Establishing yourself in the gaming industry as a woman is a notoriously tough gig, but the 1000 Dreams Fund doesn’t want it to stay that way. Established to support women across the United States with scholarship funding and career aims, the fund is building towards its goal of realizing the dreams of 1,000 different women. And as a growing sector of interest, the gaming industry is exactly the space in which 1DF wants to help.
Over the last few years, their BroadcastHER Initiative has assisted women working hard to build a career for themselves, whether it’s through streaming or esports. Along with Twitch grants and scholarships, 1DF partnered with HyperX and Allied Esports to establish the yearly BroadcastHER Academy awards programme.
© 1000 Dreams Fund
Uplifting the next generation of esports and gaming careers, the BroadcastHER Academy provides a $1,000 microgrant, alongside a year-long fellowship program, and a look behind the scenes of the esports world. Over 20 winners have already been chosen, and the 2021 BroadcastHER Academy applications are open right now. Sitting down to apply can be daunting, but take it from 2020 Award winner Jade Valkyrie that building up the courage is more than worth the effort, even with a setback or two.
“I first applied to the BroadcastHER grant without the mentorship and got denied,” Jade said. “I evaluated how much I wanted to be a host and full-time content creator and worked twice as hard on my application. Equipment is a big factor in taking your stream from hobby to career so the grant would help and mentorship would help guide me further.”
The extra effort paid off and Jade soon found herself with not just the award, but a much needed morale boost during a phenomenally tough year.
“It was humbling and I was speechless at first,” said Jade. “It was a chaotic time since Covid-19 just hit the US and the news was the bright light of that time. It also reassured me that I wasn't crazy to pursue this as a career.”
weeks left to apply to @1000DreamsFund's #BroadcastHERAcademy for women in gaming!
— HyperX (@HyperX) February 24, 2021
tb when we teamed up with recipient @JadeValkyrie to co-host our Good Game episode w/ @Narz!
Tag someone who should apply https://t.co/vIp2eobFT7 pic.twitter.com/qraYZJIBsQ
The $1,000 grant which comes with being chosen for the BroadcastHER Academy is often a much-needed boost for those applying. But it’s the extended mentorship scheme that offers the the greatest opportunity to learn from those already in the business.
“My remote mentorship was actually great!” Jade said. “[My mentor] from HyperX was perfect and told me all about content production and really gave me stellar resume advice. My resume is much more tailored to the creative roles I'm looking at now.
More than just conversations, the BroadcastHER Academy fellowship program opens up opportunities to put your skills to the test with high-profile companies like HyperX.
“Thanks to the mentorship, I was able to guest host a video on the HyperX YouTube channel which helped me finally complete my first demo reel,” Jade said. “I took that reel and got accepted into the Twitch Black Hosting and Interviewer Workshop where I learned more about hosting and interviewing.”
© 1000 Dreams Fund
The 2021 BroadcastHER Academy challenge is open to applications until March 12. From all applicants, 10 winners will be selected to receive a $1,000 microgrant, an all-expense paid trip to HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas to spend a day with the Allied Esports Team, a mentorship session a 1DF partner, and HyperX gear. You can view the award criteria and submit your own application by clicking here.
To find out more about the BroadcastHER Academy, visit the 1,000 Dreams Fund website or by following the fund's Twitter account. We’d like to thank Jade for taking the time to talk about her experience with the award. You can follow her progress on Twitter or catch up with her latest streams via Twitch.
