Tech

Johnathan Newton Joined RDCWorld By Happenstance And Played A Key Role In Its Foray Into The Event Space With Anime And Gaming As A Tentpole

blacknewsdaily3 weeks ago

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Johnathan Newton had a dream, leading to a conference that is now attracting thousands of creators.

Newton is a member of RDCWorld “Real Dreamers Change the World,” a Texas-based group of online personalities founded by longtime friends Mark Phillips and Affiong Harris. The group produces skits, vlogs, and short films. A YouTube video confirms that the group’s first viral video was titled “Anime People Take Anime Too Far.”

Fast-forward to today, and the group has built a platform that has reached more than 12 million subscribers and followers collectively. Newton has been instrumental in helping creators expand into new territory with Dream Con, a conference that draws people from gaming, anime, sports, film, music, and pop culture, its website mentions.

On the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast hosted by AFROTECH™ Brand Manager Will Lucas, Newton stated that he had emailed the group about an opportunity to appear in a news segment about Black creators, which his sister with PR experience was pitching. He had previously reached out to them as a fan of their work, looking to be in their content while working as a leasing agent at an apartment complex.

Newton then took a trip to Houston and was able to meet with the group and pick their brains to strengthen the pitch for his sister. They remained in contact and became associates, with Newton suggesting they consider attending events as talent.

While on the clock for his job, Newton presented himself as the group’s manager to land them gigs and secured several bookings. At one of these events, Newton said it all clicked for Phillips, “What if we just started our own event?” The group had also experienced some pushback from many anime comic conventions when trying to join in the community.

“We were just definitely like, ‘Well, we definitely feel like we’re big enough to be able to show up in these spaces and be talent in our way.’ Yeah, we not in the shows, but we are actually driving the culture towards the same niche area as well,” Newton shared. “And I think that it is just something that, it was an earlier time. I think that maybe they just, I’m not going to just blame anyone specifically, but I think that it was definitely something that we were like, ‘Well, we are not going to fight for a spot. We are going to just make our own.’”

Dream Con

Newton created a GoFundMe page and raised $3,000 to create a website and a logo to have a tangible concept. While continuing to bring what would become Dream Con to life, Newton moved in with the group, as he was living out of his car at the time. He also started helping them with videos, and naturally he became the seventh member of the group.

“I didn’t ask to be in the group. [Mark Phillips] was like, “Hey, man, you can help with us. You one of the seven.’ The fans started recognizing me as a seventh person,” Newton explained on the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast.

In 2018, the group launched the first Dream Con in Waco, TX. At the time, they first viewed it as a failure because it drew in 800 attendees with a projection of 10,000, Newton said on the podcast.

“Somebody was like, ‘No, breaking even is not failing. Breaking even means you can do year two,” he recalled.

From there, Dream Con has continued to soar in popularity, moving to Texas cities such as Arlington and Austin, which drew 45,000 people between 2023 and 2024 — and now Houston. According to information shared on Newton’s LinkedIn, the event is marking its most successful year to date with 34,000 attendees arriving in Houston in 2025.

“The in-person one showed us that there is a space for it. But online, what we were doing, we were growing to such an alarming rate that we knew the people out there, and I think it was just a matter of time. That was kind of our thought process,” Newton explained.

Creator Summit

To no surprise, Dream Con will be making its splash back in the city in 2026. What’s more, it has scored a partnership with the AFROTECH™ Conference, for the Creator Summit. AFROTECH™ makes its return to Houston on Oct. 27-31 with activities held at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

“The foundation of Dream Con was built off of creators. That’s the No. 1 part on why it even started or to get things,” Newton said. “So I say all I have to say to use that same energy when it comes to the creator space. Now when we look at what Blavity is doing, there’s a large creator aspect to tech as well. I would credit in all levels. I’ve been seen by so many tech people who are in the creator space. And so for us, what we want to do is find a way of bringing our expertise in that creator space and complement the Blavity/AFROTECH™ space as well.”