By Benjamin Pola

Deanna Thomas, USC Games Career Strategist and the driving force behind the USC Games Black History Month Speaker Series, kicked off the series with an inspiring quote from Dr. Mae C. Jeminson, the pioneering engineer and physician who became the first African-American woman in space: "Never be limited by other people’s limited imagination."

This powerful message set the stage for a groundbreaking series that spotlighted Black voices and creatives reshaping the gaming industry. Students had the opportunity to hear from influential leaders from major companies such as Oculus Publishing, Riot Games, and XBOX.

The highlight of the series was a special moment as USC Games honored Muriel Tramis (Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur), the first credited Black female game designer, with the inaugural Games Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tramis was warmly welcomed by a theater full of students, USC Games faculty, and staff, and was presented with her award by Dean Elizabeth M. Daley. Dean Daley expressed heartfelt gratitude toward Tramis, who had traveled all the way from France to accept the honor and share her experiences with the next generation of game designers.

The award ceremony was followed by a sneak peek of Tramis’s upcoming game, Remembrance, which is still awaiting its market release, and was followed by a Q&A moderated by USC Games Professor TreaAndrea Russworm.

Professor Russworm, who helped spark this collaboration, was excited to highlight Tramis’s groundbreaking contributions to the gaming industry as both a trailblazer and advocate for diverse voices. Students in the audience had the opportunity to ask Tramis about the games they had tested and played in class, gaining valuable insights into her creative process behind designing worlds for a global audience.

When asked about the social justice themes in her work, Tramis shared, “I don’t design a game for a particular message or meaning. I create what I think would be fun. Games are meant to be enjoyable, and if you learn something along the way, that’s great.” It was clear that for Tramis, games are simply another medium for storytelling. Much like film or television, the key is to focus on the story you want to tell and how you want the audience to experience it. Trying to force specific themes or messages into the narrative risks stifling creativity and limiting imagination.

While Tramis’s design philosophy begins with the joy of play, her games often spark deeper conversations about real-world issues. From Freedom: Rebels in the Darkness (1988), a slave rebellion strategy game that challenges cultural and historical narratives, to Emmanuelle (1989), an erotic adventure that explores themes of sexuality and intimacy, Tramis’s work covers topics that remain strikingly relevant today.

Her latest project, Remembrance, explores the history of Martinique as a French colony through the story of several generations of a family both before and after slavery. With its rich cultural context and thoughtful narratives, the player will learn the history and its ramifications, showcasing the power of video games as a platform for both learning and storytelling.

Just as Tramis pioneered a path for Black female game designers, she has also carved out a new lane for the USC Games program as its first recipient of the USC Games Lifetime Achievement Award, setting the stage for future honorees to be recognized for their incredible work and talent.