STAMFORD, Conn. – To amplify the voices and jumpstart careers of women in gaming and esports, JBL and 1,000 Dreams Fund will host a candid conversation on the experiences of women in gaming with top streamers and content creators. Airing Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. ET on the Twitch front page and JBL’s YouTube channel, the conversation will also be the culminating event in the JBL Quantum Changemakers Challenge. During the broadcast the brand will announce the 30 recipients of the inaugural JBL Quantum Grant with 1,000 Dreams Fund, providing Grant recipients the opportunity to engage with the panelists through a virtual mentorship opportunity.
Brooke “BrookeAB” Bond, one of the fastest-growing streamers and member of premiere lifestyle brand and gaming organization 100 Thieves, will be joined by Jayla “Ninjayla” Thornton, an Apex Legends streamer and content creator for Complexity, and Ava “Ava.GG” Myddleton, a variety streamer specializing in multiplayer shooter games and member of Queens Gaming Collective, for the Changemakers discussion. 100 Thieves director and producer Jaden Lebel will moderate the discussion as the JBL Ambassadors discuss their career journeys, how they have overcome obstacles and what it takes to succeed in the male-dominated and highly competitive gaming and esports industries. Fellow JBL Ambassador Candace Parker, one of the most decorated basketball players, recognized sports broadcasters and the first WNBA cover star of NBA 2K, will also offer her congratulations to the Grant winners and provide commentary on how she has broken barriers in her career.
“JBL is committed to improving representation of women and nonbinary individuals within the gaming industry,” said Ralph Santana, Chief Marketing Officer at HARMAN. “Through our partnership, we hope that this year’s JBL Quantum Grant with 1,000 Dreams Fund recipients are able to pursue their passions, making the gaming and esports industries more diverse and inclusive for all.”
Following the live watch party, the winners of the JBL Quantum Grant will participate in a virtual mentorship session with BrookeAB, Ninjayla and Ava.GG, allowing the pros to give their advice on starting a career in gaming over a game of Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout. Each recipient will also receive a $1,500 microgrant to support her career aspirations and a JBL Quantum ONE gaming headset for the ultimate competitive advantage.
“We are looking forward to providing resources and hands-on mentorship experiences to the JBL Quantum Grant with 1,000 Dreams Fund recipients,” said Christie Garton, founder of 1,000 Dreams Fund. “The virtual mentorship session will give these women the unique opportunity to engage with high-profile women in the industry and offer the space to have conversations on shared experiences in gaming.”
ABOUT JBL
JBL creates the amazing sound that shapes life’s most epic moments. From iconic events like Woodstock and concerts at Madison Square Garden, to games at Yankee Stadium and weekend road trips, JBL elevates listeners’ experiences with award-winning audio that lets them make the most of every moment. With 75 years of unmatched professional credentials and industry leading innovation, JBL has expertly blended a bold vision of the future with the passion and talent of engineers and designers around the globe. JBL’s Signature Professional Sound is the leading technology that powers major pop culture events, and the brand has partnered with the world’s top talent across music, sports and esports.
ABOUT HARMAN
HARMAN International (harman.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co, LTD., designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and services supporting the Internet of Things. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. Our software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 30,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
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/
