The Black Collegiate Gaming Association recently launched their Corners to Colleges HBCU program earlier this month.
Through the program, the BCGA works to increase diversity in the video gaming industry by giving high school students the chance to experiment with gaming at HBCU campuses.
While also being given the opportunity to spend a week on the campuses, the students are able to further their gaming knowledge by working alongside esports college advisors in the HBCUs’ campus gaming and innovation labs. The students are also allowed to train by working on projects by the partners of BCGA as well as their cases.
Overall, the curriculum and activities the program offers include “Esports 101,” “History of Black & Women of Color in Gaming, History of Gaming,” “Top Female Streamers” and “Economic & Opportunities of Esports” amongst others. Corners to Colleges also offers information about HBCU admissions, financial aid, degrees and college readiness courses to the program attendees. After completing the courses, the students will have the chance to receive special awards or a scholarship to one of the HBCUs along with their certificate.
The HBCUs that are involved in the program include Florida A&M University, Alabama State University, Jackson State University, Mississippi Valley State University and the Florida Memorial University amongst others.
“First and foremost, the purpose of the Corners to Colleges program is to let high school students know that the gaming industry is more than just playing the video games at home,” said Keshia Walker, the founder and chairwoman of BCGA, per the Atlanta Voice. “Secondly, they receive exposure to HBCU life and what it’s like to stay at an HBCU. Third, they’re introduced to all things related to gaming and technology.”
Although a majority of Black Americans are consumers of the video game industry, there’s still a disproportionate lack of diversity and Black tech employees in the business. According to a 2018 report by the Nielsen Company, 73% of Black Americans consider themselves as gamers compared to 66% of the rest of the population who also consider themselves active gamers.
Despite this, they make up just 2% of the video gaming industry, according to a 2019 report by the International Game Developers Association. Although initiatives by various gaming companies have been started to diversify the field, in a 2022 Games Developer Conference survey, almost a quarter of the 2,700 game developers surveyed said that their employers and studios had not yet put much effort into their initiatives dedicated to diversity or inclusion, choosing instead to focus resources elsewhere.
“Over 60% of everything around games are purchased by Blacks and people of color, but we are underrepresented in decision-making in this space,” said Walker per the Atlanta Voice. “BCGA was created to address that.”
