BroadcastHER Academy Esports and Gaming Fellowship Program for Women returns for a Fourth Year

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 1,000 Dreams Fund (1DF), a national nonprofit that supports the dreams of talented young women in need with scholarships, mentorship and other critical resources, announces the return of the BroadcastHER Academy (#BroadcastHERAcademy), an esports and gaming fellowship program for women interested in pursuing careers in the esports industry – whether in-front or behind the camera. Starting today, interested applicants are invited to apply to the BroadcastHER Academy Challenge: https://1000dreamsfund.org/broadcasther-academy-challenge-2022/

While women are driving big gains in esports viewership, women pro gamers earn millions less than their male counterparts with only few holding a salaried position on esports teams, according to esportsearnings.com. Women content creators additionally face a substantial pay gap.

"First and foremost, the BroadcastHER Academy Fellowship Program is intended to build a diverse talent pool for our partners and the industry while providing our participants with unparalleled access to hands-on training that can lead to employment opportunities at the end of the fellowship," said 1,000 Dreams Fund Founder and CEO Christie Garton. "We are also thrilled to be able to connect our Fellows with our incredible partners and their teams to help expand their professional networks."

Partners include premier esports entertainment company Allied Esports and HyperX, the gaming division of HP, and leader in gaming products. Both partners have sponsored the fellowship program since its launch in 2019, helping fuel the dreams of over 30 women in esports.

"Career programs focused on inclusivity are essential, and the BroadcastHER Academy continues to set the standard for creating opportunities for young women in our growing industry," said Jud Hannigan, CEO of Allied Esports. "Allied Esports is extremely proud to partner with 1,000 Dreams Fund to help mentor and showcase these young women who have the talent and drive to be future leaders in broadcasting and gaming."

New to the program this year, BroadcastHER Academy Fellows will have access to a special mentorship panel opportunity with Aerial Powers, HyperX Brand Ambassador and a professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx as part of the Women's National Basketball Association, previously playing for Michigan State University in college. Aerial has accelerated her love for gaming and content creation through her Twitch streams, YouTube Channel, and position as Chair of Diversity & Inclusion at Team Liquid.

"HyperX is excited to bring these young women closer to realizing their dreams and ensure that they have a fair chance at economic and job opportunities within the broadcast and gaming industry," said Wendy Lecot, head of strategic alliances, HyperX. "Through our multi-year support of 1000 Dreams Fund BroadcastHER Academy, we've interacted with the many talented Fellows and have seen how the program has served as an accelerator for careers in gaming for young ethnic women. HyperX is committed to ensuring that women have a seat at the table as they are underrepresented especially in the gaming industry." 

Ten women will be announced to the fellowship program for one year. Applicants will be selected based on the quality of their application which includes a proposed plan for what they hope to accomplish by the end of the program.

All 10 Fellows will receive:

• $1,000 grant to further their education;
• One 60-minute mentor session with an executive from one of our partners by video conference. Matches made based on skills and career interests of both the mentor and mentee;
• The program will include an all-expense paid trip for winners to visit a center of esports excellence, including the HyperX Arena Las Vegas to shadow the Allied Esports team which would include:
• A comprehensive hands-on tour
• Time with the broadcast unit to learn about the broadcast operations
• Lunch or dinner with a 1DF or Allied Esports executive or broadcast professional
• Opportunity to call a game in a professional broadcast booth
• Video reel, and/or the work streamed live through the 1,000 Dreams Fund channel on Twitch

Additionally, efforts will be made to offer winners additional "pop up" opportunities with partners whether live events, conferences, tournaments, project-based contract roles, internships, apprenticeships or even full-time employment. 

About the 2022 BroadcastHER Academy Recruitment Challenge

How it works: Applicants will enter via a photo challenge that showcases the applicants' breadth and depth of talent, commitment, and interest in esports and gaming as a career

How to apply: The Challenge will be accessible on the 1DF microsite: https://1000dreamsfund.org/programs/broadcasther-academy-challenge-2022/

Who can apply: Women 18 years of age and older, who are based in the U.S.

Key dates: The BroadcastHER Academy Challenge launches on February 22, 2022 and ends on March 30, 2022. All winners will be announced by April 1, 2022. Fellowship winners will be selected and announced over the course of the 5-week Challenge. Winners will be announced on the 1,000 Dreams Fund Blog and social media accounts (i.e., Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

About 1,000 Dreams Fund
1,000 Dreams Fund (1DF) is a national nonprofit that empowers the dreams of talented young women in need with scholarships, mentorship and other critical resources. 1DF believes that big obstacles should never stand in the way of big dreams. Since its launch in 2016, over $400,000 in funding has been granted to talented young women in need, helping them pay for the "extras" in school like study abroad, tech devices for the classroom and travel to conferences and seminars. 1DF has been featured in NBCNews.com, USA Today, MarketWatch, Forbes, Huffington Post, Chicago Tribune, Entrepreneur, TODAY and others. To learn more about 1DF, visit http://1000dreamsfund.org/.

About Allied Esports
Named one of the World's Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company, Allied Esports International, Inc. is at the forefront of esports entertainment with global properties, live events and production services that elevate creators, competition and content.

Allied Esports owns and operates HyperX Arena Las Vegas, the world's most recognized esports facility and the company's global flagship venue, as well as the Allied Esports Trucks, the first 18-wheel mobile gaming arenas.  Members of the Allied Esports Property Network, the world's first esports venue affiliate program, span North America, Europe, China and Australia, including the internationally celebrated Fortress Melbourne.

Allied Esports produces competitive community and professional esports and gaming events, including popular proprietary tournament brands Frags, Knockdown, Saturday Night Speedway and the Legend Series; original co-branded programs like the Simon Cup; and custom tournaments such as Trovo Titans.

AE Studios, Allied Esports' original content development and production services division, is a leader in storytelling beyond competition through live streamed productions across a variety of industries. With studios in Las Vegas and Hamburg, Germany, AE Studios has created and executed original and white label productions for top brands in sports, entertainment, tech, pop culture and gaming.

For more information about Allied Esports, visit AlliedEsports.gg and follow @AlliedEsports. Allied Esports International, Inc. is a subsidiary of Allied Esports Entertainment, Inc.

About Allied Esports Entertainment
Allied Esports Entertainment (NASDAQ: AESE) is a global esports entertainment venture dedicated to providing transformative live experiences, multiplatform content and interactive services to audiences worldwide. For more information, visit alliedesports.gg.

About HyperX
For 19 years, HyperX's mission has been to develop gaming solutions for every type of gamer and the company is consistently recognized for delivering products that provide superior comfort, aesthetics, performance, and reliability. Under the tagline of "WE'RE ALL GAMERS," HyperX gaming headsets, keyboards, mice, USB microphones, and console accessories are the choice of everyday gamers as well as celebrity ambassadors, pro gamers, tech enthusiasts, and overclockers worldwide because they meet the most stringent product specifications and are built with best-in-class components. For more information, please go to www.hyperx.com.

About HP
HP Inc. creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our product and service portfolio of personal systems, printers, and 3D printing solutions, we engineer experiences that amaze. More information about HP Inc. is available at http://www.hp.com.

Contacts

1,000 Dreams Fund
Kayla Cooper
[email protected]
202-468-6600

Allied Esports
Brian Fisher
[email protected]

HyperX
Mark Tekunoff
[email protected]

SOURCE 1,000 Dreams Fund