The DeanBeat: Riot Games launched a South LA tech and gaming hub in its own backyard.

Riot Games and SoLA Impact’s I CAN Foundation have opened a tech and gaming hub in poverty-stricken South Los Angeles.

It’s an example of doing good in your own backyard, and it’s made possible by a more than $2 million social impact contribution from Riot Games, the Los Angeles-based developer of League of Legends and Valorant.

The 14,000-square-foot technology and gaming center will provide free educational instruction to the South Los Angeles community, Sherri Francois, executive director of Sola Impact and Sola i CAN Foundation, said in an interview with GamesBeat.

It all started when the group

“We started having a conversation around South LA’s amazing tech desert and talking to schools, parents, students and the community about the importance of providing technology programming and technology education,” Francois said. “The need for technology training is so vast that we know we can agree with great partners because we think we have a business space. We need to build a technology center. Really, it was as simple as that.”

Francois said the nonprofit began talking to potential partners, and the conversation with Riot Games clicked immediately, with the company “responding in a nanosecond.”

“The fact that their social impact is driven by what we stand for and believe in was a natural marriage. And when we were told they would help, we were excited about the partnership. Not only were they willing to help with this from a financial standpoint, but they wanted more meaning. They wanted to make sure they were providing additional support in any capacity. Disruptors They were here last week and were very friendly with the children, working with them.

In an interview with GamesBeat, Jeff Burrell, head of social impact, said last year the company and a non-profit organization ran a pilot program for Tech Kids’ technological and entrepreneurial skills. The results were good and the team started brainstorming more ideas about the vision and how Riot could support it.

“At the end of last year, we announced a $2.25 million commitment to build the centers. And it’s wild that they’re able to fully build the entrepreneurship center and the game lab and shipping platform.” “It was really cool to see not only the excitement of the kids, but the community and what it means to everyone in South Central Los Angeles,” Brill said.

Its aim is to improve the lives of residents and break the cycle of poverty by providing opportunities for education and economic activity. The group held its grand opening yesterday at the Sola Beehive campus for the Technology and Delivery Center. The Center aims to inspire and develop the next generation of black and brown game developers, athletes, technologists, leaders and entrepreneurs.

At the ribbon cutting ceremony, representatives from Riot Games, Sola Impact and South Los Angeles spoke about the partnership and the importance of the work. Attendees got a first-hand look at the center and had the opportunity to speak with Riot and Sola executives, as well as students and parents who benefit from the program.

A highlight of the venue is a newly completed 3,000 square foot sports and gaming arena featuring 40 high-end gaming PCs, a streaming studio and a 5v5 competitive setup level. During the event, Sola Summer Tech Camp students went head-to-head with the game Valorant and got some tips from Riot’s founder and president of games, Merrill.

“You’re helping to keep this door open. We are very fortunate to have the privilege as a partner,” said Francois.

Riot and Sola work to ensure that students have access to the same technology benefits as their counterparts in more affluent areas. The center looks to impact more than 1,000 students a year, with the long-term goal of bridging the digital divide and enabling future generations to pursue tech careers they’ve never dreamed of before. T

At the center, students will be trained in coding, animation, graphic design, digital content creation, esports development, entrepreneurship and practical life and work skills.

Partners such as Otis College of Art and Design and South LA Robotics provide instructors or trainers.
The center has 40 gaming computers, including 30 iMacs and 15 MacBooks. The summer camp program can train up to 60 children from the community each day and offers after-school programs during the school year.

Riot’s role is crucial because children know what to do. The kids can learn to be a shipping competitor. But Francois said gaming is a great hook to bring kids in and help them understand the vast possibilities that tech offers.

“Part of the game is the chocolate on the broccoli,” she said. Part of what we intend to do is to provide awareness of the wide range of careers in the game. You don’t have to be just a supporting player. We want you to know that you can be a coder, a character designer, creating the music behind games, an announcer. And this is our true purpose.

The center serves children eight and older.

The group is looking for additional donations so that it can continue to operate and provide its programs for free. He is also looking for volunteers, Francois said. The goal is to continue to expose the children to the people, places and experiences in their everyday lives.

“For any tech companies that want to partner, once we get through all of this COVID-19, we can bring some of our students to their locations. Their minds are blown when they get the chance to visit a campus like Riot.

Riot’s employee support teams provide staff to assist with special events as needed. Burrell envisions the space as a next-generation digital YMCA for kids.

“It’s crazy,” Burrell said. “After seeing Covid, all those kids who have been locked up and all those kids can come together here and find a sense of belonging and community. In this line of work, it’s hard to stay close to the work. But being here and seeing everything, you feel energized and that’s something really special.