Harnessing Tech to Build a Better World for All

In addition to using Six Feet Up’s booth, banners and swag to empower others to make an impact, our CTO and AWS Hero, Calvin Hendryx-Parker, kicked off the conference with a talk about the IMPACT of Django on our world. Technologists have a unique opportunity to find solutions for complex challenges. It’s amazing to see how Django is used every day to bring impressive, purposeful and transformative projects to life. For example:

• REVSYS had a hand in building Politifact.com, a Django-based website that fact checks politicians to help present real, unbiased facts. Fake news is everywhere these days, but PolitiFact is doing its part. It even won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for its coverage of the 2008 election.
• Octopus Energy is using Django to supply clean energy to millions of customers worldwide.
• Caktus worked with the United Nations to develop the world’s first SMS voter registration system for Libyan elections.
• Torchbox is helping protect our oceans with a donations platform for the Marine Conservation Society powered by Wagtail.
• Lincoln Loop uses Django to support Energy Solutions, a company that provides cost-effective, market-based carbon, energy, and water management solutions.
• Six Feet Up used Django to:
  • power an app that predicts when and where lightning will strike in just seconds.
  • map forest fire trajectory to help emergency response agencies more efficiently and effectively contain a blaze.
  • to streamline battery energy storage operations to help mitigate the economic and environmental impacts of climate change.

At the end of his talk, Calvin asked everyone to stop by the Six Feet Up booth to complete an IMPACTFUL survey. We asked attendees what issues were most important to them, which organizations they thought were most IMPACTFUL and what they were doing on a personal level to make a difference in the world. At the end of the conference, I gave a lightning talk to share the results.

Climate change, inequality, education, energy, and water were among the top responses from attendees. And as the most mentioned organization in the survey, the Django Software Foundation received a $200 donation from us to continue its work promoting the Django web framework and the good it can do in the world.

We know that to make a positive impact on the Earth, we must work together and do our part to address global challenges. Joining Pledge 1% gives us a way to formalize the impactful work we have done over the years. For example:

We Assist

Six Feet Up is committed to completing 10 IMPACTFUL projects — defined as projects that are impressive, purposeful and transformative — by 2025. By working with like-minded companies on projects that impact the world, and by listening to the greater tech community to determine the direction of such work, we aim to inspire others in the global tech community to pursue projects that can have a positive impact. So far, we’ve had the privilege to work on five IMPACTFUL Projects. 

We Empower

Six Feet Up empowers people across the globe via loans granted through Kiva. To date, the Sixie team has given $23,700 and granted 889 loans to people in need.

We Serve

Six Feet Up serves others by donating our time and expertise to multiple nonprofits. For example, members of the leadership team — myself included — are on the Women & Hi Tech board of directors, the Plone Foundation board, and the Django Foundation board.

We are proud to be doing transformative work, but this is only the beginning. By continuing to complete these projects and further inspire and engage the broader tech community, we aim to create a tidal wave of innovation from the ground up that can benefit the world.