How To Lead A Hackathon Project

5 things I wish I knew before wildly hacking the day away

#LadyHacks2015: old laptop, same glasses.

This past weekend was #LadyHacks2017. An annual fundraiser for Philly’s Girl Develop It, LadyHacks is a women*-only hackathon known for its inclusive atmosphere and beginner-friendly approach to collaborating on tech projects.

My first introduction to LadyHacks was in 2015. As a Los Angeles native who just finished surviving her first winter, I embraced Philly tech events with three simple goals: make friends, connect, and discover new job opportunities.

Flash-forward to 2017. Having dedicated myself to a passion project that is without a doubt heavily influenced by the current political climate, I was driven by a different desire. This year’s LadyHacks provided me with the opportunity to share and build upon a vision. This time was political.

I pitched my project, light-pollution, and managed to assemble a team. My goal was to find and work with women who were interested in open-source, civic tech engagement. I’m happy to report I succeeded.

Here are the 5 things I wish I knew before wildly hacking away at LadyHacks:

1. Develop methods for helping code newbies