The game has changed for D&D and ‘A League of Their Own’

For a long time, Dungeons & Dragons was stereotyped as a game for nerdy young white guys in their parents’ basement. But not anymore — the game has exploded in popularity and players of all backgrounds are joining in. Guest co-host Andrea Gutierrez talks to Jasmine Bhullar and Persephone Valentine, both content creators and dungeon masters, about how D&D has become an exciting medium for marginalized people to tell new kinds of fantasy stories.

Then, Andrea sits down with Chanté Adams, star of the new Amazon Prime series A League of Their Own. Adams plays Maxine Chapman, a queer Black woman loosely based on historic female players in the Negro Leagues. The role also expands on a non-speaking, unnamed character in the original 1992 film. Adams talks about seeking complex Black characters to portray onscreen, and bringing her family into each new role.

Finally, Andrea tests All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang and producer Mia Venkat on their pop culture news knowledge in a game of Who Said That.

You can follow us on Twitter @NPRItsBeenAMin and email us at ibam@npr.org.