At Gameheads, underserved youth are getting the skills they need to succeed in the tech and video game design industry. Founded by Damon Packwood, a graduate of the Upward Bound program and former college access and youth development worker, Gameheads provides free classes, mentorship, equipment, and soft/hardware to hundreds of high school and college-aged students in Oakland, CA.
Packwood noticed the growing interest in technology among his students, who were tapping into media without being media literate. He recognized that teaching tech skills through video games was an untapped opportunity. “When you break apart a video game, you get these different medias,” he explains. “You get sound design, level design, architecture, coding, project management, art and animation, and motion picture. When you look at the talent that people of color have, many of those are our natural talents.”
Gameheads has become a successful social business in the tech industry by expanding partnerships beyond just financial support. Companies like EA, Oculus, and XBOX are all featured partners on the Gameheads website, but Packwood emphasizes that partnerships can also include people and companies sharing their time, insight, and resources.
For Packwood, turning his passion for youth development into a career was an easy choice. His advice for people seeking happiness in their professional lives is to “do the thing that you’re just going to be doing anyway.” Gameheads is proof that when you approach something with that kind of passion, success is inevitable.
Looking to be a part of the tech industry or video game design? Gameheads is the perfect place to start. With its commitment to diversity and social impact, Gameheads is a leader in shaping the future of the tech industry.#Millennial #teaches #tech #skills #lowincome #youth #video #games
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