How a Video Game Enthusiast Became an Advocate and Role Model for Women and Minorities in the Gaming Industry

A geek of all trades, our guest, Keisha Howard, has been a video game enthusiast since childhood. Growing up "geeky" resulted in her developing interests that were very different from her peers on Chicago's South Side.

With a degree in psychology and communications at DePaul University, Keisha acquired an understanding of consumer motivations that ultimately led her to real estate.

After a successful decade long career, Keisha's communications background and passion for business innovation led her to the Information Technology Industry, specifically social media, the video game industry and geek culture.

She quickly discovered that a considerable part of the industry's consumer and professional demographics were not being represented, so Keisha created Sugar Gamers – the new face of geek culture.

It began as a women's advocacy and networking group for consumers and professionals, but eventually blossomed into an organization that advocates for all demographics who are under served or not being represented at all.

Through Sugar Gamers, Keisha was able to monetize her interests in technology and connect people in the IT Community with other like-minded individuals, raising awareness of the under-representation of women in the Gaming Industry, and lobby to make sure corporations factor the needs of female consumers in their new offerings.

I found Keisha on Instagram and immediately vibed with her deep advocacy for women and minorities in tech and the gaming industries. She is the ultimate She-ro role model for geek goddesses.

Keisha shares:
•How the recession pushed her into entrepreneurship
•Her response when the SyFy channel told her “you’re not good enough.”
•Why she launched SugarGamers (it began with a post on Craig’s List!)
•Her advice for introverts to manage social media engagement
•The complex demographics found in the gaming industry
•Her deep knowledge of Virtual and Augmented Reality and how this medium is ideal for businesses to tell their story
•A new co-ed game called Tachyon – the first hybrid live-and-augmented arena sport
•Project VIOLACEA, a cyberpunk game where we all can imagine ourselves in a future where we can solve problems.
•Why tech and the gaming industry need to represent more women and minorities
•The BEST advice for managing the entrepreneurship roller coaster ride

Here are some of my favorite quotes from our delicious conversation:

"It's astounding to me that it's 2019, but I've met young women who come up to me and have said, "I never knew that there were black women in gaming." It's shocking."

"With visibility comes responsibility to people who are watching you because you're inspiring people. There's not that many of me in the video game industry. I realized that I really have to see this through and I can't give up because it gets hard sometimes."

"Even though Sugar Gamers started off as the all-female organization advocating for our representation in video games, it since evolved for everyone who has the mission to see diversity and inclusion and accessibility in the industry. So now, our team is comprised of all types of people from all walks of life who understand that this is a space and opportunity for all of us."

"That has been such a gratifying experience for me because I've always wanted to work in the video game industry and not only was I able to start my own company, but now I'm working with people on actual products. So it's not just me advocating, but it's me creating things or helping to create things as well. That's really exciting."

"One of the interesting things I've learned especially being immersed and engaged actively with gamers of all walks of life is that kids will find me, and they are so happy when I can validate their interest and their passion in gaming as an adult becau