Mosaic of five Xbox creators
Five creators are changing the face of streaming by talking openly about their disabilities, the challenges they face and how much gaming means in their lives.
Woman wearing a set of headphones
Madi DuVernay grew up a theater kid, but now gaming fulfills her passion for interacting with live audiences.
Portrait of Madi
With her own community, she chats about supernatural videos, games and mental health – and she wants to be a voice for those who aren’t able to speak about these issues.

She was one of five people in the recent Xbox Next Level Creator program, aimed at helping gaming streamers from underrepresented communities.
Mosaic of five Xbox creators
XNL program participants gained behind-the-scenes insights that helped them focus their content, increase outreach, make better pitches and build a support network of other creators.
Mike Luckett portrait
Mike Luckett credits gaming and its community with helping him move forward after a spinal cord injury 11 years ago.

His efforts to customize game controllers led to a passion for inclusive design and advocating for accessibility in gaming.
Chris Robinson portriat
When Chris Robinson plays games on his DeafGamersTV channel, he can show the challenges people with disabilities face in real-time.

He says his channel “puts a spotlight on people with disabilities, that we’re here too. We want to feel like we belong.”
Shawn Gilhuly, who likes to play Minecraft with his community, grew up stuttering and suffering from depression. He found pride in his identity by talking about his disabilities and how they affect him.
Portrait of Shawn Gilhuly
“I was always proud of my queerness, but I was always worried I was taking up space from people who are physically disabled because I don’t look disabled. But in reality, I have these struggles on a daily basis.”
Mosaic of five Xbox creators
XNL program sessions shared tools and resources to help gaming streamers succeed, including tips on partnerships, hosting reels and making the most of social media.
Portrait of Bee Poshek
On their channel, Bee Poshek creates a welcoming environment where people can lurk and be whatever version of themselves they are that day.
“Now I have more people in my corner who are educated on these things that I might be struggling with, who I can feel comfortable to reach out to if I need that support.”
To find out more about these creators and the XNL program, read the story