Forbes 30 Under 30 is a set of lists of people aged 29 and under issued annually by Forbes magazine and some of its regional editions. It  recognizes business and industry figures from an array of industries. 
Forbes 30 Under 30 Africa is the eighth edition of the list featuring Africans under 30 years who are innovative entrepreneurs, tech gurus, sports stars and influential creatives leading a pandemic-hit Africa and consciously shifting the narrative. 
This year, four Kenyans made it to the 30 under 30 class of 2022 list including our homegirl e-gamer Sylvia Gathoni aka Queen Arrow.  
Queen Arrow is e-sports royalty. She is arguably the first and most visible female pro-gamer in the country and she's been on our radar since 2018 READ MORE.
We caught up with Queen Arrow and she let us in on how she made it to the coveted list and why it's only up from there.
KB: Congrats! We were all excited to hear the news. Let's catch up. What's been happening since we last spoke and how does it feel like being part of Forbes 30 under 30 class of 2022?
Queen Arrow: A lot has happened since we last spoke. Between tournaments and traveling to meet and interact with e-gamers from all over the world, I graduated from Catholic University with a law degree and I am currently enrolled at the Kenya School of Law for my post-grad diploma. 
I was elated to receive the news from Forbes. All the hard work and tenacity over the years has paid off. My phone won't stop ringing and I've had to put it on silent sometimes for the sake of my sanity.  But so far, it has mostly  been a positive experience.
KB: Hongera on achieving so much since we last touched base. Where were you when you received the news? Also, we're also curious on how someone gets nominated to this list
Queen Arrow: I had known for a couple of days before Forbes made the official announcement to the public but I had to keep it hush-hush. It was surreal. Early this year, Forbes sent out a call for nominations and my name was touted around. I thought I'd make an official nomination bid and out of thousands of applications, I made it to the list. 
KB: Wow! That's no mean achievement. What does this nomination mean for your life 's trajectory?
Queen Arrow: I'm hoping a lot of good comes out of this. More than just platitudes, I hope I can use this new found status as a Forbes Lister to positively impact people and especially young Kenyans. We've talked about sexism and inaccessibility in the gamer community and I would like to use my visibility to bring this to the fore. Structures are accommodating this vice and we need to talk as a community. It will help resolve a lot of issues. It would also be nice if this listing goes a long way in helping me unlock more opportunities in the gaming world.
KB: What next Sylvia?
Queen Arrow: A lot! Working towards getting admitted to the advocate's bar next year, hopefully my French visa comes through and I'll be in France for the esports series and being great overall!
Keep up with Queen Arrow on Twitter 
*In order for one to be nominated for there are a few requirements you need to check off. Those who are nominated must be 29 years old or under as of December 31 of that year and play a crucial role in their respective fields.
The  list will then be voted on by a category judge panel. Read more on Forbes nomination process HERE
*Image: Queen Arrow

About The Author

Author
Maureen Kasuku

Maureen is our resident cat lady and Beyoncé stan. She writes about spas, brunch and ballet recitals but has never been to any. Moonlights as a social justice activist in her spare time. She knows things and is obnoxiously opinionated on the internet but not in real life

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