The first Digital Pride Hackathon, organised by Unicorns in Tech in partnership with other proud organisations, will bring together the LGBT+ Tech Community between May 15th and 17th, 2020 in line with IDAHOT (International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia) and tackle the current challenges the LGBT+ Community is facing around the world.
2020 is a rough year for the LGBT+ Community. With the COVID-19 Crisis going on, a large number of Pride Parades (also known as CSD in Germany) have been cancelled around the world, while countries such as Poland are intensifying their institutionalised homophobia, transphobia and biphobia. Now more than ever, we need to bring the community together and keep up the Pride Month spirit and solidarity.
Pride is for some just a party, but it is a demonstration. It is a time of visibility for the community, a time to demand equality and justice, a time to celebrate us and our resilience in adversity, a time to educate and bring us forward. “What is important to understand,” says Stuart Cameron, CEO of the UHLALA Group, “is that pride cancellation doesn’t only impact us LGBT+ individuals – it impacts LGBT+ culture as a whole with its structures and businesses such as community centres, bars, and clubs. We need to take action!”
A few cities such as San Francisco, Dublin, and Oslo have already announced that they will host digital pride events, including concerts, talks and DJ sets. But with more than 150 Pride Festivals organised every year all around the world, how many will propose an alternative? Without the power of demonstrations, how can we have an impact and bring our message across? According to Stuart, “The Pride Parade is only one way to reach out to people, businesses and politics. Through our Digital Pride Hackathon, we want to bring the community together and find different viable solutions to keep up Pride – everywhere and for everyone.”
With “2020, the year that hacked the Pride Parades”, the Digital Pride Hackathon is an english-speaking two-day event where teams will work together to develop innovative solutions to this challenge. “Everyone – and every skill – is welcome! Tech-savvy people, organisations, companies, members of the LGBT+ community or allies; the answers to this challenge can take many forms such as an app, a network, or a marketing campaign. Your idea can be the one the world needs!”
The goal of the hackathon is to bring every actors together to have an impact. That’s why we invite all LGBT+ organizations to partner with us to fight this crisis. Our first partners are: Aktionsbündnis gegen Homophobie, Bündnis gegen Homophobie, Liebe wen du willst Campaign, Queer:seite!, Schwuz, Straight Magazine, Vangardist, Völklinger Kreis, and more to be announced.
The Digital Pride Hackathon is organised by Unicorns in Tech, the global LGBT+ Tech Community.
Founded in 2014 as part of the Uhlala Group, the community gathers more than 4000+ members around the world and organises events such as monthly get-togethers and the Berlin LGBT+ Tech Week. Unicorns in Tech members can also join the online platform and app, allowing its users to network, discuss the hottest tech topics, find new jobs in LGBT+ friendly companies and get tickets for tech events in their locations.