Every time Jirassaya Uttarapong a.k.a. MahouJirachi broadcasts, her goal is to have fun — and to inspire others to do the same. The BroadcastHER Grant recipient loves connecting with her viewers and being able to talk to them and even help them out, offer advice, and make friends. It’s all part of her larger goal to make a positive impact in the industry. After all, she believes that building a strong and visible community of women in gaming, digital broadcasting, and e-sports is so crucial to support the movement forward.

What is your dream as a digital broadcaster?

My ultimate dream is to be able to build a large community and following that is almost like a family! I love having fun and very interactive streams because not only do the viewers talk to me, they talk to each other and they make friends.

I hope to be able to help fund my tuition through streaming, as well. Any little amounts of donations help. I would love to work towards a larger following and be able to have side money I can put towards my degree.

I also stream to help build myself and my platform. I have big aspirations towards the game industry and/or the e-sports industry — and streaming is a great start to getting my name out there.

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

This will help me upgrade my hardware on my PC, so that I can better the quality of my stream for my viewers!

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

It means so much. I felt so surprised and honored when I received the email. I work so hard trying to make ends meet while focusing on my passions and receiving this grant helped to show that the hard work is recognized and that it pays off.

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

Women are definitely underrepresented in this industry. First off, I feel like some women are deterred from pursuing this industry due to lack of representation (so having representation is important). There are also a lot of horror stories and negative treatment of women who game, so it helps to highlight the good and to band together because we are stronger in numbers. To have a network of women all pursuing the same goals and interests helps strengthen the movement and each other.

Programs like the BroadcastHER Grant definitely help a lot, too. We need more programs like this!

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

Sadly, being a broadcaster on the internet comes with some negatives. I have had to put together a lot of moderators who are quick and reliable for my streams to cut out negative and sexist behavior in chat. Starting out, I experienced a lot of sexist and immature behavior in chat which almost made me quit. Luckily, I had great friends and made great friends through streaming who have helped me build my community which helps cut out the negativity.

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

It’s the Internet, unfortunately, and mean people exist. Since it is not face to face, people sometimes don’t think about how what they say can affect others. I feel as though starting out tends to draw out a lot of trolls and such who like to pick on new streamers. Persevere through it! Get a few trustworthy friends to help moderate and to hangout in Discord with you during your first streams, or as needed. It helps!

How do you stay motivated and focused on your goals?

I have a planner, and I make a lot of lists. I find writing down my goals on Post-Its and in colorful marker helps me a lot. If I am ever feeling down, I think of the big picture and all that I want to accomplish.

I also try to remember that everything is done in baby steps and everyone has to start somewhere. I break my goals up into smaller, more achievable processes that lead to an end goal, so I do not overwhelm myself.