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Fables & Futures: A play-based workshop on tech and society
September 20, 2026 at Local Economy in Oakland, CA
Local Economy, Oakland, California
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
Date:
September 20, 2026
Time:
2:00 PM
4:00 PM
Event website: https://luma.com/tn921aby
Event type:
Science and Technology
Originally posted to:
Rockridge District Association Events Calendar
Published: Aug 22, 2026 4:48 PM
Local Economy is a small, flexible community space on the College Avenue stretch of Rockridge, a few doors from East Bay Booksellers. It looks and feels like a bright neighborhood storefront set up for people to gather rather than a traditional venue. Inside, most things are organized around a long central table where talks, workshops, book clubs and game sessions all happen in close quarters. more...
