“WE ARE HERE BECAUSE OF THOSE THAT ARE NOT”, is a Black Trans Archive/ video game by Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley. It is part of her DOTCOM series which compiles archives of the lives and stories of black trans people. Brathwaite-Shirley creates a “connected living and playful archives” using new media, video, sound and animation techniques.

In this alternative role-playing video game, the spectator player chooses among three roles: either to take the identity of a Black Trans person or that of a Trans person or that of a CIS person (cisidentity: gender of birth), to go on a personal journey as the work reacts to your choices. The work type of your experience will completely depend on who you are and how you act within the archive. “WE ARE HERE BECAUSE OF THOSE THAT ARE NOT” focuses on storing how Black Trans people tell stories and how the choices that we make can change how the world evolves. Think carefully about the choices you make.

Contributors: Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley, Marikiscrycrycry, Pacheanne, Tobi Adebajo, Ebun Sodipo, Bernice Mulenga, Ornella Ospino Blkmoodyboi, Jacob v Joyce, Shay P-W, Zamy, Camus-Doughen, Elijah Che, Travis Alabanza, Raks, Arthur Kibet, Vik, A Marlowe, Christopher

Special thanks to METRO Transcend
Through animation, sound, and performance, Artist and game developer Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley (She/ They) pays reverence to the many creative narratives of “those living, those who have passed, and those who have been forgotten”. Their practice cements the posterity of Black Trans people’s existence as: “throughout history, Black queer and Trans people have been erased from our archives. Because of this, it is necessary not only to archive our existence but also the many creative narratives we have used and continue to use to share our experiences.” Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley’s work has been shown in Albright Knox, David Kordansky Gallery, Quad, Arebyte Gallery, Science Gallery, MU, Barbican, Tate, and Les Urbaines, and has been part of the BBZ Alternative Graduate Show at the Copeland Gallery.