Inside Code Liberation’s Women’s History Month Hackathon

Adelle Lin helped organize the Code Liberation Women’s History Month Hackathon, which wrapped up this past weekend. It was a four-day hackathon held over two weekends for women and non-binary people.
The event was held to bring more people from outside the programming and gaming community into it, which is also basically what Code Liberation is built around. Thanks to funding from Intel, the hackathon was able to offer real prizes and programming. NYU Tandon offered space for the hackathon.
“People are making different projects themed around women’s history month or things they wished that had existed,” said Catt Small, one of the organizers of the event, in an interview. “We’ve invited women and non-binary people, getting them an opportunity to learn how to program.”

Billie presenting her vision for a low creeps dating app @nyupoly @intel #WomensHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/bMP0RPTp97

— Code Liberation (@CodeLiberation) March 14, 2016

“We wanted to create a safe space for women and individuals who don’t necessarily fit into what’s considered the norm,” co-organizer Lin said in an interview. “Hopefully Code Liberation is a place where it’s OK to be not normal. I think it’s important for people to not be either-or: You can just be whatever you are and it’s fine.”

Here's Maria Mishurenko pressing her <misrepresented> game #WomensHistoryMonth hackathon @intel @nyupoly pic.twitter.com/ojTBtf4tuY

— Code Liberation (@CodeLiberation) March 14, 2016

Small said one of the most fun parts of the hackathon for her was watching people learning.

“It was exciting to see people’s faces light up when they get things,” she said. “One of the people that attended was scared to come originally, and I was relieved to see that everyone was so nice and that was a large part of the point. Programming can be inclusive. A program full of women should be inviting and welcoming to people.”

f(result) = competence x confidence x persistence @CodeLiberation #WomensHistoryMonth @nyupoly @intel pic.twitter.com/DNX8COk7DQ

— Code Liberation (@CodeLiberation) March 13, 2016

The hackathon was also about allowing people to make time to expend some creative energy making something they care about. Nearly all of us go slowly around the sun each day expending our labor for the benefit of other people. It’s nice to use that labor for yourself.
“There are enough of apps out there,” Lin said. “I used to work in investment banking a while ago and that environment was kind of really toxic. Basically the inspiration my bosses used to give me was, ‘Look how much money you can make and power you can have!’ and half of them were going through divorces and it was a toxic environment. Especially in New York, it’s so expensive but there’s not enough critical thinking about why we’re building these services.”