Empowering systemic change
...through video games?
As a dominant force in the world of entertainment ($164 billion worldwide), video games have an emerging influence on education, professional training, and even health care but...
video games today do not represent gamers and
actually reinforce damaging racist and sexist stereotypes.
WHY?
because video game developers do not look like
the majority of video game players.
Over 80% of American Black teens play video games, and women make up nearly half of the gaming market. However, game industry workers are overwhelmingly white cis males. This is a result of and causes some significant problems that Seraph 7 intends to address.
The Problems:
- Lack of diverse heroes in video games
- Female characters clothed improperly
- Economic disparities
- Educational disparities
- The need for women and the BIPOC community to acquire tech skills for vertical careers and better representation
The Seraph 7 Solution:
Seraph 7 Studios empowers underestimated youth to change the video game industry from the inside out. We are building a robust applied, advanced work-study STE[A]M course focused on coding and game development. We will provide our students with skills to develop console games while they earn a paycheck, high school credit, and college credit!
Economic Disparities in Minnesota
Currently, in Minnesota, an African American family of four makes a median of $31,000/year and a Native family makes a median of $27,000/year. An entry-level video game developer makes an average of $78,000/year.
Educational Disparities in Minnesota
For STE[A]M courses in Minnesota, achievement disparities begin as early as elementary school and persist throughout high school and college. Seraph 7 creates educational opportunities that ultimately help lead underestimated youth to high-paying developer jobs.
(STE[A]M = Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math)
By teaching more kids in our community how to develop video games, we will create an army of change-makers.
The end result? Video games that feature diverse characters, storylines, and artistic styles to tell fresh, fun, meaningful, and culturally inspirational stories. Imagine: Black and female characters portrayed not as thugs, sex objects, or stereotyped caricatures...but as HEROES.
IFW Campaign Funds:
We are developing the curriculum for our applied, advanced work-study STE[A]M course for local high school students.
Funds raised through this campaign will help cover the fees for our educational consulting firm: Leaders4Education, a group comprised of four Minnesota educational administrators who have over a century of educational leadership, curriculum development, and oversight experience between them. Leaders4Education will also help us develop educational community partnerships.
Our Founder, Jules Porter, at the United Nations in New York (2016).
Meet our Founder:
Seraph 7 was founded by Jules Porter, a licensed attorney, proud Marine Corps veteran, previous manager of 100+ employees, and software coder. When she began law school and spoke with people in her home state she learned many people considered the issues and divisions they faced as longstanding, pervasive, known, and hopeless. Jules realized she could make a bigger difference for social justice and equality through developing video games that covertly teach empathy than by "just" being a lawyer (which she still does too). Jules merged her love of gaming and coding with her legal mind and business acumen to form Seraph 7 Studios.
Jules talks with Stephanie from the Social Change Leaders Podcast about Systems Change in the Video Game Industry.
Watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNOS3djGa7I
A note from Jules:
"The recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery demonstrate the urgent need for all of us to use our skills to combat racism in all forms and actively create a better neighborhood, nation, and world."
The time for change is NOW. The time for Seraph 7 Studios is HERE.
Will you join us in changing the video game industry for GOOD?
Be sure to check out our donation rewards!
Before you go, check our donation rewards for a noble cause: Empowering Youth!
NEW REWARDS! The Pink Gamer Series
Show your support for women game developers and women gamers! Donate and select one of these limited quantity rewards!
By popular demand, here is a sizing chart for the yoga pants / leggins! Thank you for your support!
Thank you for visiting our I Fund Women Campaign page! Please share our campaign with your network and check back with us soon for updates!
Stay in touch and follow our journey!
Company Website: www.seraph7studios.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seraph7studios
Twitter: https://twitter.com/seraph7studios
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/seraph7studios
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM7XMO17aoXLYebeeBf-gJQ
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/seraph7studios
