Roughly 61 million Hispanic and Latinx people live in the United States, making up 18 percent of the population. For the past three decades, the country has recognized this ever-growing community, and its many achievements, with National Hispanic Heritage Month. We’re doing the same over the next 30 days, by celebrating the eight Hispanic/Latinx collegiate students awarded ESA Foundation scholarships for the 2020-21 school year.
These are incredibly smart, imaginative and unique students whose passion for the playing and creation of video games compels them to pursue careers in the industry. And the industry needs them. While 69 percent of Hispanic/Latinx teens play video games, just 7 percent of professional game developers are from the same demographic. Through the ESA Foundation scholarship program, we empower young people from diverse backgrounds to combine their dreams with the development of career skills, hoping that they’ll also serve as role models for future innovators.
From September 15 to October 15, we’ll feature our Hispanic/Latinx scholars in various ways, including the videos below and on our Facebook and Twitter channels. We invite you to join in the celebration by checking this page weekly to see how these incredible young people honor the cultures and traditions of their families and heritages through the creation of video games.
Don’t forget to check back every Monday through October 15, 2020 to explore more stories from our scholars and how they are honoring their heritage and building towards the future.