The Chess Equity Project

Scott Walsh

Amplifying women’s voices and supporting increased participation of girls and women in chess.

Episodes

  1. Aug 28

    Leading By Example, with Teacher and Author Jessica Martin

    Jessica Era Martin is the author of four chess books and founder of the Over the Chessboard school in Charlotte, NC. In her playing days, she was ranked as the #1 woman in NC and in the Top 100 women in the US. She has been a chess instructor for over 20 years and started out training with Chess-in-the-Schools in NYC. Jessica is the past Vice President of Scholastic Chess of the North Carolina Chess Association (NCCA). She was a weekly author for http://chesskid.com from 2010-2015. More importantly, she cares deeply about her students and about making the chess world a better place. She continues to advocate for equity in chess, and with her background in creative writing, does so both with well-chosen words and by being a fantastic example of a leader in her community. The Truth About How Much Women Talk — and Whether Men Listen https://time.com/4837536/do-women-rea... Ms. Martin's books are available through Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/... Ladies Knight interview with WGM Jennifer Shahade: https://new.uschess.org/news/ladies-k... Ms. Martin’s articles on http://ChessKid.com (as BoundingOwl): https://www.chesskid.com/learn/articl... 01:13 Introduction 02:47 Chess is for everyone 07:10 Proud moments 12:44 Experiences of dropping out and returning to chess 16:42 Gender-based challenges and safety concerns 20:51 Stereotype threat and cultural influences 38:00 Language, words, and perception 39:35 Women's titles and events 50:21 Modeling inclusive behavior for children 55:51 Future of chess and gender equity 01:03:38 Books!

  2. Jun 28

    Passion and Positivity: WCM Maddie Weber

    WCM Maddie Weber - known online as madchess - exudes positivity and optimism about chess. She began competing at age 10 and has continued through high school and through her undergrad program at NYU. Having just finished her Bachelor's, she continues to compete and coach chess while working on her Master's in Accounting at NYU's Stern School of Business. She is most well-known for streaming in Washington Square Park, where she is one of the "family" of chess hustlers there. Now even a punch to the face from a random man can keep her away from there! To improve chess, Maddie recommends: doing whatever we can to keep girls playing through high school - time of girls' well-known "adolescent drop-off," eliminating women's-only sections at tournaments and replacing those awards with Women's Prizes for top women in the open section, OR rescheduling women's only sections so they do not conflict with the open section. That way strong women are not faced with conflicting incentives. reminding women to aim high! Maddie's link: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maddieplayschess Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddieplayschess/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@maddieplayschess Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/maddieplayschess To best support Maddie, be positive about chess! 00:00 Introduction 03:18 Education and Making It All Work 06:24 Gaining Confidence 08:48 The Unique Experience of Female Chess Players 10:25 Chess is a Cheat Code for Young Women 12:07 Community and Support in Chess 14:32 Washington Square Park 18:21 Positive Vibes and Trash Talk in Chess 20:28 The Jobava! 22:23 Teaching 24:32 The Gender Disparity 27:10 The Debate on Women's Titles in Chess 37:10 Embracing Engagement: The Fun in Hate Comments 42:37 Building a Supportive Community in Chess 44:46 The Healing Power of Friendship in Chess 46:09 Inspiring the Next Generation of Female Players 49:03 Brainstorming Solutions 56:11 Maddie's Proud Moments 01:00:16 Shout Out to Maddie's Mom 01:01:16 Conclusion

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Amplifying women’s voices and supporting increased participation of girls and women in chess.