Two former football players have opened up a virtual reality center in Atlanta.
NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young and former NFL player Jerry Rice have partnered with Meta, formerly known as Facebook, to open what they call the “8 to 80 Zones/Creator Zone” in Atlanta, according to a press release.
The collaboration was unveiled on Nov. 15 at the Johnson STEM Activity Center at 275 Decatur Street, and is a free virtual reality center for all Atlanta students age 13 and older. At the center, students can learn skills to help them pursue careers in technology, e-sports, gaming, and media, as well as gain hands-on training on technology used for television, radio, voice recording, graphic design, and game development.
Young and Rice came up with the idea together, and named the effort after their respective San Francisco 49ers jersey numbers. According to the press release, they hope to use the collaboration to help address issues of representation disparity in tech, gaming, and AR/VR industries.
“Jerry and I, through our 8 to 80 Zones, are thrilled to be partnering with Meta – offering the youth of Atlanta the very latest tech to help them pursue their passions and future careers,” Young said in the release. “This will provide the next generation of innovators opportunities to be inspired and engaged as they learn, code, create, and compete. Through these resources, we all hope to do our part to advance cultural & social change at the heart of where it matters most – the community”.
Credit: Reporter Newspapers
Credit: Reporter Newspapers
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