For NAIDOC Week 2021, Twitch has announced three key initiatives to celebrate and support its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creators, including showcasing their live streams and artwork.

11 First Nations creators will have their voices and culture featured on Twitch ANZ’s front page and promoted across social media throughout the week, and with this increased visibility, will shine a light on this year’s theme of Heal Country, heal our nation.

In collaboration with Indigitek—the not-for-profit dedicated to increasing the participation and success of First Nations peoples in STEM—Twitch has sponsored $10,000 in scholarships to support two up-and-coming Indigenous creators. Finally, proud Lama Lama woman Rubii Red was commissioned to create two artworks to feature across Twitch ANZ’s social media pages for NAIDOC Week and the month of July.

Lewis Mitchell, APAC Content Director at Twitch, said,

“We are so excited to have found new ways to identify, grow and support the wide variety of talented Indigenous creators on Twitch. We welcome the community to join in celebrating the rich history, diverse cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples this NAIDOC Week.”

Indigitek Live Creator Starter Kit Scholarship

To support up-and-coming local talent and support the growth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creators in the live content space, Twitch partnered with Indigitek to create the ‘Live Creator Starter Kit’ scholarship.

On Friday 2 July, Indigitek announced the Mulholland Mob and Tyson Magistro as the scholarship recipients who will each receive $5,000 AUD investment in consultation with Indigitek experts to support and grow their content creation careers.

Ben Armstrong, Director at Indigitek, said,

“Indigenous people are the oldest storytellers on the planet, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Twitch to create opportunities to elevate our voices online. We were overwhelmed with the submissions received for our first ever Live Creator Starter Kit Scholarship, and our panel of judges had their work cut out for them when selecting the two deserving creators. The Indigitek team and community will support the talented Mulholland Mob and Tyson to grow their platforms, so watch this space!”

Spotlight on Indigenous Artwork

Talented artist, activist and Twitch streamer Rubii Red was commissioned by Twitch to create artwork to celebrate NAIDOC Week. She was inspired by the pathways, journeys and relationships built from communicating with and supporting other creators.

Rubii said,

“The circles represent the communities made and found on Twitch as you connect with like-minded people through shared interests, from gaming and politics to art. The dot work represents all streamers as a whole and how we’re able to form relationships and collaborate with each other. The line work that connects the circles represents the connections, pathways and journeys we’ve made through Twitch.”

NAIDOC Week Creator Showcase

Following the success of 2020, Twitch’s annual NAIDOC Week showcase returns with almost double the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creators taking part to share their heritage, history and culture with the masses. The 11 featured creators are:

• Joel “BayinJD”, a variety streamer from Gadigal and Dunghutti land who works in the tech industry by day and strives to revitalise the language of his ancestors by night, and will be using this extra visibility to fundraise for Indigenous charities live on stream
• Liam “Twikwon”, a proud 24-year-old Wiradjuri man and advocate for mental health and disability awareness
• Josh “Cuzb0t”, a Torres Strait Islander, variety streamer and former professional Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare player who is re-entering the gaming scene and building a community on Twitch
• Nich “Grizz” Richie, a non-binary Indigenous Australian who loves connecting with their community while streaming role-playing games in an inclusive environment for LGBTQI+ viewers
• Tessa “Lupawolf152”, an Indigenous Australian in her early 30s who’s found streaming to be a creative outlet
• Josephine “sissyjuice”, a Kaurareg woman who streams first-person shooter and free world games
• Storm “Br0therDarkness”, a proud father and member of the Yorta Yorta Nation who’s attracting viewers with his variety streams and trademark moustache
• Damien “DarkChoccyMilk”, a 23-year-old Sea of Thieves and Apex Legends streamer from Adelaide
• Jordy “gonebub”, a 25-year-old Apex Legends streamer and First Nations woman representing Gumbaynggirr, Wakka Wakka and Mununjali country.
• Galen “mccoley97”, a proud Aboriginal man of the Wiradjuri nation and variety streamer
• Kevin “Kevd0t”, an Indigenous Australian from North Queensland and Call of Duty: Warzone streamer

Twitch is live, interactive, personality and content-based, community-driven entertainment where anyone can play a role in creating the moment. Tune into the NAIDOC Week showcase at twitch.tv.