Partnership with the Black Collegiate Gaming Association leads to 'Women of Color Esports' competition.
March 2, 2022
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
Author: The Athena Alliance
(ATLANTA, March 3, 2022) The Black Collegiate Gaming Association (BCGA) and the Athena Alliance CLT celebrates Women’s History Month with the first ever produced Women of Color Esports Tournament, featuring NBA 2K22 (WNBA teams) and Valorant, and mixer during historic Women Got Game (WGG) Tour; honoring diverse female trailblazers who have broken barriers in the gaming and esports industry. The esports tournaments will take place in Charlotte, NC Saturday, March 19th from 2pm - 6pm EST, followed by an industry mixer from 6pm - 8pm EST at Contender Esports on 8925 JM Keynes Drive in the University area.
The WGG Tour begins at the Contender Esports Arena in Charlotte, NC. The four-hour tournaments will also feature scholarships & prizes special thanks to our corporate partners: PlayStation, the LA Sparks, Bennett Thrasher, the Athena Alliance CLT, & Scopely. In addition, a mixer will be held connecting high school & collegiate women of color across the country with Black, Latina, Asian, and Native American corporate partners and leaders in the gaming and esports industry, offering opportunities for internships, jobs, and mentorship. Along with the mixer will be food trucks, games, & prizes that all participants can enjoy. Highlighted during the evening mixer will be Keynote Speaker, Kimberly M. Starks, APR of Blue Scorpion Reputation Management, which is a PR firm specializing in the areas of video gaming, agribusiness, pet health and wellness, and government contracting.
The Athena Alliance CLT, an all female ran gaming organization with a collective of women gamers and allies based in the Carolinas, is hosting, and will be livestreaming the event. Executive Director Emi Vener identifies as Afro-Latina and has been a lifelong gamer. “Ideally, we would like to get to the point where there are mixed gender teams and even representation in esports. Until this happens, our women focused events are meant to bring visibility to young ladies and women in esports, and create opportunities for networking and upliftment.”
“More and more women of color are making their way into the gaming industry and eSports industry,” said Keshia Walker, BCGA Founder and Chairwoman. “Research shows women comprise 30 percent of Esports viewership, but make up less than 10 percent of the gaming industry. There’s a major opportunity to address this gap; and I am excited to bring this event to the industry. As women continue to make more advances in tech and gaming, the Summit is long overdue. I hope that hosting during Women’s History Month inspires future trailblazers.”
As the first and only African-American woman to own a collegiate Esports and gaming company, Walker, herself, is already making history.
“Black gamers and women of color gamers are growing in numbers,” said Walker. “The industry must grow and adjust to make room for this new demographic. During our National WGG Tour, we’ll cover the history of women of color in gaming and esports. We’ll also have real conversations with diverse women of color, corporate executives and successful entrepreneurs in the industry as they reflect on their careers and share insights with high school & college young women students interested in working in the gaming industry.”
Students and schools interested in participating in Women Got Game may register for FREE at www.womengotgame.org. Students and participants MUST provide a negative PCR test 48 hours prior to the event and/or their COVID-19 vaccination card (can provide photographic proof).
Contact:
Keshia Walker
Black Collegiate Gaming Association
Founder & Chairwoman
[email protected]
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