HBCU Heroes Making NBA2K21 Gaming Heroes
Being a hero is about making a difference and that is exactly what former NBA player, George Lynch and Digital Strategist and CEO of Switch Media, Tracey Pennywell did by teaming up to create the foundation, HBCU Heroes.
While this organization is all about leveling the academic playing field for HBCU sports programs through scholarships, it also hosts events that create space for undeserved communities to pursue educational opportunities. One event in particular, which is streaming today, December 16, 2020 starting at 2pm EST is the NBA2K21 Gaming Tournament. This tournament, sponsored by Intel, will donate $50,000 in scholarships, prizes, and eSports lab funding to Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs).
The NBA2K21 gaming tournament will have both guy and girl gamers and the best thing is there is no separate competition between the sexes. There are no guys and there are no girls; it is just gamers playing the game. It’s all mixed up because gaming is not about strength and agility; it is about your intuition and how you play. And while Tracey has never seen HBCU girl gamers in the industry compete, she is excited they will be today.
Aside from the tournament and those like it to come, there is significant importance for HBCU students to have access to eSport labs. In an virtual interview with the Co-founders, Tracey Pennywell discussed how the gaming industry globally is a $160 billion a year industry; however, eSports in the HBCU communities have not fully caught on yet. Because we don’t have curriculum or programming or Esports labs, the students have no physical place to learn about Esports. So they’re missing out on a huge piece of the pie. Esports labs are a way to level the playing field by putting three or four units or more (XBoxes or other gaming devices) into a classroom so that they can start coming together learn how to get into this multi-billion dollar industry.
Co-founder and former NBA basketball player, George Lynch, further emphasized that from the business side and in the development side of gaming is what our kids are missing out on and they are some of the brightest minds in STEM. They are not going to HBCUs because the (Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) offer full scholarships to kids who game. So if there’s a minority [black or brown] kid who games and wants to learn the business side of developing games; there are no HBCUs they can attend at the moment.
HBCU Heroes aims to get the word out to give students on HBCU campuses a platform to compete in a gaming environment against other students or on other campuses. A lot of students do it on their campuses, but it’s not as organized. It is just a group of people that get together and can communicate locally over the internet and their Wi-Fi. The gaming tournament HBCU Heroes offer are opportunities for a student at Southern to compete against a student at Fayetteville State or Hampton and get to know each other.
Partnering with Intel, Dell, and Verizon has helped HBCU Heroes accomplish getting universities the ability to have a budget to create classroom space, hire a professor, and put all of the equipment in for students to gain access to gaming curriculum.
The first tournament was held in July 2020 in honor of The Honorable Congressman John Lewis. It was a Good Trouble tournament weeks before his passing because the film Good Trouble was coming out. HBCU Heroes found it important to put something together for the the players to play in honor of John Lewis. Today’s tournament is a holiday showdown.
If you have missed out on first one or the one starting today, no worries! In January 2021, HBCU Heroes will start a league and the next tournament will be held February 3, 2021. Sign up early, get your device, and join in on the fun!
HBBCU Heroes is excited to create this league (and space) that will help to build eSports labs, provide consoles, give away academic scholarships, and raise awareness of STEAM and STEAM at HBCUs as a whole.
Don’t forget to tune in today, December 16, 2020 at 2pm for the live stream event! Watch here: https://heroesvs.gg/showdown/
George, Tracey, and myself send a huge GOOD LUCK to all of the gamers!
For more information or to connect with HBCU Heroes click the link below:
Twitch: twitch.tv/hbcuheroes
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZEgm2d2KNtsHg3NHC2Zi1g
Website: http://www.hbcuheroes.org (Don’t forget to click the donate button!)
Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/hbcuheroes
Special shout out to the Digital Media Fellowship HBCU students powering the platforms used by HBCU Heroes!
