Career Girls

By Linda Calhoun

 

We are so proud of our youngest role model! This fall, Sasha Williams (Class of 2019) was selected for the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) Leaders of the Fast Track (LOFT) 2016 Video Game Innovation Fellowship sponsored by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, in Washington D.C. The ESA LOFT Video Game Innovation Fellowship serves as platform for top game developers by identifying and promoting the top 20 minority innovators (15-25 years old) who can create video games or mobile apps that will focus on new, technology-based approaches to address local and global social issues. Sasha is a member of Gameheads. Gameheads is a gaming organization that teaches youth how to create video games, and learn about the gaming industry.

 

Sasha represented her and her team’s video game (Halls High) at the White House. Sasha's video game is about a young teenage boy who learns to overcome life’s challenges and obstacles through education and facing ones-self. The game includes alternate realities, and as he matures, he advances to new levels. The video game combines fun, action, challenges and includes an education learning component. Sasha met with the White House Board of Science and Technology during her time in D.C. She learned the importance of youth influence in the video game industry and in the tech industry in general. She pitched her video game to Fae Jencks, Senior Policy Advisor, Public Engagement, Office of Science and Technology, Mario Cardona, Senior Policy Advisor for Elementary and Secondary Education and Rafael Lopez, Commissioner of the Administration on Children and Youth and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, who are all on the Board of Science and Technology.

 

Sasha also participated in a Panel discussion with Nicole Turner-Lee, Ph.D. Fellow for the Center of Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institute, Michael Echols, former Deputy Director of Strategic Engagement and Cyber Infrastructure for the Division of Homeland Security and Rich Taylor, Sr. VP & President of the Entertainment Software Association and Antonio Tijerino, President & CEO, Hispanic Heritage Foundation.  She learned to actively listen and create solutions to solve problems facing our world today. Sasha visited the office of her local Congressman, Mark DeSaulnier, Eleventh District, California. She was excited to tour the White House and walk the hallways of our current and past Presidents. Congress supports youth interested in technology development, design, and innovation. Sasha believes that we can all be the change that we want to see.

 

Keep up the good work, Sasha!!