Business

Rooted in 38126: ESports and video gaming breaks ground in ‘Soulsville’

NASHVILLE PRIDE — It’s a video gamer’s dream come true: a state-of-the-art video game lounge, complete with an eSports arena, eSports Academy, a student video game development training center, entrepreneurial training center, retail store, workspace and financial literacy center.

Published

6 years ago

April 5, 2019

Oakland Post

By Pride Newsdesk

It’s a video gamer’s dream come true: a state-of-the-art video game lounge, complete with an eSports arena, eSports Academy, a student video game development training center, entrepreneurial training center, retail store, workspace and financial literacy center.

And it’s coming to Memphis, specifically Soulsville U.S.A., located in ZIP code 38126 and known as one of the nation’s poorest areas. A symbolic groundbreaking spectacle this past Saturday (announced that the LeMoyne-Owen College Community Development Corporation (LOC CDC) would build a franchised BraveDog Video Gaming Innovation Center (BDIC).

Residents, community supporters and elected officials converged on the site and cheered the highly anticipated project that will be housed across the street from the historic Four Way Grill at the corner of Mississippi Blvd. and Walker Ave.

“Although this is the poorest ZIP code in the state, it has endured because of the energy, the fight and goodwill of its people,” said Jeffrey Higgs, the project manager and executive director.

“They ran Ida B. Wells off this same corner. Isaac Hayes and Maurice White and Al Green used to hang out over at the Stax Recording Studio. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ate at the Four Way Grill and our beloved college, LeMoyne-Owen College, is a 156-year-old institution. There is a lot of history here,” Higgs said.

“This project is about technology, change and our young people. They must always know we care about them and we care about their future.”

BraveDog Games CEO Dustin Mack, 28, co-founded the company with Isiah Reese.

“We as a company are ecstatic about this partnership, and we applaud executive director Higgs and LOC CDC for the amazing work they do in the community,” said Mack. “We envision LOC CDC and Greater Memphis becoming a catalyst for innovation within the video games and eSports industries. As a company, we are all fully committed to this initiative.”

The BDIC will be housed in nearly 2,000 square feet and is projected to have an estimated $15 million economic impact in South Memphis and the downtown areas.

“This is fantasy turning into reality,” said Mack. “We appreciate those individuals and corporate citizens who have already reached out to support this project financially. We invite others to join as well. Help us to save our young people.”

“I was a South Carolina kid who only had a single parent,” said Reese. “What food we did have, Mother would divide it between my sister and I while she would drink water. People ask, ‘Why do you grind so hard?’ I just tell them that I work so hard because I can still hear my mother’s stomach growling through the night.

“LeMoyne-Owen and this community means something special to us. LOC gave me my first job as an adjunct professor. I will never forget it.”

Reese cited youngsters as the reason why the games lounge is so significant.

“We can’t take them to Silicon Valley, so Silicon Valley will come to them.”

LOC CDC president Michael Minor praised the “spirit of cooperation and pure joy” from young people at the school who were on hand to cheer the plans for a gaming lounge.

“This facility will bring others into the community who don’t look like us,” said Minor.

There are just no losers here. The excitement of our young people means so much. This will be our own community place where we can gather and just fellowship with one another.

“One of BraveDog’s most important next steps is to bring together storytellers from racially diverse backgrounds to develop high quality video games that accurately and authentically reflect this community.”

Mack admitted that the concept of earning six figures seems unrealistic for children and teens that live on SNAP benefits and welfare.

“One of the most important ways to change the mindset of those who live in poverty is to help them see a way out of poverty and give them the tools necessary to build a better economic future,” Mack said.

“We will help facilitate these possibilities by working to get community residents on the payroll of large tech corporations as well as assist local entrepreneurs become prosperous business owners.”

This article originally appeared in the Nashville Pride.

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Activism

Oak Temple Hill Hosts Interfaith Leaders from Across the Bay Area

Distinguished faith leaders Rev. Ken Chambers, executive director the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC); Michael Pappas, executive director of the San Francisco Interfaith Council; and Dr. Ejaz Naqzi, president of the Contra Costa County Interfaith Council addressed the group on key issues including homelessness, food insecurity, immigration, and meaningful opportunities to care for individuals and communities in need.

Published

3 days ago

June 14, 2025

Oakland Post

Troy McCombs (from the state of Washington), Elder Mark Mortensen (from Irvine, CA), Michael Pappas, Rev. Ken Chambers, Dr. Ejaz Naqvi, Elder Sigfried Nauman (from the state of Washington), and Richard Kopf. Courtesy photo.

Special to the Post

Interfaith leaders from the Bay Area participated in a panel discussion at the annual meeting of communication leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held on Temple Hill in Oakland on May 31. Distinguished faith leaders Rev. Ken Chambers, executive director the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC); Michael Pappas, executive director of the San Francisco Interfaith Council; and Dr. Ejaz Naqzi, president of the Contra Costa County Interfaith Council addressed the group on key issues including homelessness, food insecurity, immigration, and meaningful opportunities to care for individuals and communities in need.

Chambers, said he is thankful for the leadership and support of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints’ global ministry, which recently worked with the interfaith congregations of ICAC to help Yasjmine Oeveraas a homeless Norwegian mother and her family find shelter and access to government services.

Oeveraas told the story of how she was assisted by ICAC to the Oakland Post. “I’m a Norwegian citizen who escaped an abusive marriage with nowhere to go. We’ve been homeless in Florida since January 2024. Recently, we came to California for my son’s passport, but my plan to drive for Uber fell through, leaving us homeless again. Through 2-1-1, I was connected to Rev. Ken Chambers, pastor of the West Side Missionary Baptist Church and president of the Interfaith Council of Alameda County, and his car park program, which changed our lives. We spent about a week-and-a-half living in our car before being blessed with a trailer. After four years of uncertainty and 18 months of homelessness, this program has given us stability and hope again.

“Now, both my son and I have the opportunity to continue our education. I’m pursuing cyber analytics, something I couldn’t do while living in the car. My son can also complete his education, which is a huge relief. This program has given us the space to focus and regain our dignity. I am working harder than ever to reach my goals and give back to others in need.”

Richard Kopf, communication director for The Church of Jesus Christ in the Bay Area stated: “As followers of Jesus Christ, we embrace interfaith cooperation and are united in our efforts to show God’s love for all of his children.”

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Alameda County

Council Approves Budget to Invest in Core City Services, Save Fire Stations, Invest in Economic Development

I am most proud of our ability to fund these critical city services without the use of one-time fixes. We are still suffering the consequences of last year’s budget, where a majority of the Council, myself not included, chose to incorporate anticipated proceeds from the sale of the Coliseum to fund essential services. Since the sale has still not yet been completed, the lack of funds led to drastic cuts in city services, including the temporary closure of fire stations, staff layoffs, and the cancellations of many service contracts.

Published

3 days ago

June 14, 2025

Oakland Post

District 4 Oakland City Councilmember Janani Ramachandran. Photo courtesy City of Oakland.

By Janani Ramachandran, District 4 Oakland City Councilmember

On Wednesday, June 11, City Council took a bold step to prioritize investing in essential city services to get our beautiful Town back on track. As Chair of the Finance Committee, I am proud to have led a collaborative process, alongside Councilmembers Rowena Brown, Zac Unger, and Charlene Wang, to develop a set of amendments to the proposed FY 2025-2027 budget which passed successfully with a vote of 6 – 1. Despite facing a $265 million structural budget deficit, we were able to restore funding to ensure that all 25 fire stations remain open, fund 5 police academies, invest millions of dollars to combat illegal dumping and sideshow prevention, improve our permitting processes, fund a “business incentives” program to revitalize our commercial corridors, improve upon our homelessness prevention work, amplify the city’s anti-trafficking programs, re-instate our tree services division, staff up our Auditor’s office – all while preventing any layoffs of city staff, keeping our senior centers and after-school programs open, and crisis services like MACRO funded.

Our budget comes in response to the widespread and consistent calls from across Oakland’s diverse communities asking us to prioritize funding solutions to the issues that have most directly impacted our residents’ safety and quality of life. Our priorities are also inspired by our belief that Oakland is on the way not only to financial recovery, but also to global recognition. Oakland can attract and preserve businesses of all sizes with safer, cleaner streets. We can and will have more large-scale festivals that celebrate our culture, concerts that uplift our incredible local musicians, conferences that attract patrons from across the world, and award-winning restaurants that top national charts. We are on our way to rebuilding a thriving economy and having a cultural renaissance will create more jobs for Oaklanders while also generating more revenue for the City through sales and business taxes.

I am grateful for the close partnership with our new Mayor Barbara Lee, and know that she shares our values of ensuring we are prioritizing keeping Oakland’s residents safe, our streets clean, and our businesses prosperous in an open and fiscally responsible manner. I am also thankful to our City Administrator, Jestin Johnson, and former Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins’ efforts to produce the initial proposal that our Council budget team used as a starting point for our amendments, and for their shared commitment to transparency and ethical government. I am especially grateful for every resident that took the time to make their voice heard throughout this rigorous budget process. I have no doubt that we are on the verge of true change, and that together we will bring Oakland back to being the world-class city I know it can be.