AUSTIN, TX—The nonprofit, Whatever It Takes, has partnered with the City of Austin to Host a unique hackathon on Saturday, January, 26.
Central Texas students will come up with solutions to address the real world issue of human trafficking and team up at the Smart City Saturday Youth Hackathon in Downtown Austin. The event will take place at the Google Headquarters.
In collaboration with the City of Austin and local nonprofit organizations, the teens will leverage innovative thinking to develop solutions to address a community crisis. With more than 79,000 minors and youth victims of sex trafficking in Texas, the hackathon challenges young entrepreneurs to solve an issue that strikes close to home.
“If we want to solve the problems that are facing our youth, we need to bring them to the table to help find the solutions,” explained Sarah Hernholm, founder and president of Whatever it Takes, the nonprofit leading the hackathon “Smart City Saturday was created as an opportunity for teens to use their voice and to make tangible impact in their city,” she continued.
“This is an innovative way for youth to understand the issue and feel like they can make a difference,” explained Sophia A. Strother, a community advocate and human trafficking survivor volunteering at the event. “That’s what’s exciting about the approach of this hackathon,” she added, “teens will understand that this issue is happening in their community and they can be a part of the solution.”
“The City of Austin sees real value in events like Smart City Saturday,” said Charles Purma, a City of Austin staffer also volunteering as a judge at the event. The City of Austin is partnering with the nonprofit leading the hackathon, Whatever it Takes. “For us, it is an opportunity to collaborate with citizens and the community for civic good,” Purma added.
Event Details:
Who: The City of Austin and Whatever It Takes
When: Saturday, January 26, 2019
Where: Google HQ – 500 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701
What: All day hackathon with local high schools with live shot and photo opportunities throughout the day. Opportunity to interview event participants, nonprofit staff, City of Austin staff, team member from Governor’s office.
Interviews opportunities post-event available
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Congratulations!!
This is awesome and we are so happy to see these efforts come to fruition. It would have been phenomenal to have been there in person, but we were in San Diego working with two schools.
Kids are smarter than adults. They just need the tools and a little direction and we adults just need to get out of the way!
Please let us know how we can help in the future!
- Radical Empathy Education Foundation