inclusivity statement
An inclusivity statement is a policy posted on event or organization pages outlining goals, expectations, and positions on diversity and inclusion.
Why
(this section is a stub and needs expansion) There are many reasons to have an explicit inclusivity statement, here are some, not in any order (or presence/absence) of importance. Please add more!
- to increase greater representation among people of color and those who do not identify as male they need to see themselves in attendees and keynote speakers and know an organization is putting efforts at inclusion. Inclusivity statement may help both these efforts
- some folks will not attend an event if there is any availability of alcohol because of the increased possibility of harassment
- ...
Examples
- Association of Internet Researchers: Diversity and Inclusivity
- Inclusion at XOXO
- Mozilla Addendum to Manifesto
- Offline Camp Diversity Statement (section in FAQ), derived from:
- Conference Diversity Statement of O'Reilly Media, Inc. - published CC-BY-3.
- WP Campus Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement (CC-by-sa-3.0] with links to other examples at the bottom of its page.
Questions
- should we rename "Homebrew" Website Club because of possible beer/alcohol-related connotations that may be discouraging folks?
- many local HWCs have taken to just changing the name to IndieWeb Meet Up instead of Homebrew Website Club as they find HWC not as inviting a name.
DRAFT
About this draft
The below IndieWeb Diversity and Inclusion Statement has been drafted at the Berlin Organizers meeting and needs Organizers feedback and likely discussion at the next Organizers meetup to approve for general use at IndieWeb events.
- GOAL: Get something agreed and published before IndieWeb Summit 2019 that explicitly communicates IndieWebCamp organizers consensus on pro-actively being inclusive of people of a diversity of cultures, and especially those from under-privileged backgrounds.
- PRIMARY AUTHORS:
Greg McVerry, 
Tantek Çelik (noted for transparency of presence of viewpoints / opinions, not credit, nor ownership)
Organizers: please feel free to provide feedback, and if you like, adapt this statement to your own events until there's consensus for a general IndieWeb events Diversity and Inclusion Statement.
IndieWeb Diversity and Inclusion Statement
The IndieWeb Community has a commitment to building a more diverse and inclusive web. We celebrate multiple approaches and points of view online. In fact we believe diversity drives innovation and personal websites protect this diversity. A multilingual web that provides safe space for all peoples helps society as a whole.
So we’re building a culture where difference is valued. We take a holistic approach and help each other maintain our own sites to own our identity and celebrate our culture. We’re always growing our network of people, building blocks, and events.
All IndieWeb Events
- All IndieWebCamp events have a Code of Conduct
- All IndieWebCamp events are open to all skill levels
- Every IndieWeb event is all ages
- All IndieWeb events and event venues are strongly encouraged to be alcohol-free
- There may be social activities after events at restaurants or other locations where alcohol could be ordered
Details
- All IndieWeb events and event venues are strongly encouraged to be alcohol-free.
- We are a volunteer-run community. Organizers are themselves volunteers and our venues are typically donated, sponsored, or sometimes just a table at a cafe or bar (many Homebrew Website Club meetups). We encourage organizers to find safe, friendly, and accessible venues for all.
- We prefer alcohol-free venues. Organizers: If there’s a choice of venue, please pick one without alcohol.
- We avoid serving alcohol. Organizers: Please avoid serving alcohol during IndieWeb events. You may encourage participants to self-organize if they wish to go out after an event and choose a destination themselves.
Brainstorming
Suggested additions, note, if you're not an organizer, please note that in your suggestion.
And if you are an organizer, please note whether you yourself have actually successfully done the thing you are asking other organizers to do. If you have not, please note that. If you plan to at your next event that you are organizing, please note that as well.
Focus on diversity and inclusion
Added by Greg McVerry:
- All IndieWeb events focus on diversity and inclusion. Travel assistance funds help people from underrepresented groups attend IndieWeb events.
Recognition of systemic bias
Added by Greg McVerry:
- All IndieWeb events recognize that systematic racism and sexism have lead to exclusionary practices in open source technology and organizers make every effort to increase participation among previously excluded voices.
Accessibility Statement
Added by Greg McVerry
- All IndieWebCamp events have an Accessibility statement
Discussion:
- Tantek Çelik Though we have had a few (a couple?) of IndieWebCamps with accessibility statements of their own, this is a goal (for All IndieWebCamp events) and we shouldn't miscommunicate something as if it is true when it is not yet true.
- ...
Should we add something about climate
Added by Greg McVerry, with edits from Paul Robert Lloyd:
- We should address the climate crisis. In order to reduce the climate impact of events organizers should serve make meal choices primarily vegetarian or vegan.
- All IndieWeb events strive to reduce our impact on the climate crisis
- We reduce the impact of our travel. Organizers should try to plan IndieWeb events around adjacent activities already requiring travel in order to reduce reliance on airplane travel.
Discussion:
- Tantek Çelik Why does this belong in the inclusivity statement? If anything it feels like it dilutes the actual goals of the inclusivity statement, and thus doesn't belong here (but may belong somewhere else).
- Greg McVerry it doesn't. Agree we should remove. Though have no problem saying we encourage the serving of vegetarian food and respecting dietary choices. Remove the climate stuff..but maybe we should have a carbon or climate policy.
Dietary choices
Added by Greg McVerry:
- We respect dietary choices. Many IndieWeb members have diet restrictions due to medical, religious, or personal choices. All organizers will respect the choices of attendees and make every reasonable accommodation if providing food at an event.
Remote attendance
Added by Greg McVerry:
- All IndieWebCamp events encourage remote attendance. Remote attendees are equal attendees and every effort is made to enable two way communication and participation. Remote participation reduces the need for travel and increases attendance among marginalized parents.
Lactation friendly
Added by Greg McVerry:
- All IndieWeb events are breast feeding friendly. Organizers should check with venues to see if lactation rooms are provided if a mother prefers privacy.
Child care
Added by Greg McVerry:
- This includes direct travel or providing child care assistance for remote attendees
Issues
unclear alcohol policy
All IndieWeb events and event venues are strongly encouraged to be alcohol-free
It is not clear whether pre/afterparties are considered part of IndieWeb events, especially when they are listed on the schedule.
Possible resolutions
- make it clear that pre/afterparties are optional, and ensure it is clearly communicated whether there will be alcohol available or provided
- make it clear that pre/afterparties are considered IndieWeb events, and that the alcohol policy applies there as well
- modify the alcohol policy to specifically call out pre/afterparties as places that alcohol may be consumed. see below for more details.
Aaron Parecki 17:19, 11 June 2019 (PDT)
alcohol policy during sponsored parties
All IndieWeb events and event venues are strongly encouraged to be alcohol-free
We avoid serving alcohol. Organizers: Please avoid serving alcohol during IndieWeb events. You may encourage participants to self-organize if they wish to go out after an event and choose a destination themselves.
The current wording suggests that either all pre/afterparties are considered self-organized, or that these cannot include alcohol. This contradicts and prohibits what we've done in the past with hosting a sponsored pre-party before IndieWeb Summit where alcoholic drinks are provided.
I would instead like to make a change specifically for parties. If a pre-party is sponsored, the sponsorship cannot favor alcoholic drinks, but may include them. For example, instead of "drink tickets", there are just "tickets" which have some upper dollar limit, with the dollar amount high enough to include a reasonable variety of food and drink options.
This rules out several types of locations that may be problematic, such as bars that don't serve food and bars with minimal food options. It instead encourages places that are more accommodating to a broader group of people, while also not making a statement that "alcohol is bad".
Aaron Parecki 17:19, 11 June 2019 (PDT)
Resolved Issues
Issues resolved by consensus.
Alcohol policy should be per venue
- 2019-05-11 Greg McVerry accepted proposal
Re: " All events and event venues are alcohol free."
- Historically inaccurate. Regardless of how we state this, we should not state something that has not been 100% true in the past. Historically many IndieWeb events or meetups have been at venues that informally have alcohol (like some offices), or formally (like some bars/cafes), though many (most?) IndieWeb events have been alcohol free.
- Non-disruptive. some venues (e.g. sipgate) have alcohol in small quantities in refrigerators, which has not been disruptive. this should be ok.
- Locking up option. some venues have ways of easily storing or locking up any venue alcohol for the duration of the event (e.g. Mozilla Berlin), which we have successfully done a multiple times (IndieWebCamps Berlin 2018 and 2019).
Counter-proposal:
- All IndieWeb events and event venues are strongly encouraged to be alcohol-free.
- We are a volunteer-run community. Organizers are themselves volunteers and our venues are typically donated, sponsored, or sometimes just a table at a cafe or bar (many Homebrew Website Club meetups). We encourage organizers to find safe, friendly, and accessible venues for all.
- We prefer alcohol-free venues. Organizers: If there’s a choice of venue, please pick one without alcohol.
- We avoid serving alcohol. Organizers: Please avoid serving alcohol during IndieWeb events. You may encourage participants to self-organize if they wish to go out after an event and choose a destination themselves.