Hatchery: Community Organizers Summit
Do you organize a Conference, Meetup, User Group, Hackathon, or other community event in your area? Are you trying to start a group but don't know where to start? Whether you have 30 years experience or are looking to create a new event, this summit is for you.
Join us Saturday May 17, 2025 from 10:30am - 1:00pm EST for a Keynote, Show and Tell, and an unconference!
CFP for Show & Tell
Show & Tell is a new format we are trying this year! You can think of it as a modified lightning talk. You have 5 minutes to present something to summit attendees that you are proud of that works well in your community. It can be a process, a tool, an engagement philosophy, etc. so long as it works well in your community, you are proud of it, and you want to share it with others. You will present on this topic for 5 minutes, with the standard Lightning Talk timer (strict 5 minute time limit). Once the time is up, there will be a 5 minute Q&A and then we will move on to the next presenter. The goal of this format is to share ideas across communities and learn from one another.
The CFP for this is open! We have three slots, so apply to the CFP! The CFP closes at 8:00pm EST on May 9, 2025
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 10:30am | Opening Remarks |
| 10:35am | Keynote |
| 11:00am | Keynote Q&A |
| 11:05am | Show & Tell Session 1 + Q&A |
| 11:15am | Show & Tell Session 2 + Q&A |
| 11:25am | Show & Tell Session 3 + Q&A |
| 1135am | Unconference Explanation |
| 11:40am | Ideas, voting, group formatin |
| 12:00pm | Unconference Session #1 |
| 12:30pm | Unconference Session #2 |
| 1:00pm | Break for lunch |
A New Format
This year we are experimenting with new formats. We want to take advantage of our time together, and get as many people participating as possible. To this end, we will be focusing on interactive sessions where everyone will have a chance to participate and have their voice heard.
What is an Unconfernce?
An unconference is a participant-driven format that differs from traditional conferences in several ways. Instead of pre-planned agendas and speakers, unconferences create their schedule on the day of the event, with attendees proposing and leading sessions based on their interests and expertise.
The core features of an unconference include:
- Self-organizing: The agenda is created at the beginning of the event by the attendees
- Open participation: Anyone can propose a topic, and attendees vote for the topics they want to discuss
- The "Law of Mobility": Participants are encouraged to move between sessions freely if they're not learning or contributing.
- Peer-to-peer learning: The focus is on conversation and exchange of ideas rather than one-way presentations.
- Documentation: Typically includes some form of shared note-taking to capture the discussion
We plan to run two Sessions, lasting 30 minutes each, with either two or three topics being discussed per Session (depending on interest and available space)
So come with your discussion topics!