@Animedia — Ani for short — has created a family-friendly, positive, and safe community for her followers who watch her “rage, laugh, cry, but totally NEVER be toxic,” she says. This BroadcastHER Grant winner’s dream is to keep growing a positive, caring, and safe community for all her fellow gamers.

What is your dream as a digital broadcaster?

I dream of creating a safe community for everyone, to help make people feel welcome and happy.

How will the BroadcastHER Grant from the 1,000 Dreams Fund help you reach your goals?

This grant will help me upgrade my setup to bring better streams to my small, but growing community.

What does being the recipient of the BroadcastHER Grant mean to you?

It means a lot of things to me. But the one thing it means the most is opportunity. This grant is a great way to give girls opportunities they might not have been able to have without this support.

Women are underrepresented in gaming, broadcasting, and e-sports. What can we do to change this?

I think the best way to change this is to have grants like these to give women a chance to get themselves out there.

What are some of the challenges you have faced along the way?

As a female streamer, I have faced many challenges. I’ve had trolls get my Instagram taken down; I’ve had 700 people come and attack my discord server; and then there’s always the standard troll while streaming. Harassment and hate is something I’ve had to learn to deal with. Another challenge was not having the funds to start streaming. It took me years to save up to be able to stream.

What advice do you have for women who want to start broadcasting?

Just do it! While it might be scary at first, it’s a great way to get yourself out there and build confidence over time. At the end of the day — no matter what you do — there are going to be people who will want to bring you down. But you gotta do what makes you happy.

How do you stay motivated and focused on your goals?

My community really helps me stay motivated and focused on my goals. I want to be someone my community can look up to, so I like to see that as my motivation to keep going.