece of gaming history.
Huge thanks to Black in Gaming for this incredible honor. I’m deeply grateful and inspired to continue pushing the culture forward. 🎮🏆
https://www.hugheswhotechstudio.org/

08/01/2025

Real-World Learning in Action!

Yesterday, Hughes Who Technologies Studio had the pleasure of taking our Brown Academy coding students on an unforgettable field trip to Stern Pinball (https://sternpinball.com/). For many of our students, this was their first time seeing or playing a pinball game—and the experience opened their eyes to a whole new world of game design and interactive entertainment.

The students had a blast playing the games and were deeply engaged as they met with Stern’s talented team. They explored how pinball machines are created—from concept to execution—while speaking with artists, designers, and engineers. It was an exciting way to see how coding and creativity come together in real-world careers.

We believe learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door. Experiences like this are vital to showing our students what’s possible and inspiring them to dream big.

Special thanks to long-time friends George Gomez, Marc Raneses, Mark Weyna, and Chuck Ernst for being such generous and enthusiastic hosts. We’re also grateful for the warm welcome from familiar faces like friend Gene Rigsby. The hospitality was outstanding—pizza, drinks, and even gifts for the students!

Thank you to Ms. Simmons and Ms. Smith from Phalanx Family Services for providing transportation, and to our amazing Brown Academy family—Ms. Gilliam, Ms. Scott, and Coach Rodgers—for your continued support of our students and our program.0

It takes a village, and we’re proud to be part of this one.

"Don't Just Play the Game, Get in the Game"

08/01/2025

Edye and I are excited, blessed and honored to share that Hughes Who Technologies Studio–NFP has been awarded a grant from the Woodlawn Advisory Council!

Dear Darryl Hughes,

The Woodlawn Advisory Council is delighted to inform you that Hughes Who Technologies Studio is awarded a Community Investment Grant! This grant is to support your Game for Success: Tech, Job, and Life Skills.

We commend Hughes Who Technologies Studio for its commitment to service and for working to improve the lives of those who live in Woodlawn and surrounding communities by providing resources for community programs that look to build and strengthen neighborhoods.

Congratulations once again on this well-deserved award!

Sincerely,

Woodlawn Advisory Council

As we move forward, we’re looking to partner with local organizations in Woodlawn to host our upcoming workshops. If you’re interested in collaborating, we’d love to connect!

"Don't Just Play the Game, Get in the Game" TM

Hughes Who Technologies Studio-NFP is committed to raising the percentage of the under-served in the diversity-lacking gaming and interactive industries. We accomplish this through our youth STEAM workshops and young adult apprenticeship program which raises awareness of opportunities and exposes yo...

08/01/2025

Hughes Who Technologies Studio is on the move!
For the past 4 weeks, we’ve been deep into our 7-week Game Design Workshop at Olive Harvey College, and this week we’re excited to be leading a special session at North Central College in partnership with the DuPage NAACP and Northwestern University!

Our students are diving into the world of game development, building creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills—all while having a blast.

🚀 What’s next?
This fall, we’re planning more Game Design and Drawing / Stop-Motion Animation workshops, and we’re expanding! We’re currently developing new programs that include VR/AR and AI training.

If your school or organization is interested in hosting a workshop, stay tuned—or reach out. Let’s bring the future of tech to the next generation together! 💻🎮🎨

08/01/2025

Edye and I are incredibly grateful to our longtime family friend—and gifted writer- Emma Young for featuring us in South Side Drive Magazine! 📰✨
The article, "Hughes Who Technologies Studio: Playing Games and Building Lives," beautifully captures our mission and journey with Hughes Who Technologies Studio-NFP.

Thank you, Emma, for telling our story with such heart. 💚🎮
https://southsidedrivemag.com/hughes-who-technologies.../

That’s why Darryl and Edye Hughes created Hughes Who Technologies, dedicated to leveling the playing field for underserved youth.

Video games are one of the most popular past-times of kids from six to sixty. Over seventy-five percent of those gamers are Black and brown. Yet only three percent of the developers and creators of games are people of color.That’s why Darryl and Edye Hughes created Hughes Who Technologies, dedicat...