[Scale-planning] Navigating a new social landscape at SCaLE

[Phil Dibowitz]

On 6/27/21 12:48 PM, Carlos wrote:
> Hello SCaLE planners,
> 
> I would like to suggest attendees have a way to share their social 
> contact comfort level.

Hi Carlos!

Thanks for the suggestion. We are indeed starting to discuss what we 
want to do to ensure safety and comfort for next year's SCALE event.

I'm a big fan of the kind of thing you suggest - 
stickers/ribbons/whatever to add to your badge. I might swap 
"handshakes" with "elbow bumps" since that's sorta the thing since the 
pandemic, in general we will likely do something like this.

We're also discussing if we want to require vaccinations, masks, etc. 
We're fortunate that there are several conferences this year and we'll 
benefit from watching what they do seeing how it works out and be able 
to use that data to help us decide the best course of action. For 
example, DEFCON this year is requiring both vaccinations and masks. 
We're not yet sure what we will choose - it will depend on how COVID-19 
and variants evolve over the months, what the CDC and the Pasadena 
Health officials require, and what we believe will keep out staff and 
attendees safe.

Despite being the weekend before the CA lockdown, we were very proud 
that (afaik) last year's SCALE didn't involve any outbreaks. We will be 
doing everything in our power to ensure next year's SCALE keeps everyone 
safe as well, and I think some mechanism for people to indicate their 
comfort with levels of contact will be an important part of that.

Thanks!
- Phil
Diversity and Safety Chair



> 
> Levels of comfort can include:
> I welcome:
> - hugs
> - handshakes
> - waves
> - my space
> 
> Ideas of how attendees can indicate their comfort level include:
> - colored lanyards
> - badge stickers
> 
> The desired outcomes include lowering social anxiety and increasing 
> comfortability. Many members of the Linux and open-source community 
> struggle to navigate social situations. Covid-19 has exacerbated this 
> issue, as social norms are being redefined.
> 
> Thanks for consideration of this idea,
> 
> Carlos Meza
> 
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> 


-- 
Phil Dibowitz                             phil at ipom.com
Open Source software and tech docs        Insanity Palace of Metallica
http://www.phildev.net/                   http://www.ipom.com/

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