Fables & Futures: A play-based workshop on tech and society

Comics, coding, and big AI questions for Oakland kids

On Sunday, September 20, Local Economy in Oakland hosts a small, hands on workshop for kids ages 8 to 13 about AI, privacy, consent, and who gets a say when technology shapes daily life.

The room should feel more like a creative lab than a classroom. Local Economy has the right Oakland energy for this kind of thing: community focused, practical, and close to the real conversations families are already having about tech.

Kids will spend the afternoon inside Massa Mist, a made up green valley where tech is part of the natural world. Think graphic fables, a little solar punk, some Miyazaki mood, and a touch of Moomins. From there, they will talk through questions about surveillance, data ownership, and algorithmic profiling in a way that makes sense for young people.

The featured creator behind the session is Ariam Mogos, a lecturer at the Stanford d.school and a National Geographic Explorer. The workshop grew out of work with Bay Area youth groups, including West Oakland Middle School, the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment, and 826 Valencia.

After reading and talking, kids will make things. They may sketch future scenes, create comics, and build a Massa Mist inspired game in GameBender, a visual coding space that uses code stickers. No coding experience is needed, but each participant should bring a laptop. A mouse is recommended.

Parents and caregivers can stay and join in, which is nice. These are not always easy topics, and the best part may be hearing how kids explain what feels fair, safe, or strange about the tech around them.

The workshop runs from 2 to 4 pm. Space is capped at 15 people, so it should stay personal. Cost is $10 for a comic or $15 for a kit.

Get the event details and registration info here.

AI is everywhere, but it doesn’t represent everyone.
Fables & Futures is a creative learning kit that uses graphic fables, project-based activities, and a game-building environment (similar to Scratch) to help young people develop a real point of view about AI and the emerging technologies shaping their lives.
This workshop invites children ages 8–13 to step into Massa Mist, a lush valley where technology is embedded in the natural landscape (a world inspired by the solar punk genre, the work of Hayao Miyazaki, and a touch of the Moomins!) Participants will read one of two original graphic fables set in Massa Mist, exploring surveillance, algorithmic profiling, data ownership, privacy, and consent. A debrief and reflection will follow, digging into who benefited, who was harmed, who gets to make decisions that affect a whole community, and what agreements communities need in place around technology.
From there, participants will look at real-world parallels, then continue exploring the issues through project-based activities like future forecasting and comic strip creation, culminating in building a Massa Mist–inspired game in GameBender, a play-based creative coding environment that uses visual “code stickers” and requires no prior coding experience.
In order to build in GameBender, participants will need to bring a laptop (and a mouse is recommended). Parents and caregivers are welcome to join the session.
Fables & Futures was created by Ariam Mogos, a lecturer at the Stanford d.school and a National Geographic Explorer, in collaboration with youth organizations across the Bay Area including West Oakland Middle School, the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment, and 826 Valencia.
Max attendance: 15
Cost: $10 for comic or $15 for kit