The Entertainment Software Association's philanthropic arm will spend $1 million in support of a multi-year initiative with Black Girls CODE, an organization that aims to empower girls of color aged 7 to 17 to become innovators in their fields.

"Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Our industry is committed to expanding opportunities in our sector by working to grow talent and spark interest and excitement for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) careers, especially for those from underrepresented groups," Stanley Pierre-Louis, CEO of ESA and chair of the ESA Foundation, said in a March 4 statement.

ESA serves as "the voice of the video game industry," according to its website, and its members include PlayStation, Nintendo, Microsoft and Disney Interactive Studios. The association reported $41.3M in revenue in its March 31, 2019 tax filing.

Founded in 2011, Black Girls CODE provides workshops, hackathons and after-school programs in areas including web design, robotics, game development and mobile app development. The organization aims to train 1 million girls by 2040. It has headquarters in New York and Oakland, Calif.

The ESA Foundation will work with BGC chapters in cities such as Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Raleigh, N.C., San Francisco and Washington, D.C. The foundation will provide direct financial support, plus volunteer time and other industry resources.

"We believe our program will have a lasting impact on girls and young women who otherwise might never have considered careers in the video game industry," ESA Foundation Executive Director Anastasia Staten said in a statement. "And the most exciting part for me is that, beyond their generous financial support, some of the world's leading video game companies and their teams are committed to mentoring young women in ways that will open up opportunities to explore STEAM careers and create entertaining video games that all of us will want to play."

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