Think gaming is just a hobby? Think again. This insightful webinar features parents of pro gamers, educators, and community leaders who share how gaming and esports are fostering valuable life skills and building strong communities.
Key takeaways:
Real-world skills: Gaming isn't just about entertainment. It can teach essential skills like communication, leadership, financial management, and even civic engagement.
Breaking barriers: Esports provides opportunities for students of all backgrounds and abilities to connect and compete on an even playing field.
Purposeful play: Gaming can provide a sense of purpose and belonging, especially for at-risk youth, and offer pathways to scholarships and careers.
Parent power: Open communication and support from parents can make all the difference in helping young gamers thrive.
Community impact: Organizations like NOLA Grown Gaming and COPE are using esports to create safe spaces, foster mentorship, and address social issues.
This webinar highlights the transformative power of gaming and esports, showcasing how they can positively impact individuals, families, and communities.
Want to learn more? Watch the full webinar recording on our YouTube channel!
Transcript -
00:00:00:06 - 00:00:17:01
Alex Hirbe: My name is Alex Hirbe. I'll be one of the moderators tonight, along with Dr. Kristy Custer. I was a teacher for ten years before switching to Generation Esports, where I helped to manage the digital education forefront for the Gaming Concepts curriculum series.
00:00:17:04 - 00:00:43:00
Kristy Custer: Kristy Custer, and I was an educator for 24 years before I came over to Generation Esports, and I was an English teacher, assistant principal, and principal at an alternative school for at-risk students. And so I like to say I don't play necessarily video games—maybe old video games—but I sure love a lot of people who love video games.
00:00:43:00 - 00:00:45:16
Kristy Custer: So that's what brought me here.
00:00:45:18 - 00:00:57:20
Alex Hirbe: Wonderful. So we're going to go around and have everybody introduce themselves on the panel here. That way, you can get a little bit of information from them. So we're going to start with JD, and then we'll kick it off with you.
00:00:57:22 - 00:01:20:17
Jon-Devin Carrere: How are you doing? JD Carrere, down in New Orleans, Louisiana, representing NOLA Grown Gaming. We have two facilities that we work through our recreation department, where we deploy the amazing jewelry and esports... Blueprint and all of our learning there. I'm looking forward to, you know, getting more into about how, you know, we're able to use this for our community.
00:01:20:17 - 00:01:22:03
Jon-Devin Carrere:...things.
00:01:22:05 - 00:01:24:21
Alex Hirbe: Absolutely. All right, Tanya.
00:01:24:23 - 00:01:59:01
Tania Maynard Browne: Hi, everyone. So, unfortunately, I don't have a gaming background. Mother to Alana, who is a professional esports gamer. She's also the Commonwealth gold medal winner for Team England. And, yes, I guess I'm here just to speak about, you know, my experience with, with Alana, and then, you know, just my understanding of the gaming world as a parent.
00:01:59:03 - 00:02:01:22
Alex Hirbe: Exactly. Perfect. Chris.
00:02:02:00 - 00:02:30:03
Chris Spikoski: I love that. Thank you. I'm not a gamer either. I'm here because I'm... So... Yeah, my name is Chris Spikoski. I'm co-founder and CEO of the Coalition of Parents in Esports, where a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We run programming and scholarships for kids just to try and help educate kids, parents, educators... and all the benefits around gaming and really kind of make their journey in the esports gaming space...
00:02:30:05 - 00:02:32:05
Chris Spikoski:...as good as it can be. So, thanks.
00:02:32:05 - 00:02:54:03
Alex Hirbe: Again. Absolutely. Yeah. Thank you, Chris. So, you know, we've got all of you on here from different backgrounds. You know, you know, Jon, Chris, you guys are from, kind of, organizations centered around esports. Tanya, you're coming from that kind of personal connection with, with your daughter, who's a professional Rocket League player. And then you have Kristy and I, kind of on the education side.
00:02:54:03 - 00:03:16:05
Alex Hirbe: And so we kind of have this weird, kind of trifecta of being able to hit all of the different aspects of what parents, which is what I assume is, is going to be our audience tonight... that's what I kind of geared it towards... but educators too, what their, what they're wondering about this, this esports, or video gaming, and how it can be beneficial, what your experiences are with it.
00:03:16:07 - 00:03:33:21
Alex Hirbe: And so we're going to talk a lot about, you know, that kind of dynamic and, you know, what it's like from the parent side, what it's like from the kind of educational information side, and then what it's like from the curriculum and career side because I'm sure you guys probably, you know, Chris and Tanya... JD, do you have any kids, I should say?
00:03:33:22 - 00:03:40:02
Jon-Devin Carrere: Yeah. Three boys. Yes. Three, and ten, seven and... or ten, eight, and four. So...
00:03:40:02 - 00:04:01:15
Alex Hirbe: Yeah. Wonderful. Yeah. So it's, you know, Kristy and I both have kids, so it's like, I'm sure that, you know, a lot of us would be more accepting of gaming at... gaming concepts... or something like gaming concepts [had] been in the schools at that time, right? It wouldn't be such a stigma. Instead of, you know, kids actively participating and gaining career skills.
00:04:01:15 - 00:04:17:11
Alex Hirbe: So we'll throw some of that stuff in there too. But today, I want to start out with, with JD and talk about NOLA Grown a little bit. So, you know, obviously, NOLA Grown... I see it latch on on LinkedIn and Instagram and, and all your socials. You do a lot of stuff with kids. It's really inspiring.
00:04:17:13 - 00:04:26:09
Alex Hirbe: But I want to talk about the teen challenge program that incentivizes participation. What impact have you seen on students' personal development through that?
00:04:26:11 - 00:04:47:01
Jon-Devin Carrere: Yeah, I think for us, having a program... So, the, the NOLA Grown... Lower... Teen Challenge is a part of the New Orleans Recreation Department infrastructure, where young people from the city of New Orleans... It's a six-week program, and they have a chance to earn up to $450 by coming to the program each and every day.
00:04:47:01 - 00:05:10:07
Jon-Devin Carrere: Right. And so, I think, first and foremost, just to have that initial carrot, if you will, to sort of dangle out in front of the kids, like, "Show up and play a game and make 500 bucks." Sure. But what we really try to do is, once they're in there, we recognize the kids that we have are coming from those heavily stigmatized families.
00:05:10:09 - 00:05:30:14
Jon-Devin Carrere: And so what we found is like a "wax on, wax off" approach is sort of our best thing, right? And so we're just, like, sprinkling in some information, sprinkling in some information. And then, you know, at the end of our six-week program, we'll have kids do an activation based on what we just taught them. And they, they don't even realize, "Oh, wow, I already know how to do this stuff."
00:05:30:16 - 00:05:52:20
Jon-Devin Carrere: Like, "Yeah, because we've been kind of teaching you along the way." So, you know, working with Gaming Concepts gives us that foundation. And I think for us, it, it makes it feel like if it's an official learning environment. And I think that really just kind of sets the pace for everything that we try to build on. Like I say all the time, Gaming Concepts is the foundation that we can build everything else on.
00:05:52:22 - 00:06:22:08
Alex Hirbe: Absolutely. Appreciate that. And, you know, programs, programs like yours and others... You know, I'm interested to hear about Chris's program as well. You know, they need that foundation to get kids in the door because, because once you get them in, it's a lot easier to educate them or to give them the information that's needed. Whatever your program's goals are going to be, you know, whether that's, you know, esports, youth group, Boy Scouts, you've got to get them there so that you can get them the information that, that they've wanted.
00:06:22:10 - 00:06:24:14
Alex Hirbe: Kristy, you were saying something?
00:06:24:16 - 00:06:44:18
Kristy Custer: I was... just such a great [point about] getting them there. That's what this is all about. I think that's the engagement piece; it's so important. And so, Chris, I did want to jump on when Alex said you have a gamer also. I don't think I, I, I don't think I... may have not communicated that to Alex or just didn't talk about it. Who is your gamer?
00:06:47:09 - 00:07:08:11
Chris Spikoski: So my son is Sceptic. He was a Fortnite pro. He went pro. He went and viral at 13, 14 years old. He's 20 now. Wow. Which is still kind of crazy to me. He'll be 21 in a few months. But yeah, that, that's him. He was... Yeah. He's the whole reason I'm here and the whole reason we started the organization.
00:07:08:13 - 00:07:27:06
Kristy Custer: Well, and the reason I know who Sceptic is, is I also have a son who will be turning 21 in a couple of months. So they, they grew up, whether we knew each other or not at the time... And we've known each other for a while now, but I knew of him because of my son and, of course, Fortnite.
00:07:27:08 - 00:07:32:21
Kristy Custer: Now I have an 11-year-old also. So we're still in... We're still in there.
00:07:32:21 - 00:07:34:01
Chris Spikoski: Starts all over again. Yep.
00:07:34:06 - 00:07:55:22
Kristy Custer: Tell us a little bit... You know, now that you've, you have been through it... went viral at 13, and now he's 21... Can you talk a little bit about not just his journey... you know, the good, the bad, the ugly of, of gaming? I know that's a lot, but maybe talk a little bit about, you know, how did it help him?
00:07:55:22 - 00:08:00:12
Kristy Custer: How did it hurt him? And what is he up to now?
00:08:00:14 - 00:08:21:18
Chris Spikoski: Well, yeah, that... we could have a whole 'nother... Yeah, but we're talking good, bad, and the ugly. I mean, I saw him... as far as the good goes, I saw him really flourish a lot when he was... He was a very shy, quiet kid. Not a whole lot of friends in school growing up. And very, very much kept to himself.
00:08:21:18 - 00:08:42:02
Chris Spikoski: But once he started gaming and streaming, he really started to come out of his shell. And once he turned 13, and he started streaming, he would hit the record button or go live button, and his personality really came out. So it was a comfort for him. That's where he felt most comfortable. That's where he really shined as a kid growing up.
00:08:42:04 - 00:09:06:08
Chris Spikoski: And I saw him do a lot of things that I would never have even dreamed of doing as a 13, 14-year-old. He was, he was branding himself. He was marketing himself. He was learning communication skills, leadership skills, networking. He had a whole team of editors and people in his network that he would have to, to pay in other countries.
00:09:06:08 - 00:09:29:12
Chris Spikoski: So he's learning his finances. So he really learned a lot of, like, real-world tangible skills out there. So it was great watching him grow up at such a young age and really learn a lot of that stuff. And like I said, I wasn't doing any of that [at] 13, 14. And seeing him also branch out when he got a little bit older, too, you know, modeling.
00:09:29:12 - 00:09:40:12
Chris Spikoski: And he was working with Ford Models and doing deals with Puma and American Eagle. So it was really great to see him, like, expand outside of gaming as well.
00:09:40:14 - 00:09:41:13
Alex Hirbe: [nodding]
00:09:41:15 - 00:09:49:07
Kristy Custer: And what caused you to start COPE?
00:09:49:09 - 00:10:19:02
Chris Spikoski: So honestly, there, there is a lot of toxicity within the community. One of the secret reasons that Shay and I started COPE was to kind of get rid of that toxicity and get rid of that negative stigma. So some of the bad things that I've seen weren't really so much towards him, but myself as a parent, I got a lot of backlash from community members, from the school when I had to pull him out of school because his life was getting very crazy and chaotic.
00:10:19:04 - 00:10:41:07
Chris Spikoski: Friends and family, they didn't really understand the space. They didn't understand why I was letting him sit in front of a computer. And everybody always kind of just thought that, like, gaming is [a] very solitary activity, and he was not going to have any social life. His is [a] very sedentary life, and his mental health and wellness is going to go down the drain, is rotting his brain, and none of that's true. Like we've found the opposite, which is why we started COPE. So we can really shed a light on that and kind of fight that negative stigma and get rid of that.
00:10:41:07 - 00:10:52:13
Chris Spikoski:...his brain, and none of that's true. Like we've found the opposite, which is why we started COPE, so we can really shed a light on that and kind of fight that negative stigma and get rid of that.
00:10:52:15 - 00:10:53:19
Kristy Custer: Right.00:10:53:21 - 00:11:14:07
Alex Hirbe: Yeah, absolutely. You know, you mentioned a lot of, you know, seven years ago... and trying to calculate back in my mind for, for math... But seven, eight years ago, you know, there would have been a lot more stigma around video games, [with] it being a solitary and kind of singular thing. And then also that it relates to violence in schools and in people.
00:11:14:07 - 00:11:37:11
Alex Hirbe: Right? We all thought that, that was where... most people thought that that was the case, which we know is not true. But, you know, how did you... and I want to talk to Tanya about this, too, but what were those early days like? I know, start with Tanya, but what were those early days like when, when, when your daughter started gaming and started gaming, like, a lot, to where you noticed it was like, "This could be a problem. Am I supposed to be worried about this?"
00:11:37:11 - 00:11:40:11
Alex Hirbe: Am I supposed to be worried about this?
00:11:40:13 - 00:12:03:15
Tania Maynard Browne: Yeah. So, definitely. I remember back then... And India, she came to me, and she started watching a lot of YouTube, you know, gaming stuff on YouTube, and I wasn't sure about the whole gaming scene and didn't know anything about it. But I know India very well. And she said to me that she was interested in this.
00:12:03:15 - 00:12:31:14
Tania Maynard Browne: And the one thing... we had a very open relationship. So she would tell you everything that was going on, and she came to me, said she was gaming, wanted to do more of it, and I was like, "Okay, we can work on this." But it got to a point where it was excessive... what I thought was excessive... and I didn't understand that, you know, there is something called rank where you need to build your ranking.
00:12:31:14 - 00:12:51:11
Tania Maynard Browne: In order to build your ranking, you have to play. And, you know, I can just say, "Get off the game." No. And, you know, because I can destroy what she's done for the last maybe eight hours of gaming. So we had to work around that. And it was me being open to learning as well, as a parent, from her.
00:12:51:13 - 00:13:19:11
Tania Maynard Browne: I think that was an important piece for me. I was worried, you know, you heard all the, the negative stuff, you know, "Grades are going to go down. She's going to get into trouble." All of these things. It was absolutely the opposite for me. India, we talked about safety online, being safe online. I made sure she was aware that, you know, "Never go anywhere with anyone."
00:13:19:12 - 00:13:47:05
Tania Maynard Browne: You know, "If you need to go somewhere, let me know." And I remember our first gaming experience. It was actually in this very dark, dingy place, and I was like, "Oh my God, you know, where are we going?" And I was like, "Okay, this is going to shake her out of it." It did not. And, but I was very happy that I went along because at least it showed her that, you know, I was open to this, and I kept my word that I would always support her.
00:13:47:07 - 00:14:21:21
Tania Maynard Browne: Two weeks ago, we were in Sheffield for an event. So, at 19, I'm still following her around so I can support [her]. A lot of what Chris has said because I've had, you know, the same experiences with India. I've seen, you know, her thrive, you know, really do, really well, some great things. And as a result of, of, of gaming and esports, at a very young age... I mean, I remember when she came with her first contract, and then she said, "Mom, I need you to sign a contract."
00:14:21:21 - 00:14:47:00
Tania Maynard Browne: And she was about 14. And I was like, "You must have lost your mind." And, you know, and she was like, "No, there's a contract." And when I opened it, sure enough, it was a real contract, and she was signed to a team in the US. So, at 14, having all of these experiences, you know, she said, you know, she's going to, to Commonwealth to try out for Commonwealth.
00:14:47:06 - 00:15:11:20
Tania Maynard Browne: I was like, "Oh my God, this is, like, real." Then we had another team signing. She was signed to a team in the UK called Endpoint, and I was like, blown away. We had, you know, she's... but she's done work with Microsoft, you know, as a guest speaker for... bet she's worked... She has her own... mind... Mind Cash figure...
00:15:11:22 - 00:15:31:20
Tania Maynard Browne: These are all things that, you know, I mean, I, even at my age, [have] not done. And it's... to have her do that at such a young age and, so, you know, growing in such a way, these are things that no classroom can, can ever teach you. I mean...
00:15:31:22 - 00:15:32:23
Alex Hirbe: Absolutely not. True.
00:15:33:02 - 00:15:48:22
Chris Spikoski: Just to add on, there are a lot of parallels with our story, and that the key is having that open relationship with your kid and being understanding and not being afraid to dive into something that you have no idea, you know... So, kudos to you.
00:15:49:00 - 00:15:51:18
Tania Maynard Browne: Thank you. Same to you, Chris.
00:15:51:20 - 00:16:14:00
Alex Hirbe: Yeah. Now, I want to, I want to piggyback on that real quick before I, Kristy, ask some more questions. But, you know, as a parent... and this kind of [is] starting off, and my... I'm in that same, same boat right now with my kids all being... I have four kids, all being under seven. And you know, JD's kids are ten and under, you know, and it's like, you're, you're dealing with that struggle of parents...
00:16:14:02 - 00:16:36:09
Alex Hirbe: I assume we've all kind of are going to go through this or have gone through this, where... "How much is too much?" in these beginning eras, or these beginning stages, right? And so what kind of, you know, methods or, or how did you approach it when, you know, it was casual iPad time or Xbox time, you know, and they're playing, they're starting to play more and more. You're asking them to get off, and they're not, you know... what was that kind of like, that beginning struggle of, "They, they're just not listening to me anymore," right?
00:16:36:09 - 00:16:45:21
Alex Hirbe: Like, do...
00:16:45:21 - 00:16:48:07
Alex Hirbe:...you talk to that a little bit? Either one of you.
00:16:48:08 - 00:17:11:05
Tania Maynard Browne: For me, with... India, I was very strategic. India plays the piano as well, and I, you know, one of the things I said to her, "I don't care if you game. When you game, how you game... You're not giving up certain things. You must have a social life, so you must find time, you know, to go out with your friends.
00:17:11:05 - 00:17:40:12
Tania Maynard Browne: You must maintain your, your music." And she actually had to play the piano each time she played, based on how long she played. She was literally buying time to game. And so I, I was very strategic in a lot of things that I did with her around gaming because my thought process was that when this is over... and I thought it was just a phase... when it is over, you would have gained some transferable skills.
00:17:40:12 - 00:17:58:16
Tania Maynard Browne: So even... and, you know, I could hear her playing with her team. And sometimes when she's lost, and, you know, it's not going well, she was like a beast. And I was like, "Okay, you know, after that game, we need to have a timeout." And I would talk to her and coach her. "Okay, that didn't go so well.
00:17:58:16 - 00:18:24:15
Tania Maynard Browne: What sort of conversations can you be having with your team rather than lashing out, you know, at them?" And then, over time, I would hear her use the words... upset her, like, "You know, what went well? Let's talk about what didn't go so well and how we can improve that." So, I think even though your kids are gaming, you can use that time to teach lessons to them.
00:18:24:15 - 00:18:55:05
Tania Maynard Browne: You know, make sure that... come up with a way that you're getting what you need as well from, from what they're doing, what they're enjoying. And I said to her, one of the things, "I don't care when you submit your homework, just make sure that your teacher never calls me to say that your homework is late." And I've had times... one time, over, when COVID... the teacher called, and she was like, she was checking on India because she was submitting, you know, homework around 2 a.m. in the morning.
00:18:55:07 - 00:19:16:14
Tania Maynard Browne: And I was like, "Is, is it wrong? Or is there a problem with...?" And she's like, "No, she's just..." I said, "Well, she's gaming, so she's just getting her homework out of the way." And as long as, you know, it's done and submitted, I don't care when it's submitted, just as well. And by doing that, she learned to manage her time pretty well then.
00:19:16:14 - 00:19:23:20
Kristy Custer: Yeah. In the United States, we call that bribing our children.
00:19:23:22 - 00:19:25:03
Chris Spikoski: Reinforcement.
00:19:25:05 - 00:19:26:09
Alex Hirbe: I said...
00:19:26:11 - 00:19:34:09
Kristy Custer: Reinforcement. I meant reinforcing... reinforcement. That's a term, right?
00:19:34:09 - 00:19:38:21
Alex Hirbe: Reinforcing... that's the education term... is, as reinforcement.
00:19:38:23 - 00:19:41:07
Kristy Custer: I'm sorry. Go ahead, Chris. I'm so sorry.
00:19:41:13 - 00:20:06:03
Chris Spikoski: No, no. You're good, you're good. Yeah. I'm with, with my son. We were always a gaming household. I was a casual gamer growing up, and that kind of rolled over into Griffin, and we were just a casual household. Everything from Mario Kart to Incredibles on PC. Like, we were always playing... at, after school, relaxing, downtime.
00:20:06:05 - 00:20:18:23
Chris Spikoski: But I was always his, his little league coach. I was a soccer coach. And between you guys and I, like, he was never very good at those. But we pushed through... Don't tell him I said that. We pushed through it actually with…
00:20:19:01 - 00:20:20:17
Alex Hirbe:
Or cut that out. With those...
00:20:20:19 - 00:20:41:13
Chris Spikoski: We pushed, we pushed through it. But after every practice, after every game, he would come back, and we'd, we'd game together. And that's where he always gravitated towards, so it never really got to a point where I was like, "Okay, this is getting to be too much," until he, like, really blew up and went viral. And that was... we didn't really have much of a transition into that.
00:20:41:13 - 00:21:03:16
Chris Spikoski: So it was virtually overnight. But much like Tanya was like, "You can stream all you want, you can game all you want. Like, let's get your practice schedule down. Let's... When are your tournaments going on?" But first things first, you need to make sure your schoolwork is done. There's no compromise in that. Once schoolwork is done, like, do whatever you want.
00:21:03:18 - 00:21:22:06
Chris Spikoski: Just be smart about it and do it safely. And I was always in his chats and social media... medias... as well, just to [have that] extra eye on it. But, yeah, it was a lot of it. And when I pulled him out of school, and we'd started doing online schooling, it was all right.
00:21:22:06 - 00:21:36:09
Chris Spikoski: "Well, you don't have gym now, so we're going to take an hour of your day, and we're going to go for a walk, or we're going to go to the gym." So I had to make sure he was at the gym once a day. We'd go to the gym, even on the weekends. We... if we would go for a walk, it was nice out.
00:21:36:09 - 00:22:00:03
Chris Spikoski: We would hop on the bike. We would also do some volunteer work. So I'd make sure he was still out there doing all these things, just so he had that responsibility. I would make sure he would get to sleep at an appropriate time, or get the right amount of sleep. And over time, I started to notice a lot of these things he would pick up on his own, and he would start to self-monitor, like he would know when he was tired.
00:22:00:03 - 00:22:16:15
Chris Spikoski: I'd be like, "All right, guys. Like, I'm not playing effectively. I'm not playing really well. I need to go, like, log off and just chill." He would be going to the gym, and to this day, he's, he's a gym rat now. He's in the gym two hours a day. He's, he's working out all the time. He's eating healthy.
00:22:16:15 - 00:22:23:15
Chris Spikoski: He's got me eating healthy. And that... all those things that he was learning at a younger age, that kind of carried over.
00:22:23:16 - 00:23:00:21
Kristy Custer: Yeah. JD, I, I'd like to transition just a little bit because obviously, we have, Tanya and Chris, that are very involved esports parents. And you and I come from a similar background where many of the kids that we had interactions with, they didn't have parents, or their parents weren't very involved. Right. So, one of the reasons we really wanted to have you on is because you are a mentor, and you really line up mentors, and you found that connection between gaming and mentorship that... I don't want to say "takes the place of..."
00:23:00:21 - 00:23:26:05
Kristy Custer:...that adds to the parental role. Can you talk a little bit about, you know, once again, what you're doing down in NOLA Grown because I know there's a lot of communities that would benefit from, from that. And, especially as the, the gamer generation becomes the mentor/parent generation... Kristy, of you, that was something that you always kind of did.
00:23:26:05 - 00:23:33:12
Kristy Custer: And so, can you talk a little bit about that? And, and we just talked today about a fantastic story of...
00:23:33:17 - 00:23:34:13
Jon-Devin Carrere: The care...
00:23:34:15 - 00:23:37:06
Kristy Custer:...that you're, that you're helping out.
00:23:37:08 - 00:24:00:02
Jon-Devin Carrere: Yeah. And Lorenzo, so, you know, what the idea was around this program is that New Orleans is not a sports town. It's not endemic in our culture. It's quite the opposite of our culture. You know, everything about New Orleans is preservation and kind of looking behind... very traditionalist kind of models. You know, sports is very big down here,
00:24:00:07 - 00:24:18:13
Jon-Devin Carrere: of course, with, with our pro sports teams and, and all throughout the high schools. But when it came down to looking, you know, and then obviously, we have a massive music program kind of city. Right. And so, like, so we do... there is space for these... a lot of nontraditional kids in, and in the, in the arts programs.
00:24:18:13 - 00:24:40:15
Jon-Devin Carrere: But, you know, when you have this rising generation of tech-native kids, there was just nothing here in the city of New Orleans. And so we, we were facing a big issue where we had a rising youth crime that was occurring in the city of New Orleans. And, and we just saw ourselves... we saw this as a solution.
00:24:40:15 - 00:25:06:02
Jon-Devin Carrere: Right. And so, you know, me and my friends, during COVID, just like everybody else, we, we started to form these really, really deep bonds. And so when we're afraid to, to synthesize what we just went through during COVID with our teaming together to form a community and a bond, what if we can give that to the kids? So, you know, when we first started our program, we had all of these high and mighty ideas about how we're going to teach them this, and we're going to give them that.
00:25:06:04 - 00:25:31:13
Jon-Devin Carrere: But what we very soon realized is that what we were, where, was a safe space, kind of, you know, what, to what Kristy was just alluding to. Right. This is a space for kids to come and be kids, right? We, we, we have kids in our community who are leaned upon to be providers. You know, we have kids in our community who don't see themselves growing up as being a teenager because of gun violence or gang life or whatever it might be.
00:25:31:15 - 00:25:47:13
Jon-Devin Carrere: And so, you know, the, the story that Kristy was just referring to, you know, yesterday, I'm in the library, so I homeschool my kids as well, you know, so we do a lot of the gaming piece. A lot of Minecraft gets involved, you know, and for kind of what we were just talking about, it was like, "Hey, guys, let's get outside.
00:25:47:14 - 00:26:14:01
Jon-Devin Carrere: Let's go to the public library and let's get some paper and let's get some books." Right. And so... but obviously, there's some computers over there for the kids to engage in. And so when I walk in, I saw a young man, and he was, he was searching, you know, "high powered AK-47," you know, machine guns... and it's a young kid, and he's got that big jacket on, and I'm just like... he sees me see what's on his computer.
00:26:14:02 - 00:26:39:07
Jon-Devin Carrere: He kind of freaks out, and... grab him, and we talk for about ten, 15 minutes. And what I have come to learn after speaking to his mom is that this kid's mother [was] on drugs, three years old. He was left alone. Five years old, he was adopted. Now, 14 years old, you know, nine years after this, this, this, you know, up and down lifestyle.
00:26:39:09 - 00:27:06:06
Jon-Devin Carrere: His adopted mother is like, sort of at her wit's end because all he wants to do is play video games, right? All he does is get in trouble and want to play video games. And so I'm like, you know, "I got, I think I might have something for him." Fortunately for us, right, because of everything that we have, because of the programs that we... we had... his adopted older sisters were actually in our summer program.
00:27:06:08 - 00:27:23:04
Jon-Devin Carrere: And so the... thankfully, the mom already had... the adopted mother [had] already kind of known what we were doing. You know, we had... we do the code of conduct, which is, like, the major thing that we do for our kids. And so, even still, to this day, you know, we have free play now. That's what we try to do.
00:27:23:04 - 00:27:49:14
Jon-Devin Carrere: We try to find these opportunities to present these real-world opportunities. Right. The, the biggest thing that I always tell parents is that, "Bring your kid in here. I promise you they won't burn something. They will, they will take something away from this experience," be it a hard skill like programming or [a] hard skill like code, whatever it might be, or just the soft skills of learning how to, like, coexist in this world without being, like, you know, rage all the time.
00:27:49:14 - 00:28:07:06
Jon-Devin Carrere: And so, what we always tell people is like, you know, parents, "I make sure you watch this one..." and they kind of laugh. "Yeah, we're going to sit there and watch him play Fortnite; is what we're going to watch him do." And what we have found is that we will get some of the hardest kids who are just like...
00:28:07:11 - 00:28:37:08
Jon-Devin Carrere:...I mean, you think that lost and you think that broken, and then, like, a week or two later, they start talking, and they're open, and they're up in, they're ready, and they're going. And so for us, you know, gaming and esports is... we're using this as really an opportunity to, to do, you know... I... it sounds overblown, and I've never really said this, [but] like, truly, I guess now, at this point, life-saving work because of being able to step into these guys... with these kids.
00:28:37:08 - 00:28:51:21
Jon-Devin Carrere: Right. And so we're having conversations with district attorneys. We're having conversations with judges. We're having conversations with city council people because already they're seeing the fruit of what we've been able to provide, you know, with this program.
00:28:51:23 - 00:29:12:15
Kristy Custer: Right. And I think, to... I do a lot of talking about this with educators and parents because I had an epiphany moment where I was yelling at my son for playing video games, and he said... he looked at me, and he said, you know, "You're wasting your life away, and you're not going to get anything out of this."
00:29:12:15 - 00:29:34:00
Kristy Custer: And he looked at me, and he said, "Mom, this is what my friends and I like to do." And he said, "If I were playing my tuba for three hours, or I were reading for three hours, or I were, you know, in a play for three hours, would you be mad at me?" And it was at that moment that I realized I'm not belittling video games.
00:29:34:00 - 00:29:58:12
Kristy Custer: I'm belittling my child. And I thought, "Why do, why does it drive me so crazy?" Because I have a son right now who will do four hours of play practice getting ready for a performance next weekend. I have no problem with that. And it's that purpose. It's that purposeful play where we're not wasting time. And so I thank you...
00:29:58:12 - 00:30:21:20
Kristy Custer:...No, Tanya and Chris, that's what you guys found with competition. And that's what we're trying to do at Generation Esports. And JD, that's what you found with bringing these kids to this safe space. Is there now purpose? There's purpose involved. And so I think that that is... it's such a clear change between wasting time and purposeful time.
00:30:21:20 - 00:30:49:16
Kristy Custer: And parents, they don't, they don't realize that a lot of times. And so they do think it's wasting time, but it's not. They're learning so much. And to have that dedication, to be able to play at the level that... Chris and Tanya, your, your children play that... and then JD, to, to flip a kid's switch just like that from, "I'm looking, you know, to make that connection with someone that has not been able to make that connection."
00:30:49:18 - 00:31:03:03
Kristy Custer: We just didn't realize that video games could do that. And now that we're starting to realize it, I said, "In 24 years of education, I'd never seen anything impact kids like that."
00:31:03:05 - 00:31:21:15
Jon-Devin Carrere: Well, I'll give you another good example. So, recently, we worked with the local regional transit authority. Right. And so now what we're doing now... we're, we're taking this to the next step. Right. And so, like, "Okay, yes, we have this big, great game industry, []5billionindustry.Andwehave[]1 billion esports industry. But what about design, right?
00:31:21:15 - 00:31:47:00
Jon-Devin Carrere: What about civic engineering?" And so, recently, what we did was we partnered with the local transit authority in a local elementary school. And we have a bus stop problem around the city of New Orleans. Is that, like, they're bad, you know? And in a place that's hot and rainy all the time, you need better bus stops. And so we had kids use Minecraft and unlock their minds [to think] like, "Hey, what are the bus stops you want in your community when you get on it?"
00:31:47:00 - 00:32:06:13
Jon-Devin Carrere: Right? And so now we're starting to show civic leaders, we're starting to show other industries and infrastructure people, like, "Hey, you can tap into the minds of these young people like you've never been able to do, through games." And so it's like we're, we're taking that... we're really flipping the paradigm now and showing, like, "Hey, listen, these kids are important.
00:32:06:14 - 00:32:13:20
Jon-Devin Carrere: There's data and stuff in their head, and you can use video games to access it." And that is unlocking a lot of possibilities for us.
00:32:13:22 - 00:32:15:17
Kristy Custer: For sure.
00:32:15:19 - 00:32:42:08
Alex Hirbe: Absolutely. You know, talking about, you know, having those, those kind of transferable skills and everything, you know, Chris, your work with COPE, you know, you... we're hearing a lot of benefits to esports, but what, what, what did detractors that you, you talk to say? You know, what, what are the misconceptions that you're hearing from parents? And what do you say to those, those skeptics?
00:32:42:10 - 00:33:08:16
Chris Spikoski: Well, again, a lot of the misconceptions are: "It's a lonely activity. It's sedentary. Kids are rotting their brains. They're not learning anything. They're not getting any of their work done." We... I've seen quite the opposite of that and seen my kid and other kids in the gaming and esports space, whether they're pro players or content creators,
00:33:08:18 - 00:33:31:01
Chris Spikoski: do quite the opposite and do so many great things and learn so many great things. And, you know, we try to tell parents and relate to parents that, like, "This is just like any other sport. This is just like baseball and softball. Basketball, softball, football. Only the top... one... less than the top 1% are going to make it in this.
00:33:31:04 - 00:33:54:06
Chris Spikoski: And being a pro or being a top content creator. But there are so many other great career paths that are out there, and there are so many great things that our kids are learning. We, we have, you know, there's shoutcasting, there's production, there's marketing, there's design, geography and photography, you name it.
00:33:54:06 - 00:34:15:00
Chris Spikoski: Like, there's, there's a spot here for these kids. And if it's something that they love, and they can combine it with the gaming industry, so be it, to set them up for success and be there to support them. A lot of times, parents really want to be the ones who teach their kids. And it's, "You need to listen to me because I'm the parent, I'm the adult."
00:34:15:04 - 00:34:43:11
Chris Spikoski: And that's just the role that that has taken on. But I have learned more from my son, especially when he was younger, at 13, 14, 15, when he was just sitting back and listening to him and learning from him and having him show me the ropes. So we try to encourage parents to really take a step back, take a step out of that parent role, and just be there to listen to your kid and engage with them and learn from them.
00:34:43:13 - 00:35:08:13
Kristy Custer: So well. And Chris, you happened to mention, you know, shoutcasting and, and streaming, and Sceptic had his start really, was with the streaming. And we just happened to have a couple of books and the Gaming Concepts that are [about] shoutcasting and streaming, and I've kind of found that, you know, it. It's, it's speech. It's giving a speech.
00:35:08:15 - 00:35:19:18
Kristy Custer: And, you know, that is a transferable skill that many adults are terrible at, you know? And what he's doing now, or is that a transferable skill that you've been able to see?
00:35:19:20 - 00:35:38:18
Chris Spikoski: Absolutely, absolutely. And he's even, again, going back to learning from him, just going on, on podcasts and recording videos. I would call him, him in for help, and like, "How do I record this? And what's the best way to do this? What's the best approach I should have?" And he'll sit there and tell me all the things that he learned
00:35:38:18 - 00:36:01:16
Chris Spikoski: being a content creator and how to go about talking to a camera and talking in front of an audience. So yeah, a lot of the things that he's learned... skills, you know, from public speaking to creative writing and creating video content, and even behind the scenes, also, like managing finances and managing a team of people, like, those have all continued.
00:36:01:16 - 00:36:05:16
Chris Spikoski: And I've only grown over the last couple of years since he started, right?
00:36:05:20 - 00:36:14:09
Alex Hirbe: I can't imagine managing a team and doing payroll at 13... And...
00:36:14:11 - 00:36:44:13
Tania Maynard Browne: You know, it's, it's, it's pretty interesting. And Chris said that... And India's friends... and she is in university now, at 19, on an esports scholarship, you know, and she's studying digital marketing and international business. And again, she's saying to me, "Mom, it's so boring because I know all of this stuff already." And I'm like, you know, it's like... because she's had the experience.
00:36:44:15 - 00:37:13:23
Tania Maynard Browne: India builds her own computers as well. And that's when, when she started, I said, "If you're going to be spending all of this time, you know, you should learn about technology." And by doing that, she learned how to build computers. She went online. She got the, you know, on YouTube. And, you know, she had her father and I... over a period of months, each month, we would each buy a piece of equipment so she could put her first system together.
00:37:13:23 - 00:37:35:12
Tania Maynard Browne: And she's been building her own systems ever since. So there are so many transferable skills that, you know, the kids can learn in this space, and they may not go on to be, you know, do anything in gaming as a career. But, like India, it could get them in education to do something else, whatever else they want to do.
00:37:35:12 - 00:37:46:23
Tania Maynard Browne: So we, you know, I think parents should open their minds to all the opportunities and potential that [exist] around gaming in esports.
00:37:47:01 - 00:38:06:00
Jon-Devin Carrere: Yeah, I... to see the, the scholarships piece is the biggest selling point that we have, right? When we tell parents there's upwards of $20 million out there with money left on the table annually, that's the first thing that perks up. And then, you know, I tell them my own personal story, right? Like, I grew up loving to play sports.
00:38:06:02 - 00:38:25:22
Jon-Devin Carrere: But then I stopped at six feet tall, and I was just like, "Well, you got to figure something else," right? And so, like, I've had a 15-year career in broadcast, sports broadcast. Right? I'm still currently an editor. So, like, when I get off of here, I will probably eat some dinner, and I have to edit the, the Emirates NBA Cup tonight for TNT Sports, right?
00:38:26:03 - 00:38:49:13
Jon-Devin Carrere: But that was my pathway, right? I found a love of this, this sport, this, this competition. And so I think that's the beauty of what you just mentioned, talking... You just... like, one thing I tell parents, like, like, "Well, listen, there's this thing that kind of happened on accident." So what happened was a bunch of nerds got jobs at colleges, and they started esports teams in, like, every department that you could imagine.
00:38:49:17 - 00:39:07:15
Jon-Devin Carrere: If they could sell that, [they'd have] been on it. Well, five years later, well, now we have this very robust system that we can put kids in. Right. And so, like, I think that we, you know, two and three, or four years ago, there was a lot of stuff that was very conceptual that I think is very practical now, especially for parents.
00:39:07:17 - 00:39:31:22
Jon-Devin Carrere: We can, we can walk them right to university. Right. You know, boy, the boy, the, the coaches are fighting over these kids now. Right. And so I think that, especially for us in the recreation department... Here's what I thought, and I realized, and I, you know, when I think historically speaking, recreation centers were used because college coaches couldn't go into these neighborhoods because they really weren't allowed.
00:39:32:02 - 00:39:52:16
Jon-Devin Carrere: And so they set up these spaces for all of these folks. "Hey, come and see the kids play basketball, come and see the kids play football, baseball." And then college scholarships were given. With the rise of the IMG academies and things of that nature, the New Orleans Recreation Department had to really rebrand itself and into this "something for everyone" model.
00:39:52:18 - 00:40:14:15
Jon-Devin Carrere: And so what we're doing with gaming and esports is really trying to push the envelope on this idea that, "Hey, teaching kids how to create games, teaching kids about the gaming industry, is recreation." And if this is a recreation department, they're not going to... Nobody can... get the kids from coming in here [to] play all day because that's what it's here for.
00:40:14:17 - 00:40:42:20
Jon-Devin Carrere: Right. And so we've kind of like hacked a few different systems and put ourselves in a, in a, in a really interesting place. But it's giving parents an opportunity to see this in real-time. You walk in, and you see, you know, they just announced the, the six figures that they spent on these labs. And you can see it, and that was a huge thing for us, is that when these kids walk in, you know, and I know you can do this with anything, and I know Chris and Kristy were... because you don't need... or you don't need this…
00:40:42:20 - 00:40:59:04
Jon-Devin Carrere: You don't need that. Like, no, we need it because I need these kids to understand that somebody values them this much. Right? As much as he could be, we... and we're investing this in you. And that... just [to] take that... just changes the tone and the tenor of everybody that we get to work with.
00:40:59:06 - 00:41:21:10
Kristy Custer: I think it's... I mean, to... especially in the situation that, that you deal with a lot, is that the kids can see themselves. Now, you have to be able to see yourself as X, you know, whatever it is. You have to be able to see yourself as a teacher. Do you see yourself? And, and we talk a lot about this in our culture right now.
00:41:21:10 - 00:41:38:05
Kristy Custer: Being able to be yourself and, or someone like you, is really what I'm saying. That looks like you, that talks like you, that acts like you. That's your gender, that's your whatever. You know, when you see those people breaking barriers and, and you're like, "I can do that too," I...
00:41:38:08 - 00:42:00:19
Jon-Devin Carrere: Furthermore, I think it's, like, you know, myself, and then, and I'm the business partner on this, [I] was road manager for PJ Morton, who's a multi-Grammy-winning artist. But like, when they meet us, and they see our big resume, like, "Oh, wow."
00:42:00:21 - 00:42:27:13
Kristy Custer: Like to just go here. But Tanya, you know, your daughter, that's a little bit of an anomaly. It's not, you know, it's getting less and less... are getting more and more women... are getting more and more women
00:42:27:15 - 00:42:52:16
Kristy Custer: in esports. And, and how has that benefited her? Sometimes even works against her. Sometimes also it, it has certainly, you know, has certainly...
00:42:52:18 - 00:43:19:10
Tania Maynard Browne: It's like we are, like, the only black people in the room. And many times, you know, she's, like, the only female amongst, you know, not, and, you know, not...
00:43:19:12 - 00:43:45:02
Tania Maynard Browne:...that she's able to hold her own in any space that she goes into. And for her, it's, it's more about, you know, placing her own, placing her own...
00:43:45:03 - 00:44:13:09
Tania Maynard Browne: But I know, online, sometimes I'm in her room, and she's gaming, and she has... Or she's playing around, for instance. And she has, like, some weird name. And I'm like, "Who's this demon?" I'm like, "Who's..."
00:44:13:11 - 00:44:41:01
Kristy Custer: You know, the backlash for her is, is sometimes pretty nasty. So, you know, we, we still have to do some work around that. And I think that's a, I think that's a...
00:44:41:03 - 00:44:42:19
Kristy Custer:...then the scene.
00:44:42:21 - 00:44:59:01
Alex Hirbe: Yeah. Yeah. Tanya, what would you say, you know, you know, you know your daughter's been through a lot of, I'm sure, a lot of nasty... nasty...
00:44:59:03 - 00:45:18:23
Alex Hirbe: You know, when she's going through this as a, as a young student, you know, in high school, to help kind of curb things like this. And it doesn't necessarily [have to] be esports-related, but what, what kind of, you know, protections or things in school would you like to see, if you had your way, put in place? What you could say to an administrator that might be watching this?
00:45:19:00 - 00:45:37:15
Tania Maynard Browne: I think education, awareness, education, awareness.
00:45:37:17 - 00:46:04:06
Tania Maynard Browne: We talk about esports. We need to support parents. And I would like to see more things being done. I haven't been in a, in a PTA meeting for quite some time, but thinking... But...
00:46:04:08 - 00:46:26:11
Tania Maynard Browne:...to understand games, I've tried to play Rocket League once, and I think it hurt my brain, but as a parent, just around listening and, and, and looking for things that, you know, I can correct... things that I know she does... the game piece, I do the parenting piece. So it's, it's... you don't have to know about gaming.
00:46:26:11 - 00:46:51:16
Tania Maynard Browne: You just have to know how to be a parent. You know how to listen, how to support, where to say, you know, "That behavior is not right." And some of these things, you know, we can, as parents, we can stamp out. It's just not in gaming. It's the behavior that's coming across in the school as well. In this first day in school, she was punched in the eye and called, you know, a racist name.
00:46:51:18 - 00:47:24:00
Tania Maynard Browne: And that was in general... esports. So it's, it's how we are behaving with our kids and when... whether we are telling them it's right or wrong, it's just that they can go on, on, online now and just be, just as nasty and think it's okay. And I think we need to [stamp] that out. And as we have these programs and school behavior needs to form part of it, "If you're going to be in an esports team, there is a certain behavior we're going to be expecting from you."
00:47:24:00 - 00:47:42:22
Tania Maynard Browne: And I think if we send that message clear, you know, "You can't behave a particular way and still expect to show up and play. You know, we're not going to be supporting that." I think eventually, the message will be sent clearly that, you know, this behavior is not acceptable.
00:47:43:00 - 00:48:06:02
Chris Spikoski: Absolutely right. And just to build off of that, like, the more parental involvement, whether it's online or in schools, the less we will hope to see some of that toxicity. You know, when you get... we've talked to a lot of school districts, a lot of coaches, they don't want to involve the parents because they don't want the parents to say, "Hey, like, I keep games at home.
00:48:06:02 - 00:48:27:16
Chris Spikoski: I don't want them gaming in school." Yeah. But the more you invite the parents into the, the, the classroom, into the esports club, on the esports teams, get them a jersey for your kid, show them how to, you know, tell them the schedule, invite them to the tournaments, to the LAN centers, even to, to some of the conferences around that are local.
00:48:27:18 - 00:48:48:21
Chris Spikoski: The more that parents get involved, the more that they're going to be more accepting of it, but they're also going to be there to hold their kids accountable for their actions. And that's, that's a big thing, is there's a lack of accountability. We've seen some of that change over the years, and the hope is that it's going to continue to get better, but there's still a lot of work that needs to be done.
00:48:48:23 - 00:49:11:10
Jon-Devin Carrere: Yeah. I think I was going to say, yeah, for us... I mean, we're... you already... I think you probably [know] where I'm going, like, we don't start anything without [a] code of conduct, which is, which is all Generation Esports, right? Like the code of conduct, having the kids set their own rules. It's an amazing tool that we've been able to see, like, work, even in, like, one-off events.
00:49:11:10 - 00:49:36:12
Jon-Devin Carrere: Right. We'll just do, like, random codes of conduct. And I think for us, like, New Orleans is a, a very verbally colorful city, we'll say. So, you know, we, we try to... we, you know, I think because our culture is naturally about, you know... but when you think about the Mardi Gras and Indian culture, it is very much about calling our response and talking and, and then being loud and being in each other's faces.
00:49:36:14 - 00:49:56:02
Jon-Devin Carrere: So what we do is we, we, we, we kind of nuance it a little bit. It's like, "Listen, guys, like, here's the line between trash-talking and toxicity, right? Like, keep it about the game. And as long as y'all GG's afterward, it's like, keep up with the... like, but don't talk about nobody's family members. Don't, don't say, 'Oh, man, you smell like chicken feet.'"
00:49:56:02 - 00:50:16:23
Jon-Devin Carrere: Like, leave all that stuff out of it. But like, keep it about the game. And, and I think for us, what that allows is that it, like, it gives these kids that space and, and, like, within that time of the game, all of this, like, frustration, [all] of, you know, this angst or whatever it is, like, they kind of get it out, and, and then it's over, and then they're kind of over it.
00:50:16:23 - 00:50:37:14
Jon-Devin Carrere: And they just... we let... they let the steam out. And so I think it's a lot of intentionality. But yet, for us, it's like we're very... we're very... we're always ears open in the labs, like, in... like, we will, we will, like, we're here. We're here [from] 12 to 4, and then 18... the back. Right. And so the kids are very... they're, they, they self-police.
00:50:37:14 - 00:50:59:01
Jon-Devin Carrere:
And I think that, like, you know, the moderators... we're... when we're in the lab, [we're] very soft-spoken, or one-on-one, we're not creating that environment. And so I think that, like, what I'm excited about is that when you think about NOLA Grown Gaming, this is who we are. And like, as parents start to experience this and see their kids, like, "Oh, wow, you know what?"
00:50:59:02 - 00:51:10:06
Jon-Devin Carrere: We'll get down on the level, and we'll talk to them. They're like, "Thank you, because I can't get through to..." you know. And so, like, that... and the kids start to trust us. And that's where I think that's really where the magic happens.
00:51:10:08 - 00:51:30:05
Kristy Custer: When so often, you know, we try to teach that in schools. You know, it's "bullying," is what it's called in school, but it's not authentic. And so we'll take this bullying situation, and then we'll often say, you know, "How many of you have been bullied? Who's been the bully?" you know, and kids, they roll their eyes. Who's going to, who's going to raise their hand?
00:51:30:07 - 00:51:53:15
Kristy Custer: You'll be... When you start talking about it in an authentic way, as far as toxicity in a video game, they light up because everybody's seen it. Everybody's seen it. They saw it last night. One of my favorite stories is Michael Russell, who was a co-writer of Gaming Concepts. He was teaching it at our school, and, and the kid walked out, and I said, "Hey, what did you learn in esports class today?"
00:51:53:17 - 00:52:21:18
Kristy Custer: And he very seriously said, "I learned that not responding is a response." And for a moment, I thought, "Well, that's common sense." But how many adults would we love to teach that lesson [to]? You don't have to respond just because someone writes something, or you do not have to respond. So I just think it's such an authentic, you know, a caring adult in an authentic way.
00:52:21:20 - 00:52:32:01
Kristy Custer: You know, that is what teachers are looking for, you know, all the time. Is that, that moment, that teachable moment. And boy, do you get it in esports often?
00:52:32:03 - 00:52:57:15
Alex Hirbe: Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. In esports, you know, and it's... aside from teachable moments, you know, it kind of... it's one of those things that brings a lot of people together. Right? Esports, aside from traditional athletics, esports brings kids of all abilities and all backgrounds and levels all together. Right? And so, you know, I want to ask Chris about, you know, kind of some inclusiveness that moves around...
00:52:57:15 - 00:53:06:10
Alex Hirbe:...right. And what you would, you... and how you ensure gaming opportunities and accessibility for students through COVID.
00:53:06:12 - 00:53:39:05
Chris Spikoski: Well, gaming is the great equalizer, right? Whether it's gender, race, ability... to... everybody has the ability for an even playing field when it comes to that. But, you know, going back prior to starting COPE, prior to when, you know, my son's career took off, I worked for [the] Developmental Disabilities Institute back in New York for about 22 years as [a] director up there, worked hands-on with adults with autism.
00:53:39:07 - 00:54:16:15
Chris Spikoski: And I saw firsthand a lot of what incorporating gaming can do for kids and adults with disabilities, with autism. Helping them overcome social anxieties, helping them overcome fears of medical appointments, and even just connecting with their parents. We had... it was actually recently, we had a parent that we had spoken to who, their, their child didn't really have any, like, full communication with, with them.
00:54:16:15 - 00:54:47:05
Chris Spikoski: And until he started playing Mario Kart and started playing more games with Mario in it, and they would sit down and play with him, and he would start opening up a little by little. And he was having, having full conversations with them within a couple of months. And yes, those are some of the things that we like to see just to kind of get out there and, and really highlight that inclusivity and how gaming can really work and work for everybody.
00:54:47:07 - 00:55:09:22
Chris Spikoski: And one of the things that I'm most proud of with my son is when, when he, when he first started out, and he got really big, he had a lot of kids with disabilities, kids with autism, Down syndrome, in his community, in his chat, wanting to play games with them. And he would always take the time to play with them and really include them into the, into his community.
00:55:09:22 - 00:55:28:12
Chris Spikoski: And that being that I worked in the field, and he grew up, you know, coming to work with me, that made me really proud that he would go out of his way to do that and make it... make everybody feel like they're at home, like they belong. And I just love to see more of that in the community.
00:55:28:14 - 00:55:37:01
Alex Hirbe: Absolutely. JD, any thoughts on inclusivity, how you foster that at NOLA Grown, or anything like that you'd like to add?
00:55:37:03 - 00:56:04:01
Jon-Devin Carrere: Oh, yeah. Listen, I mean, again, the word "colorful" community, you know, the... we got them all, baby. We got them all. And, and, and I think because we are in New Orleans, and we're just this, like, we're known for that... it, it makes it easy, you know? I think that in so many other communities where we're starting to, you know, would... the initiatives becoming, like, this hot button word?
00:56:04:03 - 00:56:27:00
Jon-Devin Carrere: I mean, you know, we have... we are a multicultural people blended into the South. Right. And so, like, this idea of, like, we don't have this separation, you know, this gumbo... I mean, one of the biggest rock stars coming out of New Orleans, you know, Big Freedia, is, is transgender, right? I learned that word years after knowing Big Freedia personally.
00:56:27:04 - 00:56:53:04
Jon-Devin Carrere: I'm like, "Oh, what's the... what is it?" And so for us, there was never an issue about excluding other people. There was never this idea of, like, "These people don't belong in this space." It's that, like, if you create space in New Orleans, the beauty of it is that that inclusivity, that multicultural experience, we're lucky. I think, in that manner, of, just... that is a part of the fabric of our culture.
00:56:53:06 - 00:57:11:03
Jon-Devin Carrere: But, and that's what we want to kind of share with the world, right? Like, as people start to notice and know NOLA Grown, like, you know, you see the photos that we come up, like, it's not a stretch for us to have young black girls in our program because that's just the community that we're in, right? Like, we're, we're in a heavily populated community.
00:57:11:03 - 00:57:31:21
Jon-Devin Carrere: And, you know, when you start to see scholarship opportunities [available] to parents, they're going to send their kids. And so what I love the most, though, is seeing the kids just be those kids, right? They don't know the differences. The only difference for them is, like, you know, "Fortnite" or "2K," like, that's how they separate each other.
00:57:31:23 - 00:57:43:07
Jon-Devin Carrere: And so, like, we, we just, we just, we, we bask in that. We always look around and get to look in the lab and to see, like, that our culture is, is fully represented in these places.
00:57:43:09 - 00:58:15:14
Alex Hirbe: Absolutely, absolutely. Well said. So we're about to wrap up here. So I want to get some, you know, final thoughts on everything from everybody. Tanya, let me start with you. 30s...how can my kids be pro players just like yours? No, I'm just kidding. What, what advice would you, like, [give]... what advice would you like to give to parents that might be in that same boat where you might have been, you know, eight years ago, where India was just kind of starting out, and they are questioning this kind of behavior in their kids and wanting to play games?
00:58:15:19 - 00:58:18:04
Alex Hirbe: You know, what kind of tips can you, can you give these parents?
00:58:18:06 - 00:58:43:07
Tania Maynard Browne: I would say, for your child to be [a] pro player, it depends on the parents. It... you can have a child with an amazing skill. If your... the parent is not supportive, to sign those contracts, to be open to taking them wherever they need to go, like football practice or whatever it is, they're not going anywhere because, legally, you can't sign a contract until you're 18.
00:58:43:09 - 00:58:49:10
Tania Maynard Browne: Technically, by the time you get to 18 as an esports player, you almost... will still...
00:58:49:12 - 00:58:50:12
Alex Hirbe: Yeah.
00:58:50:14 - 00:58:52:21
Tania Maynard Browne: So it depends on the parents.
00:58:52:23 - 00:59:00:03
Alex Hirbe: Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Chris, final thoughts? Tell us about COPE. Plug it. Whatever you need to do.
00:59:00:05 - 00:59:29:04
Chris Spikoski: Yeah. COPE... check us out online. COPE... that guy... and check us out on Twitter. That's pretty much where we're most active. COPE on Twitter. But yeah, [the] TL;DR... What [did] you say real quick? Just support your kids. Be there for your kids, set them up for success, just like you would. Making sure you get us the best bat and glove and, and cleats, and just support them, be there for them, listen to them, and go play with them.
00:59:29:06 - 00:59:36:10
Chris Spikoski: It'll help your relationship and help you communicate with your kids. Just sit down and play a game with them and learn what they love.
00:59:36:12 - 00:59:38:07
Alex Hirbe: JD, final thought?
00:59:38:09 - 01:00:01:16
Jon-Devin Carrere: Yeah, for me, partnerships, partnerships, partnerships, right? Like, I have so much appreciation for Generation Esports for everything that, that you all have been poured into and the people and the organizations that we're getting to meet. For anybody out there who was like, "Yo, man, like, I want to get like you, I want, I want, you know, [a] recreation center, whatever it is."
01:00:01:18 - 01:00:20:21
Jon-Devin Carrere: You know, what we did, what I did was simple. I literally showed up to city council meetings week after week after week and presented a solution. And I, and I, and I did my homework, and I created a program. And then I found Generation Esports, and they were able to take every idea that I had in my head…
01:00:20:21 - 01:00:43:04
Jon-Devin Carrere: I was like, "Actually, [I] broke the curriculum already, dude." And so for me, it was like being able to work with amazing people. And, you know, recently, I moved my family from Southern California back down to New Orleans to be a part of this amazing, sort of like, Super Bowl... [I] meet all kind of crazy stuff... a Super Bowl that we're getting ready to do because it's in the city.
01:00:43:06 - 01:00:57:15
Jon-Devin Carrere: But I was intentional about that, right? I was intentional about making sure that these kids... I see so often folks who want to start something, they're, like, trying to continue a legacy.
01:00:57:17 - 01:00:58:15
Chris Spikoski: [nodding]
01:00:58:17 - 01:01:15:22
Jon-Devin Carrere: That really wasn't what we were doing. You know, what we were doing, you know?
01:01:16:00 - 01:01:39:12
Jon-Devin Carrere:...situations because they don't see themselves as being a teenager. And this gives them that thing. Right. And, and being able to drive that home... Being able to drive that home is really what did it for us.
01:01:39:14 - 01:01:59:12
Alex Hirbe: You know, so much... Tanya, JD, Chris... Yeah. You guys have been great. The insights of, of having two pro players' parents on here and, you know, endorsing esports... and you know, JD on here, providing a great place for... beyond here, providing a great place for...
01:01:59:13 - 01:02:20:01
Alex Hirbe:...are coming out of this esports experience. I know, obviously, you know, Chris and Tanya, your kids are already doing great stuff. But you know, JD, your kids are getting there, right? They're, they're going through the pipeline of getting through and seeing themselves on the other side. So, you know, to those of you watching this that are on with us tonight, or you're watching this, you know, on YouTube, you know, just kind of keep an open mind.
01:02:20:01 - 01:02:41:21
Alex Hirbe: These are the kind of the notes I put up in mind. These are the kind of the notes I put...
01:02:41:23 - 01:03:10:01
Alex Hirbe:...to diversify and enrich their lives past gaming if it doesn't happen to work out for them. So, yeah. So again. Again, appreciate... so much... all appreciate so much.
01:03:10:03 - 01:03:20:23
Alex Hirbe: We'll provide their contact details in the follow-up email, as well as your certificate. So all of you, thank you again. And we hope to see you next time. Thanks a lot.
01:03:21:01 - 01:03:21:18
Kristy Custer: Bye.
01:03:21:20 - 01:03:22:15
Jon-Devin Carrere: Thanks, guys.
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