Report: #WPDiversity Inclusion and Diverse Speaker Workshops July to August 2023

In July and August 2023, the #WPDiversity group held several DEI workshops and knowledge-sharing events.

July 2023

July 2, 2023:  “How to Own Your Expertise & Start Speaking at WordPress Events APAC”

We held a 2-hour interactive watch party to help boost speaking confidence, which included exercises for speaking topics and real-time feedback. The attendees were supported by speaker mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. who shared their expertise through the experience.

Facilitator: @jillbinder

  • Number who attended: 15
  • From number of cities: 12
  • From number of countries: 9 (Bangladesh, Cameroon, Egypt, India, Italy, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, USA)
  • Self-reported increase in public speaking confidence: 72%!

July 20, 2023: “Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events #WPDiversity

An interactive watch party workshop to help MeetupMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. organizers, as well as anyone in WordPress who would like to champion this work, create diverse and inclusive events. We added new material: 1. Why do we care about diversity in WordPress?  2. What does diversity look like in your part of the world? 3. How do we move towards that?

Facilitator: @jillbinder

  • Number who attended: 21
  • From number of cities: 21
  • From number of countries: 11 (Canada, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Nepal, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, The Netherlands, United States)
  • Self-reported increase in preparedness to run an inclusive event: 32%

This material is available online:

  1. Diversity in WordPress: Why and what is it in your part of the world?
  2. Creating a Welcoming and Diverse Space Part 1
  3. Creating a Welcoming and Diverse Space Part 2

Testimonials:

“I recommend that you attend this workshop if you want to expand your understanding of what diversity means and how to begin to think about it.”
~ Dave Margowsky, Project Manager, Washington, United States

“This workshop is a safe place for people of all creeds to be they’re utter, vulnerable selves and to be heard and listened to! It’s too easy to get caught up in the technical and business aspects of WordPress, forgetting the greatly diverse human element that makes the WordPress Community really stand out.”
~ Christos Paloukas, Proud Weird Human, Athens, Greece

“My point of view was broadened, and I’m more aware of what we’re trying to do as a community to improve DEI in WordPress events. We all got personal insights on what we’re trying to do as a community, which tools are available and what’s our general approach about improving Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at WordPress events, and ultimately make our community even more friendly and welcoming.”
~ Piermario Orecchioni, Web Designer, Olbia, Italy

“I really liked the new section on what diversity looks like in WordPress. It was important for setting the stage. Many of us were surprised when we looked up our region’s actual diversity data! All meetup organizers should attend this workshop – you’re missing out if you don’t!”
~ Sallie Goetsch, WP consultant and meetup organizer, California, USA

“This workshop was fantastic. It is tailored for WordPress event organizers, but it would also be helpful for sponsors and volunteers on WordCamps to attend a similar workshop.”
~ Birgit Olzem, Freelancer, #DEIB advocate, Germany

“In two short hours, I learned tools I’ll use for a lifetime to make events better by being more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming.”
~ Eric Amundson, Web Developer

“This a great starting point to open up to being more inclusive and helping diversity flourish.”
~ Wendie Huis in ‘t Veld, Lead Organiser WordCamp Europe 2024

July 30, 2023: Contributor Mentorship: A Primer for DEIB at WordPress Events (#WPDiversity)

@jillbinder held a workshop for @harishanker‘s Contributor Membership Pilot program to talk about: what does diversity mean in the context of WordPress and why does it matter?

This workshop is available online: A Primer for DEIB at WordPress Events (#WPDiversity) (video)

August 2023

August 17, 2023: Inclusion Follow-up SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. Chat

We hold a “Follow-up Slack chat” a month after the Inclusion workshop to help people with their diversity efforts at WordPress events ongingly.

Facilitator: @jillbinder

  • Number who attended online: 8
  • From number of cities: 8
  • From number of countries: 5 (Cameroon, Germany, India, Spain, USA)

August 30, 2023: #WPDiversity Resources Walk-Through Workshop

@jillbinder held a walk-through of all of the #WPDiversity workshops, systems, and resources available on https://tiny.cc/wpdiversity

This information is available now and is good for:

  • Event Supporters
  • #WPDiversity Members
  • WordPress Meetup and WordCamp organizers
  • Translators
  • Community organizers of any workshop in WordPress
  • Anyone who cares about diversity in WordPress

The video will be available online soon. This post will be updated with the link when it is available.

Thank you

A lot of people contribute to making these workshops successful. Thank you to each and every one!

Upcoming Workshop

Speaker Workshop for Indian Women in the WordPress Community
Saturday, September 23, 2023 and Sunday, September 24, 2023
9:30am-12:00pm IST
For women in India
Register now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/speaker-workshop-for-indian-women-in-the-wordpress-community-sept-23-24-tickets-633636773647

The list of upcoming #WPDiversity events is posted on the Diverse Speaker Group (#WPDiversity) page in the Community handbook. Please check there for upcoming events.

#diversespeakerworkshopsreports

Report: #WPDiversity Inclusion Workshops April to June 2023

In April to June 2023, the #WPDiversity group held 3 “Organizing Diverse and Inclusive WordPress events” events.

Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events

An interactive watch party workshop to help MeetupMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. organizers, as well as anyone in WordPress who would like to champion this work, create diverse and inclusive events. We hold a “Follow-up SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. chat” a month later.

April 20, 2023: Follow-Up Slack chat

Facilitator: @jillbinder

  • Number who attended online: 14
  • From number of cities: 14
  • From number of countries: 6 (India, Luxembourg, Mexico, Philippines, Uganda, United States)

May 13, 2023: Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events APAC

Facilitator: @jillbinder

  • Number who attended online: 8
  • From number of cities: 8
  • From number of countries: 5 (Indonesia, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, United States)
  • Self-reported increase in preparedness to run an inclusive event: 50%

Testimonials

“Everything about the workshop was mind-blowing. People should take this workshop because it will open their minds to what’s possible in organising successful WordPress Meetup events.” – Emmanuel Ekanem, Web Developer, Calabar, Nigeria

June 17, 2023: Follow-Up Slack chat

Facilitator: @jillbinder

  • Number who attended online: 7
  • From number of cities: 6
  • From number of countries: 6 (Australia, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Philippines, United States)

Diverse Speaker Support Channel

We have a Slack channel (#diverse-speaker-support) in the Make WordPress Slack for:

  • getting to know other speakers and event organizers
  • workshopping talks with each other and with mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.
  • finding out about WordPress speaking opportunities from WordPress MeetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamps
  • getting connected with support for speaker travel expenses

Wins these months:

A win counts as:

  • Applying to speak at an event
  • Speaking at an event
  • Getting speaker mentorship in the channel

There have been so many of these (but most of them not reported in the channel itself) that it’s been hard to keep on tracking. We created a form for this that has not been well used.

Thank you

A lot of people contribute to making these workshops successful. Thank you to each and every one!

Upcoming Workshops

The list of upcoming #WPDiversity events is posted on the Diverse Speaker Group (#WPDiversity) page in the Community handbook. Please check there for upcoming events.

#diversespeakerworkshopsreports

Report: #WPDiversity Inclusion and Diverse Speaker Workshops February and March 2023

In March 2023, the #WPDiversity group held a Diverse Speaker workshop and an Inclusion workshop for individuals in the AMER/EMEA time zone. Also, the first WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Asia was held in February 2023, which included a WPDiversity discussion on creating more inclusive spaces and attracting more diverse speakers. 

Diverse Speaker Workshops

How to Own Your Expertise & Start Speaking at WordPress Events AMER/EMEA, March 1, 2023

We held a 2-hour interactive watch party to help boost speaking confidence, which included exercises for speaking topics and real-time feedback. The attendees were supported by speaker mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. who shared their expertise through the experience.

Facilitator: @jillbinder

  • Number who attended online: 19
  • From number of cities: 18
  • From number of countries: 7 (Bangladesh, Cameroon, India, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, United States)
  • Self-reported increase in public speaking self-confidence scores: 32%

Testimonials

“I liked learning about the different talk formats, tips for practising, and brainstorming speaking topics.” – Ryan Smith

“I’m really glad I attended – thank you for hosting! It was great doing the different exercises to help us brainstorm a list of speaking topics and get feedback on our ideas from the group.” – Nicole Evans, Web Developer

“This workshop raises confidence by breaking down myths about speaking, explains different talk formats so you have a framework for your topic, and gives time for discussion and practice. I enjoyed it and found it helpful!” – Jeremy Saxey, RadiateWP, Gilbert, AZ

“That was a really great workshop, and I think it was super helpful for participants. Great job @jillbinder and #WPDiversity!!” – @sereedmedia (Sé reed)

Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events

Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events AMER/EMEA, March 16, 2023

We held a watch party workshop to help MeetupMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamp organizers, as well as anyone in WordPress who would like to champion this work, create diverse and inclusive events.

Facilitator: @jillbinder

  • Number who attended online: 11
  • From number of cities: 10
  • From number of countries: 5 (Costa Rica, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, United States)
  • Self-reported increase in preparedness to run an inclusive event: 59%

Testimonials

“This was awesome! I learned so much from the presenters and those attending! New terms and mnemonics, personal stories of others’ experiences, and info to follow up and follow through. I believe that the more information we gain, the more we’re able to make informed decisions. I sincerely feel the information and resources I received from this workshop will help me. Thank you for this!” – Mark-Andrew

WPDiversity Discussion in Asia

WPDiversity discussion at WordCamp Asia Contributor DayContributor Day Contributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/ https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/., February 17, 2023

In February 2023, the first WordCamp Asia was held, which included a WPDiversity discussion on creating more inclusive spaces and attracting more diverse speakers in WordPress.

Moderators: @onealtr, @alliennimmons, @bobdunn-trainer

  • Number who attended online: Approximately 20
  • From number of countries: 5 (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines)

Impact

WordCamp Entebbe March 2023 organizer Arthur Kasirye (@thehopemonger) shared with us that thanks to the #WPDiversity speaker workshop that he attended, the camp organizers were able to:

  • Create their first all-women tech panel
  • Hold a gender diversity program of female speakers and student attendees
  • Have more women attend the WordCamp than ever before

 Read more about the highlights here.

Diverse Speaker Support Channel

We have a SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. channel (#diverse-speaker-support) in the Make WordPress Slack for:

  • getting to know other speakers and event organizers
  • workshopping talks with each other and with mentors
  • finding out about WordPress speaking opportunities from WordPress MeetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamps
  • getting connected with support for speaker travel expenses

Wins these months:

A win counts as:

  • Applying to speak at an event
  • Speaking at an event
  • Getting speaker mentorship in the channel

There have been so many of these (but most of them not reported in the channel itself) that it’s been hard to keep on tracking. We are creating a new system with a form to make it easier going forward! 

Thank you

A lot of people contribute to making these workshops successful. Thank you to each and every one!

Upcoming Workshops

May 13, 2023 @ 10am-12:30pm IST: Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events APAC

The list of upcoming #WPDiversity events is posted on the Diverse Speaker Group (#WPDiversity) page in the Community handbook. Please check there for upcoming events.

#diversespeakerworkshopsreports

#diversespeakerworkshopsreports

Report: #WPDiversity Diverse Speaker Workshops December 2022 and January 2023

In December 2022 and January 2023, the #WPDiversity group held diverse speaker workshops in AMER/EMEA and APAC time zones, respectively. Also Italy held a speaker workshop.

Diverse Speaker Workshops

We held two interactive watch parties that included speaking topic exercises and real-time feedback. The attendees were supported by several speaker mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. who helped support them through the experience.

December 2022

How to Own Your Expertise & Start Speaking at WordPress Events #WPDiversity, December 7, 2022

Facilitator: @jillbinder

  • Number who attended online: 22
  • From number of cities: 21
  • From number of countries: 12 (Bangladesh, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Philippines, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Uganda, United States)
  • Self-reported increase in public speaking self-confidence scores: 48%

Testimonials

“Studying the material on your own is already very useful, but taking the workshop is another experience! Having the chance to share and receive feedback from the group is the most valuable thing for me. I’d recommend anyone to participate in the next one!” – Isotta Peira, Community Engagement Specialist, Barcelona, Spain

“I really liked seeing new faces and hearing new ideas.” – Ljubica Goranovic, Digital Marketing Specialist, Serbia

January 2023

How to Own Your Expertise & Start Speaking at WordPress Events APAC, January 28, 2023

Facilitator: @jillbinder

  • Number who attended online: 31
  • From number of cities: 27
  • From number of countries: 10 (Australia, Denmark, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United States)
  • Self-reported increase in public speaking self-confidence scores: 40%
  • Number from the workshop who applied to speak at WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Kerala: 5 applications from 4 workshop participants

Testimonials

There were a lot of amazing testimonials shared by participants during the event and in the feedback form afterward. You can read the testimonials under the “Show full post” section below.

Impact

The 4 speakers from the workshop who applied to speak at WordCamp Kerala were all accepted. They all reported back that they had really great experiences speaking thanks to the workshop. One of the speakers wrote a blog post about the workshop and her experience : https://akshayar.online/from-novice-to-wordcamp-speaker-navigating-the-journey/

Speaker Workshop in Italy

January 10, 2023

Facilitator: @simo70

  • Language: Italian
  • Number who attended: 4
  • From number of cities: 3 (Ancona, Milan, Rome)
  • From number of countries: 1 (Italy)

“I would like to thank all the people who participated, the #WPDiversity group for the great materials, and all the people who did the Italian translations with me.” — Simona Simionato

Diverse Speaker Support Channel

We have a SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. channel (#diverse-speaker-support) in the Make WordPress Slack for:

  • getting to know other speakers and event organizers
  • workshopping talks with each other and with mentors
  • finding out about WordPress speaking opportunities from WordPress MeetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamps
  • getting connected with support for speaker travel expenses

Wins these months:

A win counts as:

  • Applying to speak at an event
  • Speaking at an event
  • Getting speaker mentorship in the channel

There have been so many of these (but most of them not reported in the channel itself) that it’s been hard to keep on tracking. We are creating a new system with a form to make it easier going forward! If we do get the numbers, we will update this post.

Thank you

A lot of people contribute to making these workshops successful. Thank you to each and every one!

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Upcoming Workshops

May 13, 2023 @ 10am-12:30pm IST: Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events APAC

The list of upcoming #WPDiversity events is posted on the Diverse Speaker Group (#WPDiversity) page in the Community handbook. Please check there for upcoming events.

#diversespeakerworkshopsreports

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Testimonials: How to Own Your Expertise & Start Speaking at WordPress Events APAC, January 28, 2023

Continue reading

#diversespeakerworkshopsreports, #wordcamps, #wordpress

Report: #WPDiversity Inclusion and Diverse Speaker Workshops October and November 2022

In October and November 2022, the #WPDiversity group held an Inclusion workshop and follow-up coaching session, and a full-day in person women speakers event in San José, Costa Rica.

 

Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events 

Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events Workshop, October 13, 2022

We held a watch party workshop to help MeetupMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. organizers, or anyone in WordPress who would like to champion this work, hold diverse and inclusive events.

Facilitator: @jillbinder

  • Number who attended online: 12
  • From number of cities: 12
  • From number of countries: 8 (Bhutan, Canada, Costa Rica, India, Philippines, Portugal, United Kingdom, United States)
  • Self-reported increase in preparedness to run an inclusive event: 30%

Testimonials

“The Inclusion workshop helped me to acknowledge even more how important diversity is and to see where diversity is lacking. I saw how important it is to listen and to learn, and to be ready to create safe places so more people will join and stay in the community. The content was good. The workshop felt like a comfortable and safe space for us to learn. — Carlos Moreira, WordPress Developer, Portugal

Organizing Diverse and Inclusive WordPress Events Follow-up SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. chat, November 17, 2022

As a follow-up to our October 2022 Inclusion workshop, we held a follow-up Slack chat in November to celebrate successes, discuss challenges, answer questions, and have diversity discussions.

Facilitator: @jillbinder

Guest coach: D. Squinkifer

Number who attended: 15

From number of cities: 15

From number of countries: 8 (Canada, England, India, Phillippines, Luxembourg, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States)

Diverse Speaker Workshop

WordPress #WPDiversity Speaker Workshop for Women Voices in Latin America, October 29, 2022

We held our first day-long in-person workshop! It was in San José, Costa Rica. The facilitator was over Zoom and spoke English. There were two live translators translating to participants in Spanish and back to the facilitator in English over wireless headsets.

Facilitator: @jillbinder

Number who attended: 35

From number of cities: 9

From number of countries: 1 (Costa Rica)

Self-reported increase in public speaking self-confidence scores: 52%

Testimonials

There were a lot of amazing testimonials spoken at the event and provided in the feedback form after. This report will need to be properly updated after the new year along with who said them.

[Edit on Feb 2, 2023: We had 22 testimonials! I am putting them under the “Show full post” section below.]

Diverse Speaker Support Channel

We have a Slack channel (#diverse-speaker-support) in the Make WordPress Slack for:

  • workshopping talks with each other and with mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.
  • finding out about WordPress speaking opportunities from WordPress MeetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamps
  • getting to know other WordPress speakers and organizers

We are experimenting with effective ways to invite workshop participants to the channel. In September and October, a handful signed up mostly because it was not clear what a Slack username was when we asked for it. Also we offered to help people create their Slack accounts, but everyone whom we did this for got stuck in the middle of process and no one completed it.

We worked on these and in December we had a very high rate. This will go into the December report to be released in January 2023.

Thank you

A lot of people contribute to making these workshops successful. Thank you to each and every one!

Upcoming Workshops

Keep an eye on the list of upcoming #WPDiversity events is posted on the Diverse Speaker Group (#WPDiversity) page in the Community handbook.

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Updated on February 2, 2023:

WordPress #WPDiversity Speaker Workshop for Women Voices in Latin America, October 29, 2022

Testimonials

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Continue reading

#diversespeakerworkshopsreports

Report: Diverse Speaker Workshop September 2022

In September 2022, the #WPDiversity group held a speaker training workshop to empower WordPress women in India across two days.

September 2022

Diverse Speakers Program

Speaker Workshop For Indian Women in the WordPress Community, September 24 and 25, 2022

Facilitator: @jillbinder

  • Number who attended or who watched the recording after: 24
  • From number of cities: 13
  • From number of countries: 2 India, United States

Average self-reported increase in preparedness to help create more inclusive WordPress event after taking the workshop: 137.5%

Testimonials

“This is a wonderful opportunity to learn. Even if you may be confident in public speaking, this workshop can be useful – understanding how to narrow down a topic, how to pitch, and the do’s & don’ts of public speaking. Thank you to the organizers for supporting this & Jill for conducting it and involving all participants.”

– Akshaya Rane, Software Developer, Thane, India

“The feedback process was great. It was a great balance between constructive criticism and praise, so it helps build confidence. The environment is inclusive and the exercises done together help refine our thought process, which is hard to do on your own and without feedback.”

– Karishma Sundaram, Content Strategist

“Thank You Jill, Anna, and Ericka for doing this!”

– twitter/@MeherBala (Meher Bala)

diverse-speaker-support channel

We have a SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. channel (#diverse-speaker-support) in the Make WordPress Slack for:

  • workshopping talks with each other and with mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.
  • finding out about WordPress speaking opportunities from WordPress MeetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamps
  • getting to know other WordPress speakers and organizers

Wins this month: 7

  • Flagship WordCamps:
    • 1 spoke at WCUSWCUS WordCamp US. The US flagship WordCamp event.
    • 2 sent in speaker applications to WC Asia
  • 2 spoke at 3 other events
  • 1 got speaker mentorship

Testimonial

“I truly appreciate the existence of the Diverse Speaker group. Definitely wouldn’t have done a successful talk at WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. US without it. I guess I can’t say that I suck at public speaking anymore!” – Ebonie Butler, Senior Software Engineer, Philadelphia USA

Thank you

A lot of people contribute to making these workshops successful. Thank you to each and every one!

Upcoming Workshops

October 29, 2022 @ 10am-6pm CST: WordPress #WPDiversity Speaker Workshop for Women Voices in Latin America 

New! The list of upcoming #WPDiversity events is posted on the Diverse Speaker Group (#WPDiversity) page in the Community handbook. Please check there for upcoming events.

#diversespeakerworkshopsreports

Report: Inclusion and Diverse Speaker Workshops June 2022

In June, we held one “Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events” discussion.

June 2022

Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events – coaching, accountability and discussion

Facilitator: @jillbinder

As a follow-up to our May 2022 workshop discussions, we held a coaching, accountability and discussion session on SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. on June 14th, 2022.

Number who attended: 10

From number of cities: 10

From number of countries: 5 (Bangladesh, Luxembourg, Philippines, Spain, United States)

diverse-speaker-support channel

We have a Slack channel (#diverse-speaker-support) in the Make WordPress Slack for:

  • workshopping talks with each other and with mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.
  • finding out about WordPress speaking opportunities from WordPress MeetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamps
  • getting to know other WordPress speakers and organizers

Wins this month: 7

  • 2 spoke at a WordPress event
  • 2 spoke at a different tech event
  • 1 applied and got accepted for a WordPress event (2 wins)
  • 1 got a talk accepted at another tech event

Thank you

A lot of people contribute to making these workshops successful. Thank you to each and every one!

Upcoming: September and October 2022

September 24, 2022 and September 25, 2022 @ 9am-11:30am IST: Speaker Workshop for Indian Women in the WordPress Community

October 29, 2022 @ 10am-6pm CST: WordPress #WPDiversity Speaker Workshop for Women Voices in Latin America 

Follow https://make.wordpress.org/community/tag/wpdiversityworkshops/ for our next workshop announcement.

#diversespeakerworkshopsreports, #wpdiversity

Report: Inclusion and Diverse Speaker Workshops May 2022

This month, we held two “Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events” discussions.

May 2022

Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events – Discussions

Facilitator: @jillbinder

To accommodate the WCUSWCUS WordCamp US. The US flagship WordCamp event. organizers, we held short discussions on two different dates (May 10 and 14, 2022) about the videos on Learn WordPress. Also invited: All event organizers, contributors, and the mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. in the #diverse-speaker-support channel.

Total number who attended both: 21 

From number of cities: 23 (one person represented MeetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. in 3 cities/countries)

From number of countries: 8 (Bolivia, India, Nigeria, Philippines, The Netherlands, Portugal, Cabo Verde, United States)

Self-reported increase in preparedness to help create more inclusive WordPress event after taking the workshop: 23%

Testimonials

“I grew from the experience of attending the #WPDiversity workshop. What I took away is that we are stronger together when creating diverse spaces. We see each other’s blind spots and through collaboration we can ensure everyone feels included.” – Winstina Hughes, Community Contributor, US

“This session offered new methods to make events even more inclusive. We absolutely loved discovering that simply changing a few phrases may make meetups & wordcamps even more open to more people.” – WP Swings

“I found the Inclusion training for WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. organizers inspiring and helpful. If you’re involved in events in any way, I recommend it.” – Jonathan Wold

“Five minutes in, I felt inspired to start trying some of these ideas as we restart in person meetups. No matter your goal, there are so many applicable basics for community building in this workshop that anyone attending can take something away that they can use immediately in their community.” – Cate DeRosia, WCUS 2022 Lead Trio, Grand Rapids, MI

“I have a better understanding of real inclusion resources.” – Mike Straw, WordPress Code WranglerWrangler Someone, usually a person part of event organizing team, who looks after certain things like budget or sponsors., Athens, Ohio

“Every bit of training helps!” – Anon

diverse-speaker-support channel

We have a SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. channel #diverse-speaker-support in the Make WordPress Slack for:

  • workshopping talks with each other and with mentors
  • finding out about WordPress speaking opportunities from WordPress Meetups and WordCamps
  • getting to know other WordPress speakers and organizers

Number of past #WPDiversity Workshop participants who joined in May 2022: 2 

Wins this month: 2

  • One speaker got accepted to speak
  • One speaker got feedback on her presentation

Thank you

A lot of people contribute to making these workshops successful. Thank you to each and every one!

Upcoming

Love this? Come attend a workshop!

Watch https://make.wordpress.org/community/tag/wpdiversityworkshops/ for our next workshop announcement.

#diversespeakerworkshopsreports, #wpdiversity

Report: Allyship and Diverse Speaker Workshops April 2022

In April 2022 we held an Allyship discussion, particularly for WCEUWCEU WordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event. and WCUSWCUS WordCamp US. The US flagship WordCamp event. organizers. We also held a speaker workshop for Nigeria.

April 2022

Allyship for WP Event Organizers Discussion and Accountability – April 14, 2022

Facilitators: @jillbinder, @onealtr, @juliarosia

A 1.5 hour, hands-on, interactive workshop for people who have been thinking about speaking at WordPress MeetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. in Nigeria.

Number who attended: 18
From number of cities: 18
From number of countries: 7 (Canada, Greece, Netherlands, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, and United States)

How to Own Your Expertise & Start Speaking at Nigeria WordPress Meetups – April 24, 2022

Facilitator: @jillbinder

A discussion on creating welcoming and inclusive events. People were asked to bring what they’ve tried and how it has gone, ideas they are considering, and any questions. 

Number who attended: 38 (live or watched recording after)
From number of cities: 12
From number of countries: 4 (Indonesia, Nigeria, Rwanda, United States)
Self-report increase in public speaking confidence after taking the workshops: 40%

Testimonials

“My public speaking fear has reduced! The organizers were friendly and understanding. I give this workshop a 5 star rating.”
— Web Developer, Nigeria

“The session was excellently packaged.”
— Onose Oghenevwogaga, WordPress MeetupMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. Organizer, Warri, Nigeria

“The facilitators gave us ideas on how topics can be generated and how we can speak on what we love to do best or what we do best. This approach of explaining and brainstorming idea with us made me feel comfortable in getting started with public speaking.”
— ALABI, Abdulhafeez, WordPress Design & Project Manager, Kaduna, Nigeria

“This session has helped to dispel my fear of feeling like I don’t know enough to give a talk.”

“My fear of public speaking is broken!”

diverse-speaker-support channel

We have a SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. channel in the Make WordPress Slack for:

  • workshopping talks with each other and with mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.
  • finding out about WordPress speaking opportunities from WordPress Meetups and WordCamps
  • getting to know other WordPress speakers and organizers

Number of past #WPDiversity Workshop participants who joined in April: 4

In our first month of focusing on community engagement in the channel (lead by @juliarosia and @kcrockett), conversations and wins have been taking off!

Wins this month: 10!

  • 5 members applied to speak at WCUS
  • 1 member applied to give a workshop at WCUS
  • 2 members got feedback on their WCUS applications and outlines from the channel
  • 1 spoke at an in-person WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more.
  • 1 got accepted to speak at another WordPress-related online conference

Thank you

A lot of people contribute to making these workshops successful. Thank you to each and every one!


Upcoming: May 2022

Organizing Diverse & Inclusive WordPress Events

(Was: Allyship for WP Event Organizers)

Join us Tuesday, May 10, 2022 or Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 2pm-3pm Eastern (6pm-7pm UTC) for a discussion of videos on Learn WordPress. This discussion is for WP event organizers and contributors. The focus will be on what actions you can take now.

Register on Eventbrite 

WPDiversity is Expanding to APAC!

Members of the #WPDiversity team are starting up a second meeting that will be more accessible to those in the APAC time zones. The first meeting will be Thursday, May 12, 2022.

Read more and express your interest here: https://make.wordpress.org/community/2022/04/22/wpdiversity-is-expanding-to-apac/

#diversespeakerworkshopsreports, #wpdiversity

Report: Allyship and Diverse Speaker Workshops February 2022

In February, #WPDiversity held a speaker workshop for Switzerland and a SlackSlack Slack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. conversation in the Allyship for WP Event organizers program.

February 2022

Switzerland – Underrepresented Voices: Confidence and Topics for Speaking at WordCamps, February 10, 2022

Facilitator: @jillbinder

A workshop for underrepresented people in Switzerland on February 10, 2022

Number who attended: 6

From number of cities: 6

From number of countries: 3 (Germany, Switzerland, and United States)

Self-report increase in public speaking confidence after taking the workshops: 52%

Two people from the workshop volunteered to translate the videos into French.

Allyship Program

Allyship for WordPress event organizers AMER/EMEA accountability Slack chat,  February 16, 2022

Facilitator: @jillbinder

In our 3-month Allyship program, we hold support chats in the WordPress Slack #community-events channel in months 2 and 3. This was our month 3 chat.

We invite the current and previous cohorts to attend (cohorts 1 and 2).

Number who attended: 11

From number of cities: 10

From number of countries: 5 (Canada, England, Luxembourg, Philippines, and United States)

diverse-speaker-support channel

We have set up a brand-new Slack channel in the Make WordPress Slack for:

  • networking
  • workshopping talks with each other and with mentorsEvent Supporter Event Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.
  • finding out about WordPress speaking opportunities from WordPress MeetupsMeetup Meetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamps

Number of past #WPDiversity Workshop participants who joined in February: 5

Thank you

A lot of people contribute to making these workshops successful. Thank you to each and every one!

Upcoming:

Love this? Come attend a workshop!

Watch https://make.wordpress.org/community/tag/wpdiversityworkshops/ for our next workshop announcement for April soon.If you are holding WordPress Meetups or are holding a WordCampWordCamp WordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. this year, we would like to help you be welcoming diversity stewards. Please get in touch with @jillbinder on the WordPress Slack and we will arrange #WPDiversity workshops for you.

#diversespeakerworkshopsreports, #wpdiversity