The two-day virtual event celebrates the diverse women in the field and engages female college students with gaming activities, including an NBA2K tournament hosted by All-WNBA Defender Brittney Sykes of the L.A. Sparks
ATLANTA – Black Collegiate Gaming Association (BCGA) celebrates Women’s History Month with the inaugural Women Got Game Summit honoring diverse female trailblazers who have broken barriers in the gaming industry. The free virtual summit airs live on Twitch March 20 and 21.
Following the success of Black College Con, the two-day Summit is dedicated to connecting collegiate women of color across the country with corporate partners and leaders in the gaming/esports industry, offering opportunities for internships and jobs. It will kick off with “Who Runs the World,” a conversation featuring successful women of color in the gaming industry. Panelists include Jay-Ann-Lopez, founder of Black Girl Gamers and Cristina Amaya, president and co-founder of LatinX in Gaming.
“More and more women are making their way into the gaming industry and eSports,” said Keshia Walker, BCGA founder and chairwoman. “Research shows women comprise 30 percent of eSport 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 gamers are growing in numbers,” said Walker. “The industry must grow and adjust to make room for this new demographic. During the Summit, we’ll cover the history of women of color in gaming and esports. We’ll also have real conversations with diverse women, corporate executives and successful entrepreneurs in the industry as they reflect on their careers and share insight with students interested in working in the field.”
The Summit, presented by PlayStation and GameStop, McDonald’s and Intel, will close on day two on Twitch with an exciting NBA 2K tournament hosted by All-WNBA Defender Brittney Sykes of the L.A. Sparks, as well as a NASCAR Heat 5 tournament.
Students and schools interested in participating in Women Got Game may register at and www.womengotgame.org.