COVID-19

An update from Hack Club HQ on events.

@zrl2020-03-12

This is a very difficult message for me to write and I want to get straight to the point: Hack Club HQ is officially recommending postponing all events slated to happen in March, April, and May.

If you are running a hackathon in March, April, or May, we are officially and strongly recommending that you work with your team to postpone it ASAP.
Over the next few days, you and your team should identify a new month for your event. We are recommending August at the earliest.
By early next week, the first emails to your venue, sponsors, and attendees should go out. We are providing language to help with these emails.

We have shared resources with organizers to support communicating postponement and making sure sponsors don't withdraw their support. All of Hack Club's staff will also be on call in the Slack to support organizers through this difficult moment.

COVID-19 has passed the point of containment and now necessitates decisive action on all levels—including communities like Hack Club. While most who contract it become only mildly ill, it is extremely deadly for the elderly and people with chronic health problems. For young people like us who are mostly low risk, we can still contract and spread it, which threatens those who are at higher risk. All of us have a stake in this and need to be part of the solution.

Our hearts break with you in this moment. Hackathons changed my life and they have changed many, many lives in this community. Each of you has put in a superhuman effort to make your events happen. We know firsthand how devastating postponement is, but ultimately it’s the right thing to do in this situation. The world needs leadership from people exactly like all of you right now.

We are crossing our fingers that the spread of COVID-19 will slow down in the summer months, which is why we are limiting our recommendation to events happening through May. We will revisit our advice and provide updates as needed in the months to come.

My inbox is open. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me via email (zach@hackclub.com) or on Slack (@zrl) if I can be of support. I also encourage everyone to make their thinking around this public in the Slack so we can all learn and act together. You can join at https://slack.hackclub.com if you're not already on it.

Best,

Zach Latta (@zrl)

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