Interested in using AI to solve a real world/life problem? Come find out. Let’s do it together.
This Hackathon is a fast-paced, one-day event where you'll go from idea to working prototype — with real teammates, real tools, and a real plan to test what you build.
The event builds on civics and elections challenges inspired by the Upskilling Labs' “Build Cycle,” a thematic 12-week program where participants work on real-world problems and build practical solutions. No previous involvement or AI-capacity required.
This event is for you if:
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You're curious about AI but haven't gotten hands-on with it yet
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You care about civic engagement and want to do something beyond reading about it
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You want to meet people who are actually making things and working to change the status quo
*Note: This is a non-partisan, non-political event.
Come with an open and curious mind. Choose your Track:
If you are a Newcomer: Welcome! Join a beginner-friendly morning track where you'll get hands-on with AI tools and learn how to turn an idea into something you can actually show someone. In the afternoon, you'll get a look inside what the pods are building and get to:
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See a real project up close and ask every "dumb question" you've been holding
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Learn by doing — you'll leave with something you actually built
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No prior experience needed; your outside perspective is genuinely useful here
If you are an Upskiller in the Civics and Elections Build Cycle, join the Pod Sprint: Welcome! You are invited to join a Pod (a small research team focused on a specific civic engagement challenge) in a Pod Sprint (a structured team problem-solving session).
During the day, each person:
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Shares their perspective on the problem
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Helps identify promising directions with their Pod
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Chooses one idea to explore
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Builds a simple prototype
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Creates a plan to test it with a real user
By the end of the day, everyone leaves with a prototype and a plan to test it in the real world.
Schedule:
WELCOME
MORNING WORK SESSIONS
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Newcomer
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9:45am (Newcomer): About The Upskilling Labs and what to expect (Koryn Leslie-Arcaya)
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10:00am (Newcomer): Workshop, Design Thinking with Emily Modde
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10:50am (Newcomer): Working session, Download Github, tool wayfinding
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11:20am (Newcomer): Pod Briefing
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12:00pm (Newcomer): Lunch
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Pod Sprint
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9:45am-10:30am: (Pod Sprint) Synthesize & Prioritize. Everyone will have completed Assignments #1 & #2, and we'll be prioritizing a few problem frames to focus on for the day.
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10:30am-12:30pm (Pod Sprint): Build & Prototype. Everyone will build their own portfolio of quick tests, supported by mentors and peers.
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12:30-1:15pm (Pod Sprint): Lunch
AFTERNOON WORK SESSIONS
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Newcomer
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1:00pm (Newcomer): Workshop — From Prompt to Prototype: Building your Professional Website with AJ Bubb and Lovable.dev with AJ Bubb
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2:30pm (Newcomer): Workshop — Working Backwards from the Outcome: A prompting workshop for people doing real work with Ashwin Jaiprakash
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Pod Sprint:
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1:15-3pm (Pod Sprint): Pivot & Expand. Take what you built in the morning and make it work for a different stakeholder group or a different take on the problem.
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3-3:30pm (Pod Sprint): Pressure Test & Practice
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All:
About the Pod
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Effort v. Impact
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Some people would engage- if they believed a given action was worth the effort. The barriers are too high and the incentives are too low: it takes real effort just to find out what's available and determine whether it matters - and when the feedback loop is broken, people stop trying because they never see the results of their effort. If I go to a protest, what actually happens?
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How might we make it easy for people to see what civic action is available, what it would take, and what actually happened — so showing up starts to feel worth it?
Getting to the Hackathon
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Drive, bike or Rideshare to --> 3501 Nebraska Ave NW
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Park in the East Campus Lot. Map here. Parking rate is $2/hour.
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Metro: Tenleytown metro station is the closest (D90 bus drops you off out front). Check Metro for best route.
