ADVISORY: Black History Month Youth Hack Day in Atlanta Focuses on Innovating Conflict Resolution

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 22, 2016

 

*MEDIA ALERT/PHOTO & VIDEO OPPORTUNITIES*

Black History Month Youth Hack Day in Atlanta Focuses

on Innovating Conflict Resolution

Free Hackathon Gathers Middle & High School Students to Create

Apps that Help Mediate Conflict in their Communities

(Atlanta, GA)–The Level Playing Field Institute (LPFI) and Goodie Nation will host a Hackathon to inspire students of color to take an interest in tech and social entrepreneurship career pathways by challenging them to “hack” community-based violence. The event will take place on Saturday, February 25, with student demos and award ceremony starting at 5pm, at the Gathering Spot in Atlanta.

During the Hackathon, participants will work with technical entrepreneurs to design and build prototypes of apps focused on conflict resolution and mediation. Mentors will facilitate panels, lead design workshops and coach participants on how to present their ideas. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn about LPFI’s signature STEM education program, SMASH Academy, which will launch at Morehouse College this summer 2017.

Black History Month Youth Hack Day is sponsored by the Infosys Foundation and The Dow Chemical Company.

Media should make note of the following details for the event:

 

WHEN:                     Saturday, February 25, 9am – 6pm                                        

WHERE:                   The Gathering Spot

                                 384 Northyards Blvd, NW Building #190

                                 Atlanta, GA 30313

WHO:                       Erica Stanley, Founder and Director, Women Who Code Atlanta

                                 Rayford Davis, CEO, ExceptionALLY

                                 Ashley Nealy, US Treasury Web Design Team

                                 Jarryd McCree, Founder, ClientSide and Eboticon

WHY:                    According to a 2014 report by the Center for Disease Control, youth violence is a significant public health crisis. Studies have shown that exposure to violence at a young age leads to negative physical, mental, and emotional effects as adults, including an increased likelihood of poor health and criminal activity, and greatly limits opportunities for socioeconomic growth and success. The consequences of violence on our youth are not isolated. Every day a community loses a young person to violence of any kind, our nation loses a future community builder, leader and innovator. And while there have been many solutions proposed to resolve this issue, they are often unsuccessful because they lack the input of those who experience community violence in their daily lives.

The solution to this crisis lies in the minds of the youth who have the lived experience and the determination to change the course of their communities’ future. This Hackathon aims to encourage students from underrepresented groups to pursue careers in STEM so they can leverage the power of technology to uplift their communities and empower themselves.

 

CONTACT:      

Ashleigh Richelle

Communications Manager

(408) 387- 4353

ashleigh@www.smash.org