Today, Facebook Gaming announces a new initiative targeted specifically at Black streamers on the platform: the Black Gaming Creator Program. The company says it plans to invest $5 million a year over the next two years to support the Black gaming creator community.
If you’re selected to take part in the program, there are some benefits. You’ll get Facebook Gaming partnership, early product access (along with product feedback sessions), community support — which includes invitations to all digital and in person events — and mentorship. The program also comes with guaranteed monthly pay, which distinguishes it from other creator mentorship programs. Interested creators can apply here.
Leo Olebe, the global director of games partnerships at Facebook, said in a statement that the new initiative was part of Facebook’s $200 million commitment to support Black-owned businesses and organizations, which the company announced this summer. “Game streaming brings people together in a powerful way over a shared passion for games, and we hope to encourage more people to express their creativity through gaming,” he said.
It’s an interesting move from Facebook, not least because it’s rare that a company puts money where it says its values are. On the other hand: Facebook did not say how many creators would be admitted into the program. The company did, however, clarify that monthly pay would vary based on “the quality of their content and the scale of their audience.”
Nevertheless, it’s an example that other players in the live-streaming industry would do well to follow — because Black creators need support on those other platforms, too.
