Tracks

Hackathon Tracks

 
A hackathon track is like a theme or focus area for a big creative project competition. Imagine you're in a school science fair, and some kids work on volcano models, others on space projects, and some on building robots. Each of these is like a "track" that guides what kind of project you'll make.
In a hackathon, tracks help teams decide what kind of problem to solve or idea to create, like making games, helping the environment, or inventing cool new tech!

1. "Digital Kaleidoscope" Pathway

Creating because our perspective transforms everything we touch
In digital spaces where uniformity often dominates, our unique perspectives create brilliant patterns of innovation. Build projects that showcase how your distinct viewpoint transforms standard tools, platforms, or experiences into something vibrant and new. At Rainbow Tech Fest, we celebrate the kaleidoscopic effect that happens when diverse creators apply their lens to digital creation.
Open to all creators: Whether you're developing tools with unexpected functionality, designing interfaces that challenge conventional aesthetics, crafting games that tell stories from fresh perspectives, or building frameworks that prioritize overlooked experiences
Project Examples:

For Non-Tech People:

  • Pride flag pixel art animations - Frame-by-frame animations in Aseprite showing flags transforming into each other
  • Pride flag color palette for artists - Photoshop/Procreate swatches file with exact colors organized by each identity flag
  • "My Pronouns" email signature maker - Google Docs template with copy-paste professional signatures including pronouns
  • "Gender Euphoria" music composition - Original song celebrating identity, recorded in GarageBand with layered harmonies intended to be free and royalty free
  • “Gender binary design patterns” handbook - a guide to recognizing where the patterns sit in the day to day for twitch users (raids without pronouns shared, lower thirds that do not ensure folks are represented as they fully are, etc)

For Tech People:

  • Pronoun-aware chat bot - Discord bot that learns and uses correct pronouns in conversations
  • CSS Pride Flag Animation Library - Code that makes any website shimmer with customizable pride colors
  • "Coming Out Story" interactive website - Choose-your-own-adventure style personal narrative sites

2. "Collective Memory" Pathway

Creating because our stories deserve preservation
Our histories and cultural moments often exist in fragmented, ephemeral digital spaces. Develop projects that capture, preserve, and honor the stories that matter to our communities. Rainbow Tech Fest recognizes that when we create archives, timelines, or celebration frameworks, we ensure our collective experiences remain accessible for those who come after us.
Open to all creators: Whether you're building archival tools, designing visual celebrations of community milestones, developing interactive historical experiences, or creating frameworks to gather and preserve shared narratives
Project Examples:

For Non-Tech People:

  • LGBTQ+ venue map with photos - Google My Maps with pins, photos, and stories of important community spaces
  • Community cookbook template - InDesign/Canva template for collecting family recipes with story sections
  • "First Pride" photo album template - Printable PDF layouts designed in Canva for documenting Pride experiences

For Tech People:

  • Discord archive bot - Automatically saves important server conversations and milestones
  • "Lost Media Recovery" game - Puzzle game where players help restore deleted LGBTQ+ content
  • Community timeline website - Interactive chronology where people add their own historical moments

3. "Joyful Connection" Pathway

Creating because we flourish in community
In increasingly isolated digital landscapes, meaningful connection becomes both rare and essential. Craft experiences that bring people together through moments of genuine interaction, shared purpose, or collective celebration. Rainbow Tech Fest celebrates the magic that happens when creation becomes a bridge between people rather than a solitary pursuit.
Open to all creators: Whether you're designing collaborative environments, developing community celebration tools, crafting multiplayer experiences, or building frameworks that transform individual creation into collective experiences
Project Examples:

For Non-Tech People:

  • LGBTQ+ skill swap spreadsheet - Google Sheets with organized tabs where people list skills to trade (coding for makeup tips)
  • Virtual game night potluck trading cards- Printable cards made in Canva with clear recipe instructions from different backgrounds of people
  • Community art challenge prompts - Instagram Story templates with 30 days of drawing/writing prompts

For Tech People:

  • Collaborative coding playground with Twitch integration - Website where multiple people code together in real-time
  • "Game Night" Discord bot - Manages multiplayer browser games and tournaments
  • Creative challenge website - Daily/weekly prompts with community sharing and voting
 

4. "Accessible Creation" Pathway

Creating because everyone deserves to be a creator
Standard creation tools often exclude those with different abilities, resources, or backgrounds. Build resources that make creation more accessible to those traditionally left out of creative spaces. Rainbow Tech Fest believes that the most innovative ideas emerge when we ensure everyone can participate in digital creation regardless of their specific circumstances.
Open to all creators: Whether you're developing simplified creation tools, designing intuitive interfaces for diverse users, crafting resource-light approaches to digital making, or building frameworks that accommodate different needs and approaches
Project Examples:

For Non-Tech People:

  • "One-Handed Gaming Setup" video guide - Comprehensive tutorial showing adaptive equipment and techniques for disabled gamers
  • "Voice-Controlled Music Maker" - Create beats and melodies using only voice commands
  • "Creating on a Budget" resource series - Written guides, video tutorials, coupons, grants/rewards, and shopping lists for low-cost creative setups

For Tech People:

  • Beginner-friendly code templates - Pre-built website structures for common LGBTQ+ community needs
  • "No-Code Story Game Builder" - Create interactive fiction without any programming
  • Simple chat bot framework - Template Discord bots that non-programmers can customize

5. "Creative Sanctuary" Pathway

Creating because we thrive in spaces designed for us
Digital environments rarely consider the full spectrum of creator needs and experiences. Create tools, frameworks, or experiences that build safer, more supportive spaces for digital creation. Rainbow Tech Fest honors projects that prioritize creator wellbeing and community care, recognizing that our best work emerges when we feel secure, supported, and valued.
Open to all creators: Whether you're designing mindful creation spaces, developing supportive workflow tools, crafting community care resources, or building frameworks that help creators set boundaries and maintain sustainability
Each pathway connects directly to Rainbow Tech Fest's core theme of "Creating Because..." while addressing distinct aspects of digital creation. The pathways celebrate the unique perspectives and approaches that LGBTQIA+ creators bring to technology, emphasizing positive creation and community flourishing while remaining open to all disciplines.
Project Examples:

For Non-Tech People:

  • "Community Care" meditation series - Guided audio sessions addressing creator burnout and identity-specific challenges
  • "Creative Energy Tracker" - Stream Overlay that works like task bots, but instead it’s folks sharing their energy, a gentle way and boundary respecting way to check-in
  • "Stream Celebration Rituals" video series - Pre-stream and post-stream practices for maintaining joy and creative energy while streaming
  • "Overstimulation Care Kit Builder" template - Guide for creating your personal comfort collection when overwhelmed: what soothes your senses, grounding techniques that work for you, trusted people to reach out to, creative activities that feel safe, reminders of your worth. Great guidelines for how streamers could healthily host community kit-building sessions where everyone prepares their own care resources together (without sharing personal details).

For Tech People:

  • Community safety bot - Discord moderation focused on protecting creative discussions
  • "Creative Commons Helper" - Tool to properly credit and share community-made assets
  • Harassment protection website template - Pre-built safety features for LGBTQ+ creative communities