Wednesday | November 13, 2024
Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Powell
Hi Robert, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up as young black man from the city of St. Louis – I became a product of The St. Louis Public Schools System. I was inspired by my humble living conditions to carve a bright pathway forward. Through my trials, I developed a deep passion to help others & even more so to help others who look like me & grew up in similar circumstances because we had little to no resources.
My passion for giving back always blossomed throughout my career. Service to others is the underlying theme of my career. I worked for Sony PlayStation, I took initiative to utilize them for my philanthropy. Employees were allowed 1 work day annually for community service. The Day of Service at PlayStation sparked my idea to combine gaming with philanthropy in my own unique way. I decided to utilize gaming as a way to give back to the public schools in my city being the first to merge the gaming giant and St. Louis Public Schools.
I brought the newest gaming technology to these schools for all grade levels to enjoy. The kids’ excitement was clear and teachers took notice. I got the opportunity to bring gaming to different departments within schools from the board of education to parent teacher conferences. I have been fortunate enough to build countless relationships through the impact of gaming. Through these relationships, I have reached and mentored many kids and have shown them that they can become their greatest potential.
In time, I realized my purpose. My interest lies in giving back. I reached a crossroads. I decided to take the leap on my personal path and incorporate gaming into what I love. I can now whole heartedly pour myself into philanthropy without the feeling that I am doing it for the betterment of someone else’s dream. Realizing I wanted to do things my own way, I created The BGG Foundation.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s never a smooth road. Life is like a traffic jam, there are moments where we come to a complete stop, times we are stuck in a slow lane, and occasionally I find myself in the fast lane.
I’ve learned to embrace the adversity that life brings.
The struggles along the way have taught me resilience and the most importance of perseverance.
Each obstacle has been a stepping stone towards personal growth and self-discovery.
It’s the challenges that have shaped my foundation and molded me into who I am today.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I created a gaming nonprofit called BGG Foundation.
We help students turn their passion for gaming into a full time career through our programs & tournaments.
We work closely with the gaming industry such as PlayStation, Riot Games, Xbox, GameStop, Nintendo etc to gain resources to pour into the Saint Louis youth and community.
What does success mean to you?
Impact
Contact Info:
