March 24, 2025

By Shaniya Golden-Riddle 

A safe space may look different for many people. For some it might be their room, a club on campus, a group they relate with, or even a class. For Derrick Banks Jr, the ILLEST Lab in the School of Education is his safe space. Founded in 2018 by Kareem Edouard, PhD, the ILLEST Lab is a true testament to the idea of students being able to be themselves in a thriving environment. “It's a space I can really excel in” states Derrick, as he described his love for the lab and the creative mindset it allows him to have. While the ILLEST Lab has been around for a while, many people are unaware of this hidden treasure. With sections for podcasting, video game design, 3d design/printing and even a “sneaker lab,” the space boasts endless opportunities for STEM activities, as well as an innovative makerspace to create whatever your mind and heart desires.

Over the course of two days this past January, the ILLEST Lab hosted BLERDcon, an event attended by more than 100 students that consisted of a game tournament, a panel, and overall fellowship between students from the Black Student Union (BSU) and students from the Lab. In the game tournament, students collaborated together on different video games and cosplay, as well as competing in a giant UNO tournament. Kareem states “building community was the first thing” when asked what the thought process was in planning the event. Having created the lab with a federal Promise Neighborhood grant in 2018, Kareem wanted to create this space for people like his younger self, where they can be “nerds” and invest in their full potential without shame and criticism. The second day of BLERDcon featured the conference portion of the event as students heard from student panelists about the “cross section of media and representation in black media.” Panelists discussed different tv shows, comics, story tropes and developments that represented the overall representation of black media. Following the panel, students did an art walk, where they got to see the different visions of art created by students and all the different forms they were presented in.

BLERDcon was completely student run, leading students to feel empowered and confident about decision making and creating events to embrace community. While Kareem facilitated, he left the event in the hands of students from the ILLEST Lab. Derrick, a third year Game and Design major was one of the few students who helped plan the event. He says, “for us, having a space where we have a way for everyone to come together for this event is the first step.” Derrick connected with a friend from BSU, and after a meeting with the organization, the event was born. “It was a lot of fun being able to be in my own space, but have other people enjoy the space along with me,” Derrick said. While hosting the event was a fun and phenomenal way to introduce the lab to other students, Derrick was happy the event had a great turnout, and he was able to share his love of gaming and design with other students.

BLERDcon showcased the level of community and unity that Kareem yearns to have within the community in the School of Education, as well as all undergrads in the Drexel community. Events like this are important for the student community, especially for Black students, where STEM initiatives can sometimes feel difficult to access or engage with due to challenges in belonging. Kareem reiterated how he wants the ILLEST Lab to be a safe space for everyone, especially black students. Creativity comes in different forms and shapes, and everyone has something different to offer. “Dean Foster and I are committed to consistently having spaces where one, it serves as an opportunity to bring new undergraduates within the space to learn about what we offer, but then also to supporting me and my research, moving the conversation forward of how we build community and support the outside community,” Kareem said.