U Saint Louisu, GlobalHack7, tehnološki neprofitna organizacija, održala je takmičenje softvera u korist pojedinaca koji su rođeni u inozemstvu. Događaj se odvijao u Chaifetz Areni na kampusu Univerziteta Saint Louis. Timovi učesnika dobili su četiri moguća područja fokusiranja kako bi izgradili svoje softverske projekte. Ove oblasti su uključivale zapošljavanje, navigaciju resursima i sistemima, uočavanjem živih iskustava i pronalaženjem zajednice. Hakatoni su dizajnirani u namjeri da imaju pozitivan društveni uticaj u zajednici, obično kroz partnerstvo sa jednim ili više javnih lica koja trebaju pomoć u rješavanju tehnološkog pitanja. Kroz ove događaje, učesnici GlobalHack7 mogli su napraviti pomak u svojoj zajednici gradeći inovativne softvere. Hakaton je privukao 712 učesnika, i preko 100 finalnih timova iz cijelih Sjedinjenih Država u oktobru 2018 godine.
Hakaton je okupio softverske inženjere, dizajnere, preduzetnike, tehnologe i građane za softverska takmičenja, među kojima su se našli i dvojica bosanaca Belmin Hušić i Hamza Dizdarević, studenti Saint Louis Univerziteta. Njihov cilj bio je da izgrade inovativni tehnološki patent za rješavanje problema iz stvarnog svijeta. Za vrijeme dvodnevnog hakatona, Belmin i Hamza sa svojim timom kreirali su “Gateway Forward”, platformu koja povezuje novopristigle imigrante ili izbjeglice s ljudima koji dijele zajedničko nasljeđe i skup iskustava, kako bi pomogli u vođenju mnogih izazova i prilika s kojima se imigranti svakodnevno suočavaju.
Kako se društvena pitanja razvijaju u povećanom kontinuitetu, cilj im je bio stvoriti nove načine i metode za rješavanje stvarnih problema. “Stvorili smo Gateway Forward kao platformu koja ima za cilj da povezuje novopristigle imigrante sa ljudima koji dijele zajedničku kulturu i iskustva. Ona im može pomoći da se nose sa mnogim izazovima i mogućnostima. Imigracija u Sjedinjene Države je dug i naporan proces, a proces se ne završava kada dođete. Na mnogo načina, to je tek početak. Ono što ste danas videli je samo početak onoga što je moguće”, istakao je Hamza u prezentaciji softverskog projekta navodeći kako imigranti i izbeglice koji su novi u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama nailaze na mnoge izazove i prilike dok se naseljavaju u svoje nove zajednice. Izazovi uključuju pronalaženje posla i stanovanje, navigaciju birokratijom sistema u kojima moraju učestvovati, te mogućnosti pokretanja vlastitog biznisa.
Američko putovanje i uspjeh jednostavno ne bi bili mogući bez generacija imigranata koji su došli na područje Amerike iz svih krajeva svijeta. Gateway Forward tim sačinjavaju veterani tehnološke industrije i studenti koji su se okupili na GlobalHack7 u Saint Louisu: Annika Marthaler, Hamza Dizdarević, Pyi Theim Kyaw, Blake Peters, Belmin Hušić, Minh Vu, Gbrett Miller, and Paul S. Heirendt.
Kao rezultat hackatona, suosnivač GlobalHacka, Drew Winship, osnovao je Juristat, veliku platformu za podatke koju je za advokate izmislio kao „moneyball“. Nakon toga, startup je podigao više od 1,8 miliona dolara i sada zapošljava desetine u svojim uredima u centru St. Louisa. Hakatoni su odličan način da testirate svoje vještine u prijateljskom okruženju rješavanjem problema u stvarnom svijetu. Ovi događaji pružaju pojedincima platformu da zajedno rade kao tim da bi ideju pretvorili u održiv, radni prototip. Ko zna, možda Belmin i Hamza stvore elemente koji će kulminirati koncepte i prototipe te katalizirati proces rješavanja problema u Saint Louisu.
Fatima Dizdarević
Two BH students attended the GlobalHack7 Software Competition by creating and presenting the Gateway Forward Refugee Relief Platform in the USA.
In Saint Louis, GlobalHack7, a technology non-profit organization, held a software competition for the benefit of individuals born overseas. The event took place at the Chaifetz Arena on the campus of Saint Louis University. Participating teams got four possible focus areas in order to build their software projects. These areas included recruiting, navigating resources and systems, spotting live experiences, and finding communities. Hakatons are designed to have a positive social impact in the community, usually through a partnership with one or more public persons who need help in solving the technological issue. Through these events, GlobalHack7 participants could have an impact in their community by building innovative software. Hakaton has attracted 712 participants, and over 100 final teams from all over the United States in October 2018.
Hakaton has brought together software engineers, designers, entrepreneurs, technicians and citizens for software competitions, among which were two: Belmin Husic and Hamza Dizdarevic, bosnian students from Saint Louis University. Their goal was to build an innovative technology patent to solve problems from the real world. During the two-day hackathon, Belmin and Hamza created with their team a “Gateway Forward,” a platform linking newcomers to immigrants or refugees with people sharing a shared heritage and a set of experiences to help with the many challenges and opportunities that immigrants face every day .
As social issues evolve in increased continuity, their goal was to create new ways and methods for solving real problems. “We’ve created Gateway Forward as a platform that aims to link newcomers to immigrants with people who share common culture and experience. It can help them cope with many challenges and opportunities. Immigration to the United States is a long and strenuous process, and the process does not end when you arrive. In many ways, it’s just the beginning. What you have seen today is just the beginning of what is possible, “Hamza said in the presentation of the software project, stating that immigrants and refugees who are new to the United States face many challenges and opportunities as they settle into their new communities. Challenges include finding jobs and housing, navigating through the bureaucracy of the systems in which they have to participate, and the ability to start their own business.
The American journey and success would simply not be possible without the generations of immigrants who came to America from all over the world. The Gateway Forward team consists of veterans of the technology industry and students who have gathered at GlobalHack7 in Saint Louis: Annika Marthaler, Hamza Dizdarevic, Pyi Theim Kyaw, Blake Peters, Belmin Husic, Minh Vu, Gbrett Miller, and Paul S. Heirendt.
As a result of hackathon, co-founder of GlobalHack, Drew Winship, founded Juristat, a great platform for inventing data for lawyers as a “moneyball”. After that, the startup has raised more than $ 1.8 million and now employs dozens in its offices in downtown St. Louis. Hackatons are a great way to test your skills in a friendly environment by solving problems in the real world. These events provide individuals with a platform to work together as a team to turn the idea into a sustainable, working prototype. Who knows, maybe Belmin and Hamza create elements that will culminate concepts and prototypes and catalyze the problem solving process in Saint Louis.
Fatima Dizdarevic
