Date:  May 22-24 & May 29-31
Format: 6 Impactathon sessions across 2 consecutive weekends, 2.5 hours each session
Location: Zoom/Virtual
Social Justice Theme: Mental Health
Tech Tool:  Twine & Coding
Community Partners: Silvia Austerlic - Senti-Pensante Founder, Adriana Alejandre - Latinx Therapy Podcast Founder, Lisa Dennen-Young - healing circle host, Mikyö Black - healing circle host
Participants: 11-14
Creations: Coded interactive non-linear stories around their mental health journeys

Positive Growth: Created a welcoming and safe space for people to be vulnerable, engaged in personal storytelling, and built connections and community despite being our first Virtual Impactathon on Zoom, a digital platform, amidst a pandemic. Organizers also provided care kits and tools for success beforehand to supplement the social justice and tech workshops. Lastly, participants had an opportunity to be part of a healing journey through healing circles and reflection questions.
Lessons Learned:  

1. Creating a space for participants to openly share about how they personally connect to a social justice issue is a powerful motivator for tech learning. 

2. Building trust in a virtual community is crucial to a successful online Impactathon. Trust is built when the space has expectations and abides by them.

3. Involving community members who are professionals like therapists/mental health professionals, community advocates, and organizers in certain areas can really strengthen the trust building and social justice learning experience.