Meet sway_bae (she/her).

What is your dream in gaming, esports, and/or content creation?

My dream is to inspire the next generation of gamers and creators. I love what I do in the realm of content creation, and I didn’t realize this was a possibility for me because girls were never societally encouraged to game.

On top of that, relatable people were not visibly placed as the popularity of streaming, gaming, and content creation rose. Visibility and representation are so unbelievably important. Seeing someone you can relate to doing something you dream of doing can absolutely have a real impact on what feels out of reach and what doesn’t.

I want to put in the work to continue encouraging and supporting femme gamers and gamers of color — and to bring a voice to the underrepresented.

Please share how winning support from 1,000 Dreams Fund is important to your dream and what impact it will have on your career?

This feels like a dream come true. When this program’s applications opened and the prizes were announced, I couldn’t believe this opportunity existed. The microgrant will assist with some needed setup upgrades, and the MSI laptop will help with a dual stream setup. Not to mention, Games Week Georgia will provide networking and learning opportunities that absolutely would never have been available to me otherwise.

The 1-on-1 mentorship and resume review are going to be game-changers, as well. There have been many times when I had to make important decisions without any foundation to base them on, and I truly value the opportunity to have a mentor and the support that will bring.

In all honesty, this opportunity feels life-changing, and I cannot thank 1DF enough for providing it to me and so many others.

What advice do you have for women & femmes who want to work in gaming, esports, and/or content creation?

DON’T GIVE UP! You matter, what you want matters, and what you are doing matters. The more femme representation we can bring to gaming, the better!

Much like every other aspect of life, this career field requires time, patience, consistency, and energy. There will be days when it feels like you haven’t made a dent, but trust me when I say, you have. Be kind to yourself, take breaks when you need them, prioritize your mental health, but do not give up. If even one person sees what you are doing and is inspired by you, you have made an impact.

Together, the impacts we all make every day will add up to a more inclusive, more diverse gaming space.