Last month I shared I would be producing events to support the new Public Pathways project at the City College of New York, designed to create academic and career opportunities for an emerging gaming community for teens living in Harlem, Upper Manhattan, and the South Bronx.
First of all, I can now share the link to the new web site, at GamingPathways.org. Please check it out, scroll to the bottom, and enter your contact info to stay in the loop.
While you are there, you can also go to the events calendar to get more information about the first four public events, the first launching this week. If you work with NYC high school youth, or know anyone within the CUNY system (faculty or students), please help spread the word.
Here is a video we commissioned to kick off the events, from the phenomenal educator and rapper Mega Ran.
This week, in person and streamed, will be our first public esports competition, in which CCNY’s E-sports Club students – talented at both academics and gaming – go head-to-head before a live audience. While competing for cash prizes, students will also share how participating in e-sports advances their academic studies and career plans. Come cheer them on, pick up free swag, and try for a chance to compete from the stage in one of the rounds. You can sign-up to attend here and the event will be streamed here. This month will focus on Valorant.
Next week, again in person and streamed, will be our first Well Played lecture series, a highly interactive opportunity for students to hear from people who think hard about games, to understand them in a new way. Each event brings together NYC gaming professionals, a game studies professor or journalist, and a CCNY student, all addressing a similar topic from a different angle. This spring the topic is esports and speakers will include staff from Epic Games and a student speaking on the impact game fans have on esports athletes. You can sign-up to attend here and the event will be streamed here.
We have been working closely with CCNY students in the production of both events, including the amazing student-designed flyers (Thank you Lila!). Check them out below.
