Event Toolkit

Brotherhood Hackathon: Solving Problems Together

Theme & Purpose

Brotherhood Hackathon: Solving Problems Together empowers young men to design creative solutions for the issues that matter most — from bullying and school culture to mental health and leadership. Unlike a competition, this hackathon is about collaboration over rivalry.

The event begins with the #MillionMaskMovement, where participants reflect on their outside self (the confident, capable qualities they show) and their inside self (the worries, pressures, and hopes they usually don’t let others see). This reflection grounds the hackathon in truth: before building solutions for the community, participants face the realities they themselves carry.

By connecting masks to innovation, the Brotherhood Hackathon transforms teamwork into a space for empathy, honesty, and real problem-solving.

Benefits for Young Men

  1. Collaboration & Creativity – Work together to solve problems that matter.

  2. Authentic Leadership – Design solutions rooted in lived experiences.

  3. Empathy & Connection – Use mask reflections to strengthen teamwork and understanding.

Materials

  • Mask Cards: millionmask.org or digital millionmask.org/drawboard

  • Box or envelope for mask shuffle

  • Whiteboards, flipcharts, or poster paper

  • Sticky notes, markers, pens

  • Optional: laptops or tablets for digital prototyping

  • Timer to track brainstorming phases

Group Size

10–30 participants (ideal in teams of 3–6).

Time Needed

90–120 minutes (depending on film length).

STEP-BY-STEP Program

Brotherhood Hackathon: Solving Problems Together

1. Welcome & Purpose (5 minutes)

Host Script:
“Welcome to the Brotherhood Hackathon. Tonight, we’ll put our creativity and teamwork to work on challenges that impact young men every day — from bullying to mental health. We’ll start with the #MillionMaskMovement to remind us that behind every problem are real pressures and truths we all carry.”

2. Create a Mask (10 minutes)

  • Hand out mask cards.

  • Invite participants to write/draw:

    • Front (outside): the positive qualities they usually show the world (e.g., hardworking, funny, confident, athletic).

    • Back (inside): the “real stuff” they usually don’t let others see (e.g., fear of failure, stress, sadness, family pressure).

  • Collect masks

  • Reflection: “The challenges we’ll work on today affect both the outside self and the inside self. Masks remind us to design solutions that meet the whole person.”

3. Identify the Challenge (10–15 minutes)

As a large group, brainstorm 2–3 core issues (examples: school belonging, cyberbullying, academic stress, access to mental health support). Vote to select which challenges teams will work on.

4. Team Brainstorming (25–30 minutes)

In teams of 3–6:

  • Generate as many solutions as possible.

  • Use sticky notes: one idea per note.

  • Encourage bold and creative thinking (apps, campaigns, events, peer mentoring).

  • Ask: How does our solution speak to both sides of the mask?

5. Prototype & Presentation (20–25 minutes)

Prototype & Presentation (20–25 minutes)

Host Script:

“Leadership isn’t about being perfect. It’s about aligning your outside self with your inside truth. When you lead with honesty and courage, you inspire others to do the same.”

6. Group Reflection (10–15 minutes)

Prompts:

  • “What did you notice about how the mask shaped your ideas?”

  • “How did hearing inside truths change the way you approached solutions?”

  • “What’s one action step you’d take to make your solution real?”

7. 8. SHARE MASKS POST EVENT (10 minutes)

Each participant writes down:

  • One takeaway about leadership or problem-solving.

  • One small action they’ll commit to this week.

Host Script:
“Real leaders don’t just solve problems — they face the truth, then create change. Tonight you built solutions not just with your minds, but with your honesty and your brotherhood.”

8. SHARE MASKS POST EVENT (10 minutes)

Take photos of masks (with permission) and email them to millionmask@everforwardclub.org to join our #MillionMaskMovement and help us reach 100,000 people by this November!

Optional Add-Ons

  • Mentor Feedback: Invite teachers, coaches, or professionals to give feedback on solutions.

  • Pitch Night: Turn the hackathon into a community showcase where teams present ideas to parents and peers.

  • Follow-Up Session: Reunite in 1–2 months to track which solutions were tried.

  • Digital Sharing: Post highlights on social media with the #MillionMaskMovement hashtag.

 

For any questions, please contact millionmask@everforwardclub.org

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