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On February 22, 2022, Meta launched its Metaverse Culture Series with “I Am A Man,” a limited-time Horizon Worlds experience created by Los Angeles artist and VR creator Gabe Gault. The experience was scheduled for February 22–28, 2022, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Pacific Time, for people aged 18 and older in the United States and Canada. Meta’s announcement does not establish that the exhibit remains accessible in 2026.
What Meta launched
The launch had two connected parts, not two virtual exhibits: “I Am A Man,” an immersive world in Horizon Worlds, and “Black Future,” a conversation hosted in Horizon Workrooms. Meta presented both as the start of its Metaverse Culture Series, intended to bring cultural perspectives into its immersive platforms. Meta’s February 2022 announcement is the source for the project details and access window.
What visitors encountered in “I Am A Man”
Meta described the environment as inspired by 1960s Memphis and the Black freedom struggle. Its elements included a rendering of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., protestors carrying “I Am A Man” signs, vintage storefronts and a reference to the Lorraine Motel. It also invoked Rosa Parks and the Tuskegee Airmen, alongside imagery of sanitation workers.
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Gault said the three-dimensional setting was intended to let visitors inhabit a historical environment rather than encounter history only through photographs or written material. That was the creator’s rationale, not evidence that the exhibit produced a measured educational outcome or offered the equivalent of an archival collection.
Who made the experience?
Meta named Gabe Gault as the series’ first Artist and VR Creator in Residence. It described him as a Los Angeles-based artist, muralist and 3D sculptor who combines classical painting techniques with modern media. The announcement identifies Gault as the creator, but does not provide a complete production-credit list.
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Who could access it, and when?
| Original condition | Meta’s stated details |
|---|---|
| Platform | Horizon Worlds |
| Age | 18 and older |
| Location | United States and Canada |
| Dates | February 22–28, 2022 |
| Daily hours | 8 a.m.–10 p.m. Pacific Time |
These were the conditions for the original run, not a guide to current Horizon Worlds access. The announcement does not provide a complete device-compatibility list, so it cannot establish that every Quest model, desktop or mobile user, or non-Meta headset could enter the world.
What “Black Future” added
“Black Future” was a Horizon Workrooms discussion about Black culture, creativity and the future of immersive technology—not a second exhibit. The announced participants were Ime Archibong and Vivian Ewalefo Johnson of Meta; actor Jay Ellis; Gault; journalist and moderator Danielle Young; director of photography and immersive technologist Paris McCoy; Rashaad Lambert of Forbes; and Philip Lewis of HuffPost.
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Meta’s broader cultural-programming ambitions
Meta described the series as a recurring effort tied to cultural moments throughout the year. It said future programming would explore women in VR around International Women’s Day and themes connected with Ramadan, Earth Day and Pride. Those were announced intentions; the launch announcement alone does not show that every proposed installment took place or that the series became a lasting product line.
Why the launch mattered—and what it could not establish
The project showed how Meta wanted Horizon Worlds to serve purposes beyond games and casual socializing: as a venue for cultural storytelling, creator-led work and programming linked to Black History Month. It also reflected a proposition from Meta and Gault that immersive environments might complement familiar ways of encountering history. That possibility is not the same as demonstrated educational effectiveness.
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The format had practical limits. The one-week window, U.S.-and-Canada restriction and 18+ threshold narrowed who could attend. A VR experience can also depend on headset access, connectivity and a visitor’s ability to use immersive technology comfortably. Meta acknowledged accessibility and equity as challenges for the metaverse, but the announcement supplied no accessibility audit, user research, or confirmation of a non-VR alternative for this exhibit.
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Moderation is another relevant question for social VR, but the contemporary coverage does not establish that “I Am A Man” itself experienced harassment, abuse or a security failure. Nor does Meta’s announcement explain the exhibit’s moderation arrangements, whether historians or community organizations advised its creation, or how its historical interpretation was selected. Those details should not be assumed.
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At the time, Horizon Worlds’ audience was also part of the context: The Verge reported 300,000 users on February 17, 2022. That is a dated figure, not a current user count.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is “I Am A Man” still available?
Meta documented a run ending on February 28, 2022. Its announcement does not confirm that the original world remains publicly accessible in 2026, so it should be treated as a historical event rather than an active attraction. Buying a current headset would not, on the available evidence, restore access to the closed 2022 experience.
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