Lifting as She Climbs in the Video Gaming Industry and Beyond
If Not You, Who?
Give me a place to stand, and I will move the world.
- Archimedes
For more information, visit: https://www.socialchangeleaders.net/episode/026
On today’s episode we speak with Jules Porter, Esq and MBA, and learn how and why she is leading the way toward a more diverse video gaming industry. In this episode, we discuss:
- Jules’ diverse background and how her commitment to learning led her to careers in the military, engineering, the legal system as well as launching the first Black woman-owned company to launch a console video game, Seraph 7 Studios.
- How the $164 billion gaming industry is larger than the world-wide sports industry.
- How the development of video games is impacted by the fact that 3% of gaming programers represent people of color and about 5% of the industry is women
- The influences of media conditioning and how that informs our perception of race, especially in rural and more segregated communities.
- Some of the barriers faced by women and people of color entering the gaming industry and by those participating in gaming
- How Jules managed to launch a video gaming company and why she is doing a kick-starter campaign to support artists and other professionals to fill diversity gaps in the gaming industry. Across all industries, Black women receive less than 1 % of the funding provided by venture capitalists, thus using alternate avenues to acquire funding, such as Kickstarter, is imperative.
- The cool concept behind her fist game, Ultimate Elder Battle Royale.
- The way that Seraph 7 Studios is also a social enterprise. Seraph 7 Studios, LLC, portrays people of color in a positive light, provides positive heroes for young girls and kids of color, and improves the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) competence and confidence of local high school students.
- Jules’ philosophy of ‘lifting as we climb’ and how her work supports students to build skills and confidence for a future in the gaming industry by learning art, storyboarding, animation, gaming physics, gaming architecture, C++, etc.
In this episode:
Seraph 7 Studios Kickstarter Page
Connect with Jules and Seraph 7 Studios on -
Twitter: https://twitter.com/seraph7studios
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seraph7studios
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM7XMO17aoXLYebeeBf-gJQ
More about Seraph 7 Studios
Founded by JD/MBA student Jules Porter in her parent's basement (like all other tech companies), Seraph 7 Studios, LLC is a console video game development company that empowers compelling change through diverse storytelling and empowering local youth. Seraph 7 believes in powering social change by bringing unique and meaningful diverse story-lines to the video game medium and teaching local students how to code for console platforms (Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Xbox One, and Sony PlayStation.
