We at the Mind Sports Olympiad loudly affirm that Black Lives Matter. Recent events have been the catalyst for a long-overdue examination of the devastating legacy of colonialism and the inequalities that continue to pervade every aspect of our society. It’s now up to all of us to create a more just and equal society.

The Mind Sports Olympiad has always aimed to be as inclusive as possible. However, the board game community is still predominantly white and affluent. In order to be more accessible and also due to the financial hardships from the pandemic, this year’s MSO will have no entry fees. Furthermore, for our live streaming commentary team, we plan on hiring commentators from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities–especially Black voices–in order to promote a wide range of voices and role models.

Please do let us know if you would like to help and have any suggestions on how to make MSO more diverse and inclusive.

Black Lives Matter and we all have a role in shaping a more just and enlightened society.

Etan Ilfeld (Managing Director and owner of MSO)

PS~During the rest of the year, when I’m not organizing MSO, I’m a book publisher and also the proud founder of Repeater Books. Repeater’s mission is to challenge the status quo and fight for the oppressed. If you’re looking to better understand the Black Lives Matters movement, I highly recommend Terraformed by Joy White, Dispatches from the Vanguard by Patrick Howell, Darkly by Leila Taylor, and Decolonial Daughter by Lesley-Ann Brown. Terraformed was published last month and highlights the particular struggle in the UK. Dispatches from the Vanguard comes out in August.