HACK FOR INCLUSION

How it all Started

Back in 2014, Elena Mendez-Escobar and Maria Troein (both MIT Sloan MBA 2015s) understood that neither of them "fit the mold." Whether it was Elena's PhD in Physics or Maria's expertise in Chinese wine markets, what you saw was not what you got. Moreover, both women knew that many of their classmates were similarly “Breaking the Mold," and yet few felt empowered to dispel the traditional stereotypes imposed on them. With this in mind, Elena and Maria set out to educate the MIT community about unconscious bias and provide practical tools with which to address it.

Building Momentum

“I remember thinking, ‘Maybe I can organize a seminar,’” Elena recounts. She quickly learned that she could aim much higher. With strong engagement from the MIT Sloan student community and the encouragement of the administration, the pair launched an initiative that continues to thrive today. Since its founding, Breaking the Mold (now known as Sloan for Inclusion) has served as a platform for three conferences, four workshops, three hackathons, and dozens of open discussions, all aimed at promoting tolerance and understanding. In all, these events have drawn more than a thousand attendees. 

Hack for inclusion

In 2018, Breaking the Mold partnered with the MIT Black Alumni group to organize an even larger and more impactful hackathon - the first Hack for Inclusion. The 2022 Hack for Inclusion will be the 5th year for this amazing, action-forward event.

Hack for Inclusion brings together some of the best and brightest minds from MIT and the surrounding communities to build solutions that address some of today's biggest problems related to bias, diversity, and inclusion. Individuals from both technical and non-technical backgrounds address challenges related to diversity and inclusion. Key topic areas range from ability bias to racial bias, and even cultural and information bias.