Local coders, developers, web designers, data analysts and other innovators will have a chance to put their creativity to work to help their community this month during the first Code for Tucson competition.
In partnership with the City of Tucson, Startup Tucson and Open Tucson, Gangplank Tucson will host a 24-hour civic code competition on Saturday, July 27 through Sunday, July 28 at Gangplank’s new co-working space. Participants will use public data and their own ideas to develop apps that will solve problems Tucson residents face, increase government transparency and help the city to serve the community better.
“Code for Tucson is an opportunity for citizens to make an impact in the governance of their city,” co-organizer Dan Stormont said. “We often feel powerless, but, by partnering with the city in developing solutions to real problems we perceive in our everyday dealings with the city, we have the opportunity to truly make a difference. Real change usually comes in small increments, not big leaps.”
Code for Tucson is inspired by the work of Code for America, an organization that “envisions a government that works by the people, for the people” and aims to improve the relationships between the people and their government.
Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild believes Code for Tucson will greatly benefit the city.
“One way to help make Tucson more user-friendly is with citizen-designed apps,” Rothschild said. “Code for Tucson is good for the city and for our developer community, who meet and share ideas that can benefit all Tucsonans.”
The event is free and open to the public. The “Code for Tucson” staff encourages not only coders, but anyone with a good idea to improve the city, to participate.
To register or to find more information, please visit: http://startuptucson.com/code-for-tucson-2013/
