Next Level Racing® takes a stand for diversity and equality in partnership with INIT ESPORTS
- Race Me charity event by INIT ESPORTS champions diversity, inclusion and equality
- Six of the biggest names in Women’s sports to face off in competitive virtual race
- Event to raise funds for Girl Up – empowering girls to break down gender barriers and defend gender equality
Gold Coast
12 November 2020
In partnership with INIT ESPORTS, Next Level Racing® is proud to join the fight for gender diversity, inclusion and equality. Female athletes around the world in nearly every discipline are underfunded, and this is no different in esports. The Race Me charity event will see six high profile female athletes from different sports disciplines take to the virtual circuit, all to raise funds for the Girl Up charity.
Race Me is a first event of its kind, showcasing the power of esports to bring people together from all over the world – a key factor in today’s global climate. The event aims to demonstrate that the gaming sector is a welcoming space, in which women can compete on an equal footing and win on merit. The six featured participants in the spotlight for this live event are not experienced gamers, and this esports race would be a first for most of them. However, despite coming from a myriad of backgrounds, they are highly competitive individuals, each of a high caliber in their own sporting disciplines.
The confirmed participants for Race Me are:
- Madison Hammond, defender for OL Reign of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
- Oksana Masters, Paralympic rower and cross country skier
- Liv Morgan, professional wrestler (WWE)
- Madison Packer, Metropolitan Riverters forward in National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL)
- Aerial Powers, Washington Mystics player in Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)
- Hope Solo, former goalkeeper for the United States Women’s National Soccer team
The Race Me event will be hosted on INIT ESPORTS’s Twitch channel on 12th December 2020. The racing action will be broadcast to a global audience, all the while raising funds for the women’s charity Girl Up. One of the key issues that Girl Up tackles is the lack of access and opportunities in sports, and in the world of virtual racing, accessibility and parity for all participants is a key factor in creating a sustainable ecosystem.
Next Level Racing® is committed to creating a welcoming community for all racers. “Now, more than ever, we feel the need to provide an all-inclusive environment for the fast expanding racing community, and the Race Me charity event showcases what we stand for here at Next Level Racing” – Kam Khadem – Head of Brand & Strategic Growth.
Donations during the live broadcast will be collected on Race Me’s dedicated page (insert hyperlink https://www.eventbrite.com/e/race-me-athletes-and-gamers-for-diversity-inclusion-registration-127512345859?ref=ecount)
