Combining both her academic passions and her gaming background, Dr. Jakita Thomas is working to transform the future of esports.

Pharaoh's Conclave, a non-profit she started with her husband Erich, has set a goal of placing 500 Black and Brown youth in esports career opportunities over the next two years through a combination of "online skills-building platform, league, and our apprenticeship program," Thomas tells Hypepotamus."

To help reach that goal, Pharoah's Conclave was recently named as a recipient of Google for Startups Black Founder Fund.

As Pharoah's Conclave grows, Thomas answered our questions about the organization's origin and how building a more diverse esports workforce can help move the industry forward.