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How Kishonna Gray turned her passion for gaming into a tool for connection and social justice

Kishonna sitting in front of a video game, mid-laugh and holding a copy of her book, Woke Gaming. She is surrounded by red light.
UMSI professor Kishonna Gray at the U-M Computer and Video Game Archive. (Photos: Jeffrey M. Smith)

Thursday, 11/21/2024

By Noor Hindi

What happens when your favorite hobby becomes your career? 

Almost two decades ago, University of Michigan School of Information professor Kishonna Gray was brave enough to ask this question. Today, the answer is an innovative body of work that bridges her love of gaming, her passion for social justice, and her interest in community engagement into research that reshapes how we think about gaming

UMSI professor Kishonna Gray

“I’m fascinated by how technology, particularly gaming, impacts our lives and communities,” Gray says. “Many people turn to gaming as a refuge from everyday life, a safe haven or a place to unwind. While gaming can provide these opportunities, it can also serve as a barrier or be oppressive.” 

Gray’s research looks into how gaming, especially at a local level, can be used to empower communities, bridge health gaps and bring people together. She also researches gaming designs that are inclusive and sensitive to the diverse needs of users.

“My through-thread is community and local connections,” she says. “I want my work to be responsive to the cultural needs of where I’m living. I’m big about allowing the space to inspire me as opposed to coming in and saying ‘I’m going to do this, this and this’ and having a plan.’”

Gray’s work has led her into a series of fascinating projects. From helping intergenerational communities exercise together through the Xbox 360 Kinect, to connecting commuter students to each other through popup labs at the University of Illinois, Gray’s projects highlight the importance of making tech accessible and responsive to diverse cultural needs. 

For instance, she says, when the Xbox Kinect was released, people with darker skin tones faced challenges using it and reported the bias in the technology as it failed to recognize darker skin tones. 

Kishonna holds up her hands in front of her face showing bracelets
Gray shows bracelets bearing her screen name, "Unicorn Glitter."

“Technology is not universal,” she says. “Who we are and how we present ourselves to the world significantly influence our experiences with it. It’s fascinating to observe these disparities and how a single piece of technology can have vastly different meanings for different people.”

Gray’s passion for gaming started when she was little. She grew up in rural Kentucky with “not a whole lot to do.” Surrounded by farms and coal mines, when she wasn’t fishing, hunting, or cleaning weapons, she was playing video games with her mom. 

Her favorite game? Hitman. 

“It really just fueled my curiosity,” she says. “In Hitman, you play as an assassin trying to figure out the best ways to eliminate targets. There’s a mission set in Morocco that really stood out to me and opened my eyes to different cultures, from the bustling markets to the various languages. Growing up in Kentucky, which isn’t very diverse, I felt a longing for that exposure. It made me realize there’s so much more to the world.” 

Kishonna sitting at a CRT tv playing video games
Kishonna Gray plays 'Hitman' on PlayStation 2 at the U-M Computer and Video Game Archive.

Gray joined the UMSI faculty in August 2024. Before joining UMSI, she completed a Master of Science in Justice Studies at Eastern Kentucky University before obtaining her PhD in Justice Studies at Arizona State University. She has authored numerous books that explore race, gaming, injustice and feminism

At UMSI, Gray is most excited about working with students and exploring opportunities in Detroit. 

“I love being here at UMSI,” she says. “It’s interdisciplinary and students are focused on so many different paths. It’s really exciting.” 

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Learn more about UMSI professor Kishonna Gray by visiting her faculty profile and her personal website

Read more UMSI faculty profiles