In relationships, little things have a tendency to take on bigger meaning. A simple phrase can become a lifelong inside joke. A deep cut on an album, the soundtrack to a love story. Or a card game may become the thread woven through some of the most important moments in your life. That is exactly the case for Kristal Conner, Terell Cobb and the game Uno. But to truly understand the game’s place in the couple’s origin story, you have to travel back to AfroTech 2023. It was there that the two first met.
Going the Distance
“We met at the Google Kickback event. I played a game of Uno, won the first round, and shut the table down,” Conner explained. “As I was leaving, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around like, okay, I’m not in a rush to leave anymore.”
It was Cobb tapping Conner on the shoulder after admiring her from a distance for days at the conference.
“I thought he was just saying that and giving a pickup line until he described the outfits I had on the days before. He definitely did see me and I knew he was being genuine,” Conner said.
Following their meeting, the two stayed in almost constant contact as AfroTech continued. On the last day of the conference, they decided it was time for a date. What was supposed to be a meeting at a coffee shop turned into a hotel lobby picnic because of conference traffic. In the end, the location didn’t really matter.
“We met in my hotel lobby and ate and talked for hours. It was just something about him that brought my guard down. I felt like I’d known him all my life,” Conner explained.
As the date came to an end, the reality of the five hour distance between their respective cities started to set in for Conner. She was living in Houston and Cobb was in North Dallas. Cobb, however, saw the distance as a small hurdle.
“I knew this relationship was important to me, and I was determined to make it work,” Cobb explained. “Since the conference, we’ve only spent about two weeks apart.”
In the Cards
Less than a year after meeting at AfroTech 2023, the two moved in together in Dallas and were in a committed relationship. Then, in September, Cobb decided it was time to get engaged. He cleverly chose Uno as the way to ask for Conner’s hand in marriage. The game, after all, had become a constant in their lives and home.
“We play Uno all the time at home, at the airport and on the plane and we play to resolve arguments; it’s pretty much a natural part of our day to day and a competitive sport in our family,” Conner explained. “The deck is always out.”
Cobb’s plan involved the blank Uno card that allows players to write in a command for their competitor to follow. He chose to write, “Marry Me!” Cobb says he had been carrying the filled out card in the back of his phone case for months. Then one night before dinner, a voice urged him to do it right that minute.
“I turned to her and suggested we play a quick game before we left. I set it up so she thought she was about to win, and just when she thought she had the upper hand, I placed the card on the table, looked into her eyes, and told her, “‘I trust you. Will you marry me?’” Cobb said.
For Conner it was an easy yes.
“It was just so beautiful and so us,” she said.
The Olympics of Dating
Understandably, Conner and Cobb strongly believe in the magic of AfroTech when it comes to finding love.
“AfroTech is like the Olympics of dating. You have all of these incredibly smart, attractive, personable, and just all around good people looking for similar things in the same place,” Conner said.
Cobb says the conference offers the opportunity for endless conversations with great people from all over the country. Conner does urge others to be mindful when looking for love at the event.
“AfroTech is very dating friendly and a great place to meet someone special but you have to have a sense of discernment,” she suggested.
Conner says doing just that led her to the love of her life. She’s thankful for the AfroTech experience and the future she’s now planning with her and Cobb.
“I found my Uno. My One,” Conner said.
Interested in attending AfroTech 2024? Secure your tickets here to join the unforgettable experience.