Game creator launches campaign to revive Black History game created 25 years ago

ATLANTA - Oct. 14, 2016 - PRLog -- Lucy Holifield, the creator of the IN SEARCH OF IDENTITY board game, is breathing new life into the game she designed in 1990.  The spark for reviving the game did not come from the creator of the game!  It came from Kristen Daniel - a young African-American woman who played the IN SEARCH OF IDENTITY game when she was a child. Kristen was inspired by a character in the game – Madame C. J. Walker. Walker was a Black entrepreneur and the first female self-made millionaire in America!  Today, Kristen is an entrepreneur and the founder of Pentorship.org (a community based organization whose mission is to reduce recidivism).

In June, 2015, Kristen located Holifield via the internet and sent her an e-mail expressing interest in reviving the game.

An Excerpt from Kristen's letter

…it's so ironic how this game was a key component of the development of my sense of pride and esteem as a young woman. Playing the game exposed me to Madame CJ Walker, which influenced, my interest in entrepreneurship. Who knew that 25+ years later, not only would we still be inspired by a game, but led to your new website and new venture.

The message for me is to be proud of who I am and to never give up!

God Bless,
Kristen Daniel
PS- Bring the game back so that I may be able to play it with my children one day! :-)

Kristen Daniel and her friends presented the idea of bringing the game back to Holifield.  They had started a Facebook discussion and attracted a string of folks interested in the game. Holifield never expected to be in the game business at this stage of her life (retired and loving retirement). She founded IDENTITY TOYS, INC.; the first African-American toy company of its kind in 1990. According to Holifield, "Kristen convinced me that the timing is right to bring the game back!" There's a cultural awakening currently taking place in Black America; especially among young people.  We launched the Bring the Game Back Campaign (www.bringthegameback.com) is to promote the project and get customer feedback.  Folks are excited about the game… the demand is there!"

 "I believe the message of the game is as relevant today as it was 25 years ago! said Lucy Holifield.  It promotes positive Black role models that inspire and sparks interest in learning about Black History. In addition, traditional games are an effective tool for building communication. Family 'game night' might open the door for parents to talk with their kids about topics like Black Lives Matter, racism and injustice. You don't get that type of social interaction with video games!  Millennials are big fans of 'game night!' I'm hopeful that the game will add to the fun and contribute to their social consciousness.

Plans are to re-invent the 25^th Anniversary Edition of the IN SEARCH of IDENTITY Game as a table-top card game.  The new game has new challenges and a new twist! Players share insights about their identity (i.e. their little quirks and bad behavior) – guaranteed to add some drama to the game.  Fans of the original game will enjoy the new take on strategy; while younger players will have fun with the new twist.

A Kickstarter campaign is scheduled for January 2017 to raise funds to manufacture the new game. The game is expected to be available by May 2017 (for sale through the company website). In the meanwhile, Holifield invites parents, educators, Millennials and other interested consumers to show their support for reviving the IN SEARCH OF IDENTITY Game by visiting its website www.bringthegameback.com.

In 2015, games and puzzles were the fastest growing toy categories, with sales up 11 percent, according to market research firm The NPD Group.  With the new IN SEARCH OF IDENTITY Game, Holifield hopes to tap into the game revival that's happening right now – and inspire the next generation.