Re3 Storyhack

A hackathon for storytellers with a conscience.

Service

Capabilities

A banner with the text "re³act" in large, stylized font. Below it reads, "A hackathon for storytellers with a conscience." The background is a gradient of light pink and light blue.

The challenge

Social activists often lack the expertise necessary to effectively communicate their stories, and thereby have trouble gaining the momentum they need to keep doing good. Here at Hyperakt, we’ve seen firsthand the impact it can have when we apply our skills in design and storytelling to working with changemakers. So we wondered: how can we expand the connections between storytellers with the changemakers? After all, the creative community in New York is diverse and vibrant - yet many of these storytellers aren’t working on the issues that matter most.

A large group of people is gathered in a modern, open-concept room with white pillars and ceiling ducts. Various individuals are engaged in conversation, taking photos, and listening attentively. A presentation screen is visible in the background, with "re:think" written above.

Creating a bridge between creatives and social impact organizations

The Re3 StoryHack was an immersive hackathon that brought together 100 creative storytellers with 8 social activists. Over the course of a single weekend in October of 2013, we innovated communication pieces on justice-based issues. We adapted the hackathon model, which focuses the energy of highly creative people over an intense couple of days, to include designers, developers, journalists, filmmakers, photographers, as well as social activists from key organizations.

A group of six people engaged in a discussion around a table in a bright, modern room. Various items, including cups, a notebook, and a bottle, are on the table. A poster titled "The Value of a Big Mac and a Living Wage" is visible in the background.

Stories that need to be told

Our goal was to expand the boundaries of persuasive storytelling to complex issues like economic fairness, human rights, and poverty. We wanted to react to the world around us, rethink the way important issues are communicated, and resolve confusion about some of today’s greatest challenges.

A group of people work in a room with whiteboards covered in handwritten notes, diagrams, and ideas. Two people are seated at a table engrossed in their laptops, while another is standing and writing on the whiteboard. Various items like coffee cups are on the table.

We believe in the power of a good story

We invited activists and nonprofits to submit their work, and selected 8 organizations working on issues like immigration detention, paid sick leave, representative democracy, homelessness, and gun violence. We worked with each organization to create a carefully crafted Story Brief, offering background on the issue, the intended attitude shift, and communication goals, as well as contextual data to ground the story in fact.

A diagram with a central diamond labeled "Effective Governance." Surrounding it are diamonds labeled "Upward Mobility," "Economic Fairness," "Housing," "Jobs," "Sexuality & Reproductive Health," "Nutrition," "Disaster Relief," "Human Rights," "Sustainable Development," "Criminal Justice," "Global Health," "Educational Opportunity," "Water, Sanitation & Hygiene," with "Climate Change" and "Guns" at the top.

The most important issues deserve the best storytellers

In parallel, we selected 100 creatives (from over 200 applicants) and formed them into small teams, each with a Story Brief. Creative storytellers included Emmy-winning filmmakers, top developers and designers, students from Parsons, SVA, Pratt, NYU and Yale and brilliant people from major organizations like the New York Times, Google, Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Channel Thirteen, DesigNYC and Bloomberg. Each team had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the issue prior to the event through events like a discussion with a survivor of solitary confinement, meeting with a gun violence activist, and a visit to an immigration detention center.

Four individuals are gathered around a table, each using a laptop. The person with a pink laptop appears focused, while the others look on attentively. Various papers, bowls, and office supplies are scattered on the table. A window in the background lets in natural light.

A collage of 83 individual portraits arranged in a grid on a red background. Each person is shown from the shoulders up, with varying expressions and poses. The images are evenly spaced and aligned in a rectangular formation.

Close-up of three red name badges on a table. The badges have black lanyards attached. The nearest badge reads, "Jia, Writer & Editor, @Jia_J_Jung" in white text. The other two badges behind it are partially visible, showing different names and titles.

Pushing the boundaries of justice-based persuasive storytelling

Over the Re3 StoryHack weekend, we innovated new ways of thinking and communicating these stories in language; written, visualized, performed, coded and more. Each team arrived for the weekend briefed on their issue, and familiar with the backgrounds and skills of the other members of their group. We facilitated conversation where needed, and provided resources like developers and illustrators on hand to help execute any ideas.

An open booklet with white pages lies on a white surface. The left page contains multiple sections of text, while the right page is titled "The Issue" and is filled with text. Both pages have headings in purple and body text in black.

A wall covered with various colorful sticky notes, each containing written phrases and ideas related to understanding culture. Some notes read "White man can't understand culture" and "Immigrants 1st & 2nd generation." A person is partially visible in the foreground.

A person is seated at a desk, working between two laptops. Their focus is on a sketchbook with red drawings, presumably planning or designing. One of the laptops displays a document titled "Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of [cut off] Detain [cut off].

From intangible to tangible

In just one weekend, Re3StoryHack creators built an array of communication tools, from campaign materials, videos, interactive sites, to a three dimensional model, and an ad campaign. To see all the projects created, visit re3storyhack.org.