A one-day, play-based innovation and community event advancing cancer justice through policy, creativity, and collective action.
📍 University of Southern California
📅 February 7
🎮 Hackathon • Game Jam • Play Labs • Advocacy • Community
What Is LA Against Cancer: Day of Play?
LA Against Cancer: Day of Play is a countywide gathering that brings together students, clinics, community organizations, advocates, and creators to explore cancer as a justice and policy issue—using play as a powerful tool for learning, imagination, and change.
Through games, design challenges, interactive labs, and hands-on activities, participants don’t just learn about cancer policy — they engage with it, question it, and reimagine it.
This event is part of KiraKira Institute’s mission to make complex systems understandable, human-centered, and open to everyone.
Why a Day of Play for Cancer Policy?
Cancer outcomes are shaped by far more than medicine alone.
They are shaped by:
Insurance and coverage rules
Environmental exposure and zoning decisions
Access to screening and prevention
Workplace protections and caregiver policies
Political participation and advocacy pathways
These systems are often complex, intimidating, and inaccessible — especially for young people and frontline communities.
Play changes that.
Play makes systems visible. Play lowers fear. Play invites participation. Play creates space to imagine better futures.
A Day of Play turns policy from something abstract into something understandable, participatory, and actionable.
What Happens at the Day of Play
Participants can choose how they want to engage. There is no single “right” way to participate.
Core Experiences Include:
Hack4Hope: Cancer Policy Hackathon A one-day innovation sprint where teams design tools, games, and resources that address cancer policy barriers such as insurance navigation, environmental justice, prevention, and quality of life.
Cancer Policy Game Jam Showcase A playful, creative showcase of games designed during a two-week pre-event game jam that makes cancer policy accessible through humor, storytelling, and systems thinking.
Play Labs & Mini-Workshops Facilitated, hands-on experiences where participants explore cancer policy through interactive activities — no technical background required.
Board Games, Chess & Physical Play Community-centered spaces for strategy, movement, rest, and connection.
Clinic, Community & Advocacy Fair Opportunities to connect with clinics, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations working on cancer prevention, care, and justice across Los Angeles.
Live Pitches, Awards & Celebration Teams present their ideas, celebrate creativity and impact, and close the day together.
What Is a Play Lab?
A Play Lab is a facilitated, hands-on space where participants learn by doing — using games, creative tools, and interactive activities to explore complex issues like cancer policy in an accessible, low-pressure environment.
Play Labs are designed to welcome:
Students and youth
Community members
Artists and storytellers
Advocates and organizers
Anyone curious about cancer justice
No coding. No policy background required.
Who Should Attend?
LA Against Cancer: Day of Play is open to:
Students
Creators, designers, and technologists
Cancer advocates, survivors, and caregivers
Community organizers
Clinic and nonprofit staff
Educators and researchers
Anyone interested in justice, health, and creative change
Whether you want to build, play, learn, or connect — there’s a place for you.
Impact & Outcomes
The Day of Play is designed to create real, lasting impact:
300+ participants engaged
20–40 policy-focused prototypes and games created
Expanded youth leadership and advocacy pipeline
Stronger collaboration between clinics, communities, and institutions
Increased policy literacy and confidence
A public-facing impact report following the event
This model is scalable, replicable, and built for long-term movement building.