Capitol Hill Event Honoring Video Game Innovation Fellows

 Education   Mon, October 19, 2015 04:15 PM

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) selected 20 minority youth (ages 15-25) as ESA LOFT (Leaders on the Fast Track) Video Game Innovation Fellows.  The Fellows were chosen for the original video games and apps they developed to address social issues in their communities and will be flown in to Washington, D.C., to present their ideas to the White House, U.S. Congress, and national community leaders on Thursday, October 22nd

“Through this creative partnership with the ESA, we are engaging youth on their terms through video games and apps to make a positive social impact,” said Jose Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of HHF. “We believe there is a link from playing a video game to developing a game to computer coding, cybersecurity and other workforce skills gap areas America is desperately trying to fill. It is also important minority youth are encouraged to be content creators, not just consumers.” 

The agenda for the 2015 LOFT Video Game Innovation fellows includes:

Thursday, October 22, 2015

·       9:00 a.m.     Fellows video game and app presentation at The Raben Group- 5th Floor, 1341 G St NW (open to press)

·       11:00 a.m.   Congressional Briefing on Capitol Visitors Center, Room HVC-215 (open to press, credentials required)

·       3:00 p.m.     White House Briefing (closed to press)

“The ESA LOFT Video Game Innovation Fellowship underscores the fact that games are a valuable tool for positive change in our society,” said Rich Taylor, Senior Vice President of Communications and Industry Affairs at the ESA. “We are proud to offer an opportunity that will help foster and promote creative thinking and innovation in minority communities, and cultivate future innovators of our industry, through the unique platform only video games can provide.”

To see the Fellows’ games, visit www.LOFTinnovation.org. To follow the activities on social media, follow #LOFTFellows.

About the Entertainment Software Association

The ESA offers services to interactive entertainment software publishers, including conducting business and consumer research, providing legal and policy analysis and advocacy on First Amendment, intellectual property and technology/e-commerce issues, managing a global anti-piracy program, owning and operating E3, and representing video game industry interests in federal and state government relations. For more information, please visit www.theESA.com or follow us on Twitter at @RichatESA or @ESAGovAffairs.

About the Latinos on the Fast Track Program

LOFT is HHF’s award-winning, leadership, and workforce development program focused on America’s priority fields including STEM, entrepreneurship, education, and innovation. Tens of thousands of students and young professionals are connected to each other; prepared through trainings, priority-field-tailored symposia, workshops, and Charlas; and hundreds are placed into internships, mentorships, fellowships and full-time positions with Fortune 500 companies and government agencies.  Join and follow LOFT on Twitter - @LOFTInstitute and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/hhfloft/.  Visit www.HispanicHeritage.org for info on HHF.

2015 ESA VIDEO GAME INNOVATION FELLOWS

Christopher Carbajal 

Male, 20 

Burbank, CA 94558 

DollarDreams: App Store for Non-Profits 

 

Alyssa Edmund 

Female, 17 

Astoria, NY 11105 

Your Personal Friend: Online Support System  

 

William Emanuel 

Male, 17 

Napa, CA 94558 

Neighborhood Water Watch: Water Conservation 

 

Andrew Gayle 

Male, 15 

Mirmar, FL 33025 

The Trash Eliminator: World Pollution 

Naomi Hareid 

Female, 18 

Marana, AZ 85653 

Surgery: Strategic Moves  

 

Jacky Jimenez 

Female, 15 

Astoria, NY 11102 

Finding Your Future: College and Job Opportunities  

 

Gerardo Leon 

Male, 17 

Houston, TX 77036  

Learn Realm: Study and Test Preparation  

 

Omar Lopez 

Male, 23 

Oxnard, CA 93030 

Project Echoes: Choices and Consequences 

 

Nicodemus Madehdou 

Male, 19 

Philadelphia, PA 19136 

Turbo Finger Swipe: Early Childhood Education 

 

Giselle Martinez 

Female, 17 

Santa Cruz, CA 95062 

Reflecxio: Increase Productivity 

 

Ashley Miller 

Female, 21 

Chicago, IL 60625 

Phantom Limb: Sexual Assault 

 

Ana Nico-Silva 

Female, 19 

Watsonville, CA 95076 

Youth Empowerment Institute: Food Justice Quiz

 

Aleida Olvera 

Female, 17 

Brownsville, TX 78526 

SmartGuard: An Emergency Alert System  

 

Margot Richaud 

Female, 17 

Long Island City, NY 11106 

Space Cleaners: Space Debris Awareness 

 

Nicholas Romero 

Male, 21 

Chapel Hill, NC 02048

HightStep: Healthier Lifestyle 

 

Juan Torres 

Male, 16 

San Francisco, CA 94110  

Uncover Police Brutality: Police Brutality 

 

Alisha Ukani

Female, 17

Weston, MA 02493

Proton: Addressing Self-Esteem

 

Noelle Vela

Female, 21

Lubbock, TX 79415

Raza: Increasing Hispanic Political Engagement 

 

Jabari Voss 

Male, 16 

New York, NY 11221 

The Real Politician: Understanding Fundamentals of Politics 

 

Jenny Xu

Female, 16

Cambridge, MD

Hungry Trash Protecting the Environment

 

CONTACT:
Dan Hewitt
(202-223-2400)
dhewitt@theesa.com

Gabi Huesca
(909-306-4050)
ghuesca@rabengroup.com

Bayonia Marshall
(240) 200-2263
bayonia@hispanicheritage.org
 
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