ChangeUp: LA

Be Inspired. Be Inspiring.

Over the last week, we've sent out a few emails to participants with last-minute information and details. I'm hearing some people haven't received those, so I thought I'd post everything here on the site as well. Read on for full details...

• You’re part of a team
  The most successful projects will be the ones where everyone feels free to have fun and do work they’re really proud of. This is a new experience for most people involved, and there’s (intentionally) a lot of flexibility in the process… so please be actively involved!

• Have fun
  This weekend is about creating awesome projects for the organizations, but the process is just as important as the end results. Ultimately everyone should be having a good time, meeting new people, and solving challenging problems. We also plan to have opportunities to “get away from the grind”: we’ll have Rock Band and a Nintendo Wii setup, free coffee and beer, and a great space in which to work!

• Saturday morning presentation
  At 10:00am on Saturday we’ll have the organizations present about themselves and their projects. This is an important part of the process, as this is when you’ll hear about the different projects, and figure out which team you want to be a part of. Think of it as the project kick-off… we need everyone there so the projects get off to a great start!

Also, here are some final logistical details:

• Parking
  Blankspaces is located at 5405 Wilshire Blvd (http://www.blankspaces.com/aboutus/map.php). Unfortunately, there is no reserved parking available for this event, however there are plenty of city parking lots in the area, as well as tons of street parking. Please pay attention to the signs (and arrive early to find a spot)!

• Computers
  We won’t have computers available for use, so everyone is responsible for bringing their Also, please bring your power cord, as it’ll be an intense day of work, and we don’t want you running out of juice. We definitely recommend a laptop, but if you want to lug around a full desktop rig, go for it! If you don’t have a computer you can bring, come anyway… we’ll make it work, but the more the better. Also, if there’s anything else you need (notebooks, markers, etc), please bring it as well! (Blankspaces does have wifi we’ll have access to!)

• Hours
  We’ve scaled back the hours that we’re going to keep Blankspaces open… our official hours will be 9:30am to 8:00pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Of course, as it will be up to each team to figure out their own schedule and the best way to get the work done over the course of the weekend, so you’ll have a lot of flexibility. Your team is free to take off early or work late (there’s a 24-hour IHOP next door) as needed!

• Meals
  Coffee will be available each morning and we’ll be providing some “adult beverages” Saturday evening, but we won’t be providing meals. However, there are plenty of delicious options in the neighborhood (http://bit.ly/p178m) within walking distance. Also, feel free to bring snacks to share with the group—everyone loves cookies!

• Publicity
  If you’re on Twitter, please help live tweet the weekend! We’ll be using the hashtag #changeupla, so help spread the word and keep up the excitement (and follow us at http://twitter.com/changeupla)!

• Ideas
  If you have any ideas to make ChangeUp better, please speak up! This is our first event, and each one of you is a crucial part of making it a success.

Thanks for everything, and see you tomorrow!

Kevin Kvalstad (kevin@ this website)
Joshua Jabbour (joshua@ this website)