Anti-Defamation League (ADL) hosted its first game jam in October 2017, called the “Being an Ally” Game Jam. It was a 24-hour game development event focused on creating video games that explored allyship, fighting hate, reducing bias, and responding to bullying.
The event was organized by ADL’s Center on Technology and Society in collaboration with the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment (MADE). It took place in several U.S. locations, including New York City, Austin, and Oakland, with additional online participation from creators worldwide.
Participants were asked to make games around the theme of “Being an Ally” — showing how people can support communities affected by prejudice, discrimination, or harassment. A total of 33 games were submitted, and the winning game was “Ali Tale,” created by a team from Austin. The game followed a high school student helping friends who were experiencing bullying.
ADL’s goal was to show that video games could be used not only for entertainment but also as a tool for education, empathy, and social awareness.
In short: it was basically a game-making competition where developers tried to use games as a way to teach players about kindness, inclusion, and standing up against hate.