Cristina Amaya, Founder of Latinx in Gaming & Head of Events at Team Liquid
In Career Spotlight, we profile women, femme-identifying, and nonbinary professionals who work in the gaming industry. It is our goal to show the vastness and variety of jobs within the world of gaming and to share professional advice and perspective with our readers.
This week we interview Cristina Amaya, the Founder and President of Latinx in Gaming, Vice Chair for the International Game Developers Association, and head of an events team she built herself at Team Liquid. She shares what she loves about working in events, her perspective as a hiring manger, her thoughts on creating community and the future of esports, and so much more!
Cristina Amaya, photo courtesy of the subject
When did you decide that working in gaming and esports was something you wanted to pursue?
I actually didn’t think gaming was a real career I could have. I studied political science and went to school in hopes that eventually I would work for the United Nations. I quickly discovered that politics were not a good fit for my personality and that I needed another field. I had spent a solid decade of my life thinking I’d be a politician so I was pretty lost. I studied baking and pastry making but got sick at the end of my time in school. During this time period I went to PAX and met an employee who worked at Riot Games who encouraged me to try. I landed my first position in gaming at age 22 at a small indie studio.
What attracted you to working in events?
I love building communities and celebration. To me, the best part of my life is during the Olympics, COPA AMERICA, the World Cup or any major celebration. I have always loved seeing people come together and when I realized that I could combine my passion for gaming with bringing people together, I was hooked.
What skills do you find yourself using most in your role as Head of Events at Team Liquid?
Stress management. I’m not joking. I am unfortunately still learning how to do it but with Events, you need to be able to manage the stress of things changing, upset clients or partners, or something going wrong. Keeping an even head is the most important thing you can do.
As someone who has built up your events team at Team Liquid, and built other teams throughout your career, what are some qualities you tend to look for when you hire people?
I’ve hired around 50+ people at this point including contractors. I like people who know that the work in events is hard and who are willing to pivot and learn. I’d like to (and my team can call me out on this) think that when I mess up I own up to it. We’re human and we mess up a lot! I like it when my team can do so too.
Can you tell us a bit about Latinx in Gaming? What inspired you to create this community?
I was often the only Latino/Latinx/Latine person in the room. For me, it was super important that I found other people who would get why some of the microaggressions, blatant or inadvertent, were affecting my time in gaming.
What has been something unexpected that you’ve learned from all the work you’ve done with Latinx in Gaming?
You need to sell people on your message and idea — not just sponsors or partners, but the people you’re trying to help get jobs and build networks for. Trust is a precious commodity in this industry and to grow it takes time, effort, and a lot of work.
How do you find working in the gaming or esports industry different from other industries you’ve worked in?
The expectation of professionalism in how you write, act, or even dress is different, which can be a double-edged sword. On one end, I don’t have to wear stuffy skirts and pantyhose like I did during my internships with the Florida government. On the other hand, boundaries sometimes are harder to navigate.
What do you envision when you think about the future of esports?
Helping plan the US Olympics Esports Team’s after party
Is there anything that fans and supporters of the esports and gaming industries do help moving the industries in a better direction?
Listen to women, trust women, give women leadership positions. Be a feminist, be an intersectional feminist. Give everybody a seat at the table. Be willing to learn.
What advice do you have for women who may want to start a career in gaming or professionals who want to pivot their careers into the gaming or esports industries?
Nobody can decide if you are worthy of working in this space for you but you. Do not let people discourage you from your dreams and passions. Be willing to learn and grow but don’t stop doing what you feel is best for you.
Follow Cristina:
Twitter: @Silcris88
Follow Team Liquid:
Twitter: @TeamLiquid
Instagram: @teamliquid
Website: teamliquid.com
Follow Latinx in Gaming:
Twitter: @Latinosingaming
Discord: Latinx in Gaming
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