I am Jerrick Flores, a game developer currently in the Los Angeles area working on the most amazing game experiences I can. Position wise, I am best described as a Technical Designer, and have the ability to view problems from the perspective of someone with technical knowledge (as per my Computer Science background), or view problems through a creative lens to craft a specific emotional experience; as well as act as the liaison between individuals of both mindsets due to my penchant for interpersonal communication skills.  

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Put simply, I am a social craftsman. To me, the best things in the world are shared with others because of that uniquely human connection that forms from experiencing/creating a memory with someone else. Whether in the raucous or intimate, I truly cherish being with others. That electric moment of exhilaration when everyone screams because someone nailed that chorus from the new Imagine Dragon's song at karaoke. The couple of minutes where you and friends sit in silence watching the sun set over the horizon. The hour or two where you and another person lean on a balcony railing talking about life under the stars. The ever-too-short drive from one place to another where everyone in the car belts out to Smash Mouth's All Star. Truly human moments. 

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Consequently, I also believe the best things to "craft" are things that can be shared with others. As such, one my most loved hobbies is cooking. Preparing a meal that nourishes the bodies and souls of others and brings them together results in this amazing feeling of validation and satisfaction that is only known to the chef. Even more so, there is something mesmerizing about taking what may seem like completely disparate ingredients and combining them together to form some wonderful unison. In a way, that last statement can also apply to people as well. In short, I find great happiness in bringing people together.

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Finally when it comes to any kind of crafting, there is always great joy in passing that knowledge on through teaching others. I have previously taught coding to high-school/middle-school aged (and younger) students at a summer camp (Tech Garage : STEMHQ.org). Ultimately, in just one week, kids would learn core programming concepts and Python to create control scripts that piloted tethered underwater drones from a land-locked Raspberry Pi control box (all assembly by me!). Past that, I am also an adviser for my high-school/college dual-enrollment program and a mentor for my graduate level game development program. In both these capacities, I help aspiring students pursue non-traditional paths into software development, the game industry, or research programs.

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Apart from crafts and teaching crafts, I have a soft spot in my heart for Japanese pop culture. Anime is always a great way to past the time and there is a huge variety of genres to watch (though in my opinion, romcom slice-of-life is the best); I always have something to read with manga and light novels; and there is just something charming about spending hours on a JRPG. In truth, some of the greatest lessons I have learned have been from Japanese media. I started the Asian Culture Club at my high school and have taken formal Japanese Tea Ceremony and Taiko Drumming classes.

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All in all, life is all about experience. Sharing experiences with others, creating things people can experience, passing on my experience, or just experiencing what life has to offer, these are the things I live for - I live to experience.