When Doreen Dabi-Diamond, also known as Dabi, entered her first professional gaming competition and noticed she was the only woman, she wasn't surprised. Growing up in Ghana, she had often been the only girl on the basketball court or in engineering classes, so she was well accustomed to being the sole female in male-dominated spaces.
Dabi had a history of proving her skeptics wrong, and she did so again at the Volta FIFA Tournament, where her impressive performance earned the attention of the president of Ghana’s Esports Association, leading to her involvement in the organization.
Recruiting Dabi was a strategic move, given the rapid growth of the esports industry, now valued at over $1 billion with an audience of 532 million globally. Despite the fact that nearly half of all gamers and esports fans are women, professional gaming remains male-dominated. For the industry to thrive, this imbalance needs to be addressed.
“More representation at higher levels creates role models for young women,” says Raja Rajamannar of Mastercard, which launched the Mastercard Gamer Academy last year. The initiative, he adds, could help reduce gender bias and foster inclusivity in gaming.
The program, which is the first of its kind, selects 10 gamers worldwide, with seven of them being women. Participants gain access to top esports events, industry professionals, and valuable training to help advance their gaming careers. Through partnerships with G2 and Riot Games, academy members like Dabi spend three semesters learning about various career paths in gaming, traveling to competitions and esports venues worldwide, including the Valorant Champions event in Seoul, which is reportedly setting viewership records, and the G2 Facility in Berlin.
Dabi was accepted into the academy earlier this year, joining fellow participant Meg Cabras, a Florida native with dreams of becoming a CEO in esports. Both women, though experienced gamers, hesitated before applying. “I wasn’t sure if I was good enough,” says Cabras. “But I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t try. When I got the acceptance email, I just cried.”
For Dabi, applying was challenging due to the recent loss of her younger sister. Recording her application video was difficult, as grief overwhelmed her. Encouraged by her partner, she ultimately applied and was accepted, which she attributes to her sister's presence, saying, “I knew my sister was watching over me because she knows how much esports means to me.”
At the academy’s first in-person session, Dabi and Cabras quickly bonded with the other female participants, forming a supportive community in a male-dominated industry. Both women have also found strong female connections within the Valorant community, a game whose championship they will attend with the academy.
“The more people feel seen, the more love and loyalty they’ll give to the game,” says Cabras, crediting leaders like Anna Donlon, senior vice president and head of Valorant Studios, for fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for women in the gaming community.
With the support of their newfound network and the skills gained through the academy, both women are shaping their future in esports. Cabras, who runs a clothing business and works in marketing for NASCAR, is networking with industry leaders at G2 and Riot Games to further her career goals. Meanwhile, Dabi is emerging as a key figure in Ghana's esports scene. As secretary general of the Esports Association of Ghana, she is also launching a talent and event management company to create more opportunities for women in esports.
“I realized this is my mission,” Dabi says. “To take everything I’ve learned from the academy and use it to improve the esports ecosystem in Ghana.”
As the academy prepares to send its students to the Valorant Champions tournament in Seoul and the League of Legends World Championship in London later this year, Dabi and Cabras are ready to take on the next chapter of their journey with confidence.
“Trust me, in this academy, all ten of us are amazing people who are going to go on to do great things,” Dabi says. “You need to watch out for us. Because we are going to make you all proud.”
Dabi had a history of proving her skeptics wrong, and she did so again at the Volta FIFA Tournament, where her impressive performance earned the attention of the president of Ghana’s Esports Association, leading to her involvement in the organization.
Recruiting Dabi was a strategic move, given the rapid growth of the esports industry, now valued at over $1 billion with an audience of 532 million globally. Despite the fact that nearly half of all gamers and esports fans are women, professional gaming remains male-dominated. For the industry to thrive, this imbalance needs to be addressed.
“More representation at higher levels creates role models for young women,” says Raja Rajamannar of Mastercard, which launched the Mastercard Gamer Academy last year. The initiative, he adds, could help reduce gender bias and foster inclusivity in gaming.
The program, which is the first of its kind, selects 10 gamers worldwide, with seven of them being women. Participants gain access to top esports events, industry professionals, and valuable training to help advance their gaming careers. Through partnerships with G2 and Riot Games, academy members like Dabi spend three semesters learning about various career paths in gaming, traveling to competitions and esports venues worldwide, including the Valorant Champions event in Seoul, which is reportedly setting viewership records, and the G2 Facility in Berlin.
Dabi was accepted into the academy earlier this year, joining fellow participant Meg Cabras, a Florida native with dreams of becoming a CEO in esports. Both women, though experienced gamers, hesitated before applying. “I wasn’t sure if I was good enough,” says Cabras. “But I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t try. When I got the acceptance email, I just cried.”
For Dabi, applying was challenging due to the recent loss of her younger sister. Recording her application video was difficult, as grief overwhelmed her. Encouraged by her partner, she ultimately applied and was accepted, which she attributes to her sister's presence, saying, “I knew my sister was watching over me because she knows how much esports means to me.”
At the academy’s first in-person session, Dabi and Cabras quickly bonded with the other female participants, forming a supportive community in a male-dominated industry. Both women have also found strong female connections within the Valorant community, a game whose championship they will attend with the academy.
“The more people feel seen, the more love and loyalty they’ll give to the game,” says Cabras, crediting leaders like Anna Donlon, senior vice president and head of Valorant Studios, for fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for women in the gaming community.
With the support of their newfound network and the skills gained through the academy, both women are shaping their future in esports. Cabras, who runs a clothing business and works in marketing for NASCAR, is networking with industry leaders at G2 and Riot Games to further her career goals. Meanwhile, Dabi is emerging as a key figure in Ghana's esports scene. As secretary general of the Esports Association of Ghana, she is also launching a talent and event management company to create more opportunities for women in esports.
“I realized this is my mission,” Dabi says. “To take everything I’ve learned from the academy and use it to improve the esports ecosystem in Ghana.”
As the academy prepares to send its students to the Valorant Champions tournament in Seoul and the League of Legends World Championship in London later this year, Dabi and Cabras are ready to take on the next chapter of their journey with confidence.
“Trust me, in this academy, all ten of us are amazing people who are going to go on to do great things,” Dabi says. “You need to watch out for us. Because we are going to make you all proud.”