Rebel Girls Level Up: 25 Tales of Gaming and the Metaverse

By Rebel Girls

TRUE STORIES OF CREATORS AND COMMUNITY!

Meet 25 inspiring women in the world of gaming and the metaverse. Read about how they've created innovative technology, designed the video games you play, and broken barriers whenever their industry put up walls.

Dive into gamer communities with popular streamers like Imane Anys, better known as Pokimane. Learn to lead with Aya Kyogoku, who directed several Animal Crossing games. Design digital clothing with Roblox creators like cSapphire. And compete in the wild world of esports with pro gamers Sasha Hostyn and Sylvia Gathoni.

This book pairs inspiring, easy-to-read text with colorful full-page portraits created by female and nonbinary artists from all around the world. Plus, scannable codes let you listen to longer stories on the Rebel Girls app!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rebel Girls
• Release date: Jun 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9781953424525

Rebel Girls

REBEL GIRLS is a global, multi-platform empowerment brand dedicated to helping raise the most inspired and confident generation of girls through content, experiences, products, and community. Originating from an international best-selling children's book, Rebel Girls amplifies stories of real-life women throughout history, geography, and field of excellence. With a growing community of nearly 20 million self-identified Rebel Girls spanning more than 100 countries, the brand engages with Generation Alpha through its book series, award-winning podcast, events, and merchandise. With the 2021 launch of the Rebel Girls app, the company has created a flagship destination for girls to explore a wondrous world filled with inspiring true stories of extraordinary women.

Book preview

Cover: Rebel Girls Level Up: 25 Tales of Gaming and the Metaverse edited by Rebel Girls

Copyright © 2023 by Rebel Girls, Inc.

Rebel Girls supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting indie creators as well as allowing Rebel Girls to publish books for Rebel Girls wherever they may be.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls and Rebel Girls are registered trademarks.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls and all other Rebel Girls titles are available for bulk purchase for sale promotions, premiums, fundraising, and educational needs.

For details, write to [e-mail].

This is a work of creative nonfiction. It is a collection of heartwarming and thought-provoking stories inspired by the lives and adventures of 25 influential women. It is not an encyclopedic account of the events and accomplishments of their lives.

www.rebelgirls.com

Some of the artwork in this book has been previously published in the book Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022948130

Rebel Girls, Inc.

421 Elm Ave.

Larkspur, CA 94939

Text by Jenelle Swan, Emma Carlson Berne, and Eliza Kirby

Art direction by Giulia Flamini

Cover illustrations by Annalisa Ventura

Graphic design by Kristen Brittain

Special thanks: Cordia Leung, Grace Srinivasiah, Jacob Roach, Jes Wolfe, Maithy Vu, Marina Asenjo

Printed in China, 2023

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN: 978-1-953424-46-4

CONTENTS

FOREWORD BY ELIZA KIRBY

AMBER ALLEN●CEO

AMIRA VIRGIL●Creator and Community Builder

AMY HENNIG●Director and Script Writer

ANNE SHOEMAKER●Game Designer

AYA KYOGOKU●Director and Producer

BRITTNEY MORRIS●Video Game Writer and Novelist

CATHY HACKL●Business Executive and Tech Futurist

CSAPPHIRE●Digital Clothing Designer

FELICIA DAY●Actor, Creator, and Streamer

HELEN CHIANG●Video Game Studio Head

IHASCUPQUAKE●Streamer and Influencer

JAY-ANN LOPEZ●Community Builder, CEO, and Founder

JENNIFER TOWNE●Environment and 3D Artist

KELLEE SANTIAGO●Game Designer, Producer, and Founder

MACKENSEIZE●Streamer

MADDIE MESSER●Gamer

MANAMI MATSUMAE●Composer

MARINA DÍEZ PEREIRO●Game Developer

MURIEL TRAMIS●Game Designer

PHOEBE WATSON●Game Designer

POKIMANE●Streamer

POORNIMA SEETHARAMAN●Game Designer

SASHA HOSTYN●Esports Player

SHELLY MAZZANOBLE●Gamer and Podcaster

SYLVIA GATHONI●Esports Player

WRITE YOUR STORY

DRAW YOUR PORTRAIT

KEEP PLAYING!

A NOTE ON ILLUSTRATIONS

THE ILLUSTRATORS

ABOUT REBEL GIRLS

FOREWORD

Hi Rebels,

When I was a kid, I loved computer games. I’d build elaborate theme parks in Roller Coaster Tycoon and create families in The Sims that I kept going for generations. My best friend and I would play the third Harry Potter game together, with one of us using the keyboard to control where Harry or Hermione walked and the other using the mouse to control their wand. Even though I’d sit at the computer in my family’s basement until my eyes itched and it was dark outside, I didn’t really think of myself as a gamer. My brother, though—he was a gamer. He played sports games and action adventures