“She meme, she scream, she stare at the screen!” That’s how @maidendere cleverly describes herself as a streamer. Now, she can add “BroadcastHER Academy winner” to her description!

What is your dream in esports and gaming?

My dream is to become a UX designer in the gaming industry for video games or gaming-related platforms and applications.

What does being the BroadcastHER Academy winner, which includes a $1,000 grant and all-expense-paid visit to the HyperX Esports Arena to shadow, mean to you and how will it help you reach your goals?

Being a BroadcastHER Academy winner is a huge honor! I am so excited to put this grant toward my education, and specifically, my thesis project: a product aimed to keep women safer at offline gaming events. This fellowship is an invaluable opportunity for me to make a difference in the gaming community as well as bring me closer to reaching my dreams of being a UX designer in the gaming industry.

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

If we want more women representation, we need to continue to uplift and encourage women within gaming spaces and continue to provide the resources for women to grow in these communities.

What are you most inspired by when it comes to creating encouraging content for young women in gaming, broadcasting, and esports?

When I think about encouraging young women in gaming, I think about my younger self. Being so into gaming as a young girl was difficult because it was such a male-dominated hobby. It was hard to find women to look up to and strive to emulate, because all I ever saw were men. I want to be someone in the gaming community who inspires young women and shows them that their dreams are achievable. I want to be someone my younger self would have been able to look up to and say, “I want to be like her!”

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

I have struggled with being taken as seriously as my male peers and feeling like I have constantly had to work that much harder to prove myself in a male-dominated community. These challenges have really pushed me to believe in myself and know my worth, and they have only made me that much stronger.

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

For women who want to start broadcasting, I say to go for it and have fun with it! Be yourself, take it slow, and above all, make sure you’re having a good time.

How do you stay motivated and focused on your goals?

The motto I live by is: Dream big and work hard. I stay motivated and focused on my goals by keeping my dreams at the forefront of everything I do, and knowing that all the work I am doing will bring me that much closer to reaching my dreams.