Jihan Johnston, M. Ed., Co-founder & CEO of BeatBotics
Jihan Johnston-McGlotten, photo courtesy of the subject
In Career Spotlight, we profile women 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.
Jihan Johnston is a native of Philadelphia, PA. She is a graduate of Saint Augustine’s University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications. After graduating college, Ms. Johnston attended Concordia University to receive her Master of Education in leadership.
Upon graduating, Ms. Johnston began researching how she could educate the urban community on disposing of financial and business ignorance to bring about access to financial and business freedom. In her community, murder rates and high school dropout rates have increased within the adolescent age group. The majority of the children who fit her community love to play video games. From this information, Ms. Johnston determined that if teenagers knew about the opportunities the gaming world has available without having the financial burden of furthering their education, teenagers could possibly be more adept at understanding what gaming could bring into their homes and ultimately their lives. This could also decrease the murder rates and streamline successful careers in the process.
As a result of this premise and further research, Ms. Johnston currently attends University of California-Irvine seeing her Ph.D. in informatics with a focus on gaming and esports for underserved communities and HBCUs. She was also encouraged by watching the effects gaming had on her 13-year-old son, Davon. Through him, she learned how gaming could change the lives of the youth in the next generation. She is a Gaming EDU Strategist/Researcher for Cxmmunity Co. and an advisor member for Onside Gaming fund for Women Win, a gaming technology company that serves the international community. She and her son, Davon, are co-founders of BeatBotics, a non-profit focused on esports & gaming awareness for underserved communities with elements of Hip Hop. She is an innovator in the tech industry.
In this interview, Jihan discusses the origin story of BeatBotics, how past positions in radio and live production prepared her for her work now, the benefits of gaming and esports for young people, and more.
Can you tell us a bit about the origin story of BeatBotics? What inspired you to co-found the organization?
As a veteran educator and EdTech consultant, I was introduced to esports in 2018, after my then ten-year-old came to me about becoming a gamer. At the time, I worked for Microsoft EDU as a facilitator and learned about the endless possibilities in gaming from an EDU lens. In winter 2019, I attended a private academy in southwest Atlanta, GA for an Ed-tech conference; we learned they were the first school in Georgia to establish a high school esports team and made it an official varsity sport state-wide.
However, within a 0.5-mile radius was Tri-Cities high school, a predominately black performing arts school. These students gamed daily, but no one knew about esports! It blew me away! At that very moment, it was my duty to bring awareness to underserved communities to educate them on the importance of gaming and esports.
My son, Davon, is my co-founder. During the pandemic, he began streaming more, so I sat with him and asked what his expectations were for streaming. His response was, “To change the game for people that look like me” So, we created BeatBotics, an esports and gaming awareness company. We strive to increase the 2% of black people in this space.
What do you think that gaming and esports offers from an educational perspective that people may not expect?
It assists with closing the academic opportunity gaps for underserved communities but is also the leading factor to building an inclusive space for all if done the right way. Gaming and esports also assist with meeting students where they are in an academic setting, allowing them to excel in a world they can relate to, and it can be used inside the classroom. We need to bring things forward and bring innovative strategies back inside the school.
You have a long career in education. When did you first incorporate gaming into the work you were doing?
I’ll never forget the time of year, spring 2016. I was an Assistant Principal, and I would use gaming as an intervention for students with 504 plans and IEPs. It allowed students to think outside the box and understand their skill sets from a gaming lens. Students can learn soft skills and critical thinking skills when gaming.
I will never forget when Roblox first launched; I was a film teacher at Dekalb Prep, and students would come into my classroom to play against each other. The students would be excited! A few students created a documentary for a class assignment about playing Roblox and how they mastered different levels. So, I allowed them to keep learning and growing.
Gaming became therapeutic for many students as they could escape life stresses and remain children. Students were also cognitive in learning or changed their behavior because of collaboration and critical thinking skills developed through gaming, esports, and education. I was also able to use gaming as an incentive to increase classroom management and attendance.
What are the skills you use most in the positions you hold now and how have your experiences in the past contributed to these skills?
Many people do not know this, but I worked in radio and at Def Jam records at a young age (14 years) as a "Street Team" member. There I had to learn time management, communications, and confidence to be a part of the brand. I also have had the opportunity to learn concert production from my uncles. With the radio and live production experience, I curated my unique skill sets to help fill "Jihan's toolbox" so that I can be great at everything I touch. This toolbox of life skills has also provided me with the gift of networking! It's my unique skill sets that allow me access because I'm being authentic. Confidence will take you so far! Remember, ladies, WE RUN THE WORLD!
What do you believe fans, consumers, and supporters of the games industry can do to make the games industry a better place to work for women and people of color?
Understand that WE are the creators and culture and deserve a seat at the table! Stop feeling threatened by our strength. We cannot “preach” inclusivity but still shut specific demographics out! It must stop! Instead, we must create a safe space and representing what the world looks like. I want people to understand our greatness as marginalized people. In the great words of Maze Ft Frankie Beverly, “WE ARE ONE. “
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?
Be authentically yourself! Never change for anyone! Instead, examine your skill sets to see where they best fit in the industry. So, Queens, if you are into beauty, hair, law, music, art, stage design, digital media, this industry is for YOU!
Follow Jihan on Twitter: @hiphopedtecdiva
Follow BeatBotics on
Twitter: @BeatBotics
Instagram: @BeatBotics
LinkedIn: BeatBotics
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