List of hackathons in Forest Park, United States in 2016

Criminal justice reform is finally garnering serious bipartisan support at the state and federal level and the tech community has been leading the way - from dropping the box on job applications to investing in coding and other training programs that ease the path to employment for former offenders.  But the challenge for reformers remains daunting: nationally, as many as 70 percent of people with records are unemployed a year after release from prison. In Illinois, 47 percent return to prison after release.   How is the tech community already contributing to criminal justice reform? And what policy changes or private initiatives could help expand opportunities for those involved in the justice system - or keep them from getting there in the first place? Participants Brian McKinney Brian is a native of Detroit with a lifelong passion for entrepreneurship.  As CEO of Benjii, he and his team create software that enables business owners to increase access to bank capital. Prior to this, Brian oversaw community engagement at Pigeonly, a company which builds products that make inmate services more affordable. Additionally, Brian is cofounder of JOURNi, an EdTech non profit based in Detroit focused on increasing minority access to tech. He's also played an integral part producing hackathons for Qeyno Labs and the #YesWeCode movement. May 2015, Brian was selected by Black Enterprise as a #BEModernMan." Kevin Pujanauski Kevin is Product Manager at Edovo, a company that provides intuitive educational courses where inmates are rewarded for learning. With their unique tablet technology, they help unlock the potential of millions of incarcerated people. Edovo increases access to invaluable resources for individuals involved in the criminal justice system. DeVaris Brown DeVaris Brown is the CEO and co-founder of Floodgate Academy. As a proud Chicagoan and University of Illinois alum, he's providing access to high-quality technical training to the underrepresented and underserved through his non-profit work. Beth Johnson Beth is Director of Legal Programs at Cabrini Green Legal Aid. she has represented hundreds of clients during her time at CGLA in all areas related to criminal records, including expungement and sealing, clemency petitions, waivers and certificates, discrimination claims under the Illinois Human Rights Act and administrative proceedings. She has worked successfully with other advocacy groups to improve systems changes in the courts, policies of employers and governmental agencies and expansions and clarifications to criminal records laws in the Illinois General Assembly. Tom Alexander [Moderator] Tom is chief operating officer for 1871, one of the largest technology incubators in the United States. His role includes operation of a facility that houses hundreds of startups, business development efforts focused on integrating 1871 into the Chicago technology economy, and external relations efforts with government and media partners. Previously, Tom served as deputy communications director for Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Agenda: 6:00 PM Doors Open for Drinks Reception 6:30 PM Welcome Remarks 6:40-7:20 PM Panel Discussion 7:20-7:30 PM Audience Q&A 7:30 PM Event Concludes

Hackers! Interested in conserving energy? Come and participate in the Campus Total Energy Usage And Building Control Hackathon. Come and help improve University of Chicago campus energy usage and increase energy efficiency. You'll select from a series of challenges and compete to identify features in campus data or propose new designs for tools that could be developed to improve understanding of campus energy usage and increase energy efficiency.

The Re-Entry Co-Lab invites you to attend our first Re-Entry Impact-a-thon on Saturday November 12, 2016 in Englewood. Whats an Impact-a-thon?A creative convening and design hackathon focused on supporting re-entering citizens (folks who were formerly incarcerated), enhancing the work of re-entry organizations, and elevating re-entry social enterprises. Why Does Re-Entry Matter? 1 in 3 Americans has a criminal record. Many states are spending more on incarceration than education. Locally, 1 in 2 people will be re-incarcerated within 3 years at a huge cost to individuals, families, communities, and taxpayers. Re-entry is deeply linked to poverty, housing, education, health care, and many other pressing issues. Why a Co-Lab? Unexpected and interdisciplinary collaboration can lead to powerful social change. The Co-Lab is a space to share stories, iterate ideas, and connect tech, design, and re-entry.  Join our group of advocates, returning citizens, and techies by adding your skills to this complex issue: We need: Returning citizens Advocates (Service Providers, Community Leaders, Attorneys, Artists, etc.,) Designers GIS mappers Developers Data scientists Together we will: Hear about systems shaping re-entry, returning citizens' experiences, and the impact on society. Learn how technology, data science, and mapping may be applied to these issues. Share ideas in a design thinking workshop with returning citizens and organizations as the experts.  Work together in interdisciplinary teams to help map assets, needs, and innovative ideas for change. Sponsors for this event are Microsoft, Datamade, and the Englewood Accelerator. Partners include: Teamwork Englewood, Kennedy King College, Growing Home, Precious Blood Ministries, the North Lawndale Employment Network, and Kusanya Cafe.  

Softchoice invites female employees, customers, partners and students to participate in the first ever Softchoice Women in Technology Hackathon. You'll spend a day of invention, collaboration, and imagination in one of Softchoice's offices across Canada and the USA. Working in a group, you will create a concept for a product, service or initiative that will improve the lives of disadvantaged young women and girls in communities around the world.

Christian technologists and entrepreneurs in and around Dallas, Texas! Your challenge is to innovate culture shaping technologies that would reclaim our times for the Gospel. Come participate and you will be confronted with challenges such as how technology can: bring the word of God to the first generation of children who are growing up with mobile devices, help cut and/or combat the effects of fatherlessness in a child’s life, foster a culture of generosity towards each other, identify, promote, test, collaborate, augment, and fill the gaps of ministry programs around the city, or disrupt human trafficking. Find useful info at this hackathon expert tips page!

Chicago area civic-minded individuals! Techies or not! Come participate in UChicago's Second Annual Civic ScopeAthon. Collaborate with like-minded individuals to scope out a civic or community-based problem develop a plan to address it. The solutions don't need to be entirely tech-oriented — only parts may have a tech component. Come and learn problem-scoping skills, learn about other civic-tech organizations, and network with community leaders!

Come and help end hunger in your community! Collaborate with Chicago's leading technologists for the all-day Hackathon to End Hunter addressing hunger in Cook County.

The U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has decided to host a hackathon in which you must use the data they provide to draw real world conclusions that tell a story. The story should address a global issue of sustainability such as energy, water, or food conservation, deforestation, animal extinction, etc. Prizes will be awarded based off of who has the best story, with a special prize for the person who can tell the best story on a low bandwidth connection. (128kbs)

Want to apply your hacking skills to the commercial real estate industry? CREforge is the event for you! This is a 3-day event that aims to bring innovative solutions to the commercial real estate industry. With the recent innovations in technology, the industry is ripe for creation. CREforge will connect real estate businesses with the developer community, and create something new and exciting for the industry.

The Digital Manufacturing Commons (DMC) Team is planning a group meeting followed by a weekend DMC hackathon. The User Group meeting will be an in-depth round of updates on DMC, some hands-on getting started sessions, and a no-holds-barred solicitation of community input and feedback. The Hackathon is themed around Hacking the Digital Factory. A challenge statement will be provided and teams will be formed to hack out a DMC app that solves the problem. Experts will be on-site to help teams with any difficulties.