Erin Ashley Simon: “Most effective in pushing culture forward is authenticity.”

Erin Ashley Simon, the Chief Culture Officer of the esports and lifestyle organization XSET, has long been on a mission of bringing inclusivity to gaming and helping XSET become the platform that bridges the gap between underrepresented communities and gaming. 

For Simon, diversity doesn’t just mean ethnicities, genders, or various ages; it’s backgrounds and skill sets too. But it doesn’t all end with diversity. In fact, inclusion is the most important part of D&I (Diversity & Inclusion), yet often overlooked. 

And creating inclusivity takes a culmination of everyday actions that help to create spaces of psychological safety — something like XSET has been for its ever-growing talent roster.  Initiatives such as XSET’s Black History Month campaign, BlackXcellence, ot the Erin Ashley Simon Esports Internship Fund are just a few examples of how XSET and Simon continue to connect gamers to opportunities, resources, and funds.

Most recently, XSET has made another step in its goal of bridging gaps for overlooked communities in gaming by acquiring the women-led gaming and lifestyle company Queens Gaming Collective — a move that is said to bring more infrastructure, resources, and representation for women in the industry.

In this interview, Fragster sits down with Erin to discuss the importance of promoting inclusivity in gaming and esports, the key things needed to achieve a true state of equality and inclusivity in this space, and what needs to change in order to get there. Furthermore, we learn more about Erin, her journey, and her mission, and also ask for her advice to anyone looking to embark on a similar mission of breaking cultural barriers.

Work that inspires the next generation of women creators and gamers

Fragster: Erin, let’s start with an introduction for our readers. Can you tell us something about yourself and your journey of becoming the XSET CCO? 

Erin: Growing up, gaming was always encouraged in my household; we basically owned every console there was. I still remember my first game — it was Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Genesis. Even then, gaming wasn’t just an outlet for me, but a way to build friendships and a sense of community. My upbringing has given me a unique perspective on gaming and what this industry could look like.

Gaming is universal, yet there is a lack of representation and opportunities for different communities, which is why XSET’s mission and vision resonated with me so deeply. We want to provide the platform that speaks to overlooked individuals and communities and builds with them. I have been with the team since the onset and as Chief Culture Officer, I hope to bring more industry-focused opportunities for those from underserved, underrepresented, and marginalized communities to make the industry as universal as gaming is at its core.

What made you embark on your journey of advocating for inclusivity in gaming? Besides being a woman of color, was it a particular experience of yours, or just the pure desire to break the barriers when seeing the immense lack of recognition for underrepresented communities in the industry? 

As much as gaming is connected to various cultures, forms of entertainment, and countries; access is not the same across the board. My advocacy for inclusion sparks from my own experiences and seeing how gaming has become a vehicle for success for youth in building their own businesses, increasing generational wealth, and even finding passions that help them discover their own community.

What’s it like to be one of the few Afro-Latina women in an executive position in the gaming space?

It’s very rewarding to be in this position because of my strong connection to the gaming community. I’m one of the most visible Afro-Latina broadcasters in gaming, which has played a role in my transition into becoming one of the very few Black women C-Suite members of a gaming organization. I hope to continue to do work that inspires the next generation of women creators and gamers to take a chance on themselves and pursue their dreams in gaming and beyond. 

If you have the talent, the industry will find you

You’ve been invested in disrupting the industry and bringing inclusivity into esports through various initiatives, and it’s fair to say you’ve been successful in your endeavors so far. What do you consider the most difficult thing you encountered / you had to pull off on this path? 

The most difficult thing is having to adjust to the current economic state that’s impacting so many businesses. It required our team to be agile, nimble, innovative, and collaborative quickly. Many businesses are facing this challenge and it’s going to continue to be this way for years to come.

And what do you consider your biggest success so far? 

The biggest success so far is that we’ve been able to solidify the company among other reputable top-tier gaming organizations. We started in 2020 and it was a challenging time for many businesses, but we were able to make it through, regroup, and continue building upon the framework we’ve developed over the last few years.

I guess we could say that the situation around inclusivity in gaming is slowly improving, but we’re still quite far from a desirable state of equality. How would you say things have changed since you first embarked on your mission?  

With the rise of content creators and organizations like XSET to encourage gamers, more people are seeing the advantages of gaming and are looking to get in. One thing about gaming: if you have the talent the industry will find you, cherish you and provide a means for you to turn your hobby into a sustainable career. There are still caveats such as having the resources to play and also committing time to it, which proves difficult for those who have full-time jobs. But these are good changes that we hope we can continue to build on. 

Access, education, and authenticity are key

What do you think needs to change in order to achieve a true state of equality and inclusivity in gaming? And what do you think our governments/lawmakers could do to help accelerate the process? 

This is very complex because equality and inclusivity in gaming are simply a reflection of our current society. I think access and education are key. Not everyone has the same playing field in the sense of getting access to quality internet, high-end PCs, and other variables that contribute to the success or even increased passion in gaming. The more we grant these substantial access points, the more we can create inclusivity.

What many don’t understand about diversity and inclusion is that diversity simply addresses a diverse set of groups based on various backgrounds. But, creating inclusivity takes a culmination of everyday actions that help to create spaces of psychological safety, belonging, and uniqueness that cultivate an environment to encourage more diverse individuals to enter. The “I” in D&I is the most important part that’s often overlooked.

From your experience, what do you see as the most effective approach/es when it comes to “pushing the culture forward while breaking barriers in the industry”? 

Authenticity is most effective in pushing culture forward. We can talk the talk but in order to truly connect and drive the change, we must be authentic to our audience and to those communities who deserve to have a light shed on them and their potential as gamers. 

Any particular examples of what other content creators can do to help this cause? 

Yes; educate yourself on the business of gaming and esports because everyone has the ability to build inclusive environments for their community, their friends, or for the general public. It’s important to have the necessary knowledge to assist with this, but know that you don’t have to have a big following or a big platform to start.

Only way to break barriers is working together

What’s your advice to anyone looking to embark on a mission of breaking barriers in gaming and esports? 

Don’t lose sight of yourself and your goals. Breaking barriers is easier said than done.  The people who I’ve seen be successful in gaming have actually been those who have built careers somewhere else first. We need to bring in the innovative, unique ideas and perspectives people have from other industries to help build the scene. It is important to take a chance on yourself and devote time to cultivate potential while also keeping the bigger picture in mind. The only way we can break barriers in gaming is to work together to do so.  

Your main goal remains to bring inclusivity to gaming and help XSET become the platform that bridges the gap between underrepresented communities and gaming. Can you share some of your plans for the organization further on? 

We want to reimagine what it means to be a gamer. You can be a gamer despite your level of expertise; even if you only play on your phone and not on a console, you’re still part of the gaming world. We want to continue supporting existing and new talent in the industry by acknowledging the vast amount of talent there is out there. We have recently implemented our BlackXcellence program, which was created to empower the next generation of Black gamers to build their own businesses.