@HappyBluePanda is part of League of Legends Hungary, but her ultimate goal is to build a tenacious community where everybody can be whoever he or she wants to be. Here’s what else this BroadcastHER Grant winner had to say.

What is your dream as a digital broadcaster?

I want to encourage others to be themselves and show the whole Twitch community that there are talented female players.

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

I’m from a poor family and occasionally my parents can’t even provide the essentials required for daily life. So, this grant helps me a lot.

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

It means the world to me. I couldn’t even believe when one of my friends — another streamer — sent me a picture that said I’m a winner. And then I checked my email. I still can’t even believe it now.

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

This is a very interesting question. I think female participation online is changing every day. Women are loved, but people also look down on us. I think people like female streamers more on the basis of their physical appearance than their play or personality, which I think is really sad. I would like to be better in my game and a friendly “buddy” to my viewers — not a girl who is ‘so sexy’ and so on. So, we need to encourage other women to continue to celebrate their talent in games, which extends far beyond their ‘look.’

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

People have looked down on me because I am a girl and I am a more highly ranked player. They don’t believe I could achieve this on my own. Many people said I was viewer-boosted by one of my good friends because he hosted me once or twice and wanted to help me. Once I even gave up streaming for awhile because I got too much negative feedback from my viewers.

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

Be yourself. If you do your best for your community, they will reciprocate and make it worth it. 

How do you stay motivated and focused on your goals?

Broadcasting means the world to me, so I’m motivated every day that I stream. If I have a bad day, my viewers help me, and then I can re-focus on my goals. It is really easy to be motivated when I have a wonderful community.