Pokemon Company Pledges Additional $5 Million to Non-Profits Focused on Diversity

The Pokemon Company is matching Niantic's pledge to donate a minimum of $5 million to non-profit organizations. Earlier this month, the Pokemon Company confirmed that it would be pledging its proceeds from Pokemon Go Fest to a number of non-profit organizations focused on improving the lives of children with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. In keeping with the Pokemon Company's previous pledge of commitment to the Black community, the donations would include organizations focused on ongoing education and mentorship for Black children. You can read Pokemon's full statement below:

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— Pokémon (@Pokemon) June 12, 2020

Niantic first announced that it would donate its share of the proceeds from Pokemon Go Fest earlier this month, with an emphasis on funding gaming projects by Black game creators and local non-profits working to rebuild communities after the economic turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pokemon Company made a separate donation of $100,000 to the NAACP and a $100,000 donation to the Black Lives Matter movement. In total, the Pokemon Company and Niantic have pledged a minimum of $10.2 million, with the potential for far more should Pokemon Go Fest turn into a major success.

The pledges were made amid ongoing protests against systemic racism and police brutality sparked by the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died while a white police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Floyd's death sparked international outcries and conversations about how the police function and how Black communities and other communities of people of color are disproportionately affected by social issues.

Fans can support the Pokemon Company and Niantic's efforts by purchasing a ticket to Pokemon Go Fest. The two day event will be filled with different special events for players, the chance to catch over 75 different Pokemon species, and the first opportunity to find a new Mythical Pokemon. The event will be held on July 25th and July 26th.