Riot Games to Contribute $1 Million USD in Fight Against Systemic Racism
“We have a part to play and it is on us to do more.”
In light of the current Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S., League of Legends and Valorant developer Riot Games has pledged $1 million USD in contribution to the fight against systemic racism.
The donations will come from the company’s Social Impact Fund, and employees’ donations will be matched up to $1,000 USD. For now, the organizations selected are The Innocence Project and the American Civil Liberties Union, but more charities will follow soon. The video game publisher also asserted that aside from this movement, it will continue to support other underprivileged or marginalized groups too, working with Florida A&M University to help software engineers, creating a scholarship through the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, and continuing to donate to educational programs such as Girls Who Code.
Along with the announcement of its donations, Riot Games president Dylan Jadeja also issued the following statement:
“The murder of yet another unarmed black man has ignited a national outcry for justice, not only for George Floyd, but countless others in the black community who are dying at the hands of a system that they are supposed to be able to trust. Systemic racism is not a new issue, but we must acknowledge that complacency has contributed to slower progress than is needed to drive lasting change. Like many other companies with the ability and responsibility to accelerate progress, and to make it a reality, we have a part to play and it is on us to do more.”
To learn more about the initiatives, head over to Riot Games’ website.
Elsewhere in gaming, SEGA is celebrating its 60th anniversary with a new micro-handheld console.
A note from Riot’s President Dylan Jadeja on the commitment to drive change. https://t.co/DdBaub6oyz pic.twitter.com/pMnjdGl6du
— Riot Games (@riotgames) June 5, 2020
— Riot Games (@riotgames) June 2, 2020
