#phpledge — Public Fediverse posts

We're now into 2025 and frankly European FOSS Conferences still aren't great at considering public health and accessibility issues at Foss Conferences or gatherings.

So here's an example of a conference that does.

https://www.bsdcan.org/2025/

If you are trying to do better, put that information up front and center before you put the CFP out, and before you ask me to publicise it for you.

#CovidIsNotOver #FOSSConference #PHPledge

Diversity, inclusion, equal opportunities and participation @ @OSCo

I would like to add something about diversity, inclusion, equal opportunities and participation:

It should be given, but unfortunately it is not.
These topics are very important to us. At the same time, we are not as advanced as we would like to be in some areas, or we have made decisions that "disadvantage" certain dimensions.

I hope to initiate a discussion so that we (as an organizational team) can broaden our perspectives,
learn and improve @OSCo
Hopefully this doesn't come across as a justification.

First to the "positive"

Diversity

Diversity encompasses individual, social and structural differences and similarities between people. I.e. for example

• Ethnic background
• gender
• sexual orientation
• age
• Physical and mental abilities
• health
• Religion and ideology
• social background
• level of knowledge
• marital status

Diversity is often lacking, especially in the information security sector. We are trying to change this with the osco.

What are we doing about it:

We have a CoC to generate a safe space
https://opensecurityconference.org/coc and commit to the #CoCPledge

We have a Health & Safety Policy following the #PHPledge
https://opensecurityconference.org/conference/health

We make sure that we have diverse keynote speakers.

Children and partners are welcome.

The #OpenSpace format enables contributions regardless of knowledge level. You don't have to be an expert to participate, you can collect or generate knowledge together, but you can also "simply" ask for help.

The location allows participants to take a break at any time, retreat to their rooms or go outside (weather permitting)

We do not make any profits from the conference, but the costs are shared equally among the participants. (More on this in the gaps). This includes the organizing team. Only keynote speakers are reimbursed.

It is important to us that sponsors share our values.

Gaps, potentials and trade-offs

An on-site conference disadvantages disabled people who cannot travel easily, people with health restrictions who cannot bear the risk of traveling or attending the event themselves. Even if we do not make a profit, the costs are prohibitive for financially disadvantaged people.

The Open Space format can be stressful for neurodivergent people.

Possible improvements

• offer the event (also) online
• gain more sponsorship (who wants to step in or help!!!)
• offer discounted tickets or "scholarships" (at the moment this is still failing because we don't have a "business structure")

Our venue is also not optimal in all respects.

• There are handicapped accessible rooms and the rooms we have booked can be reached at ground level. However, this does not apply to all rooms and paths, some of the steps are longer and have parts with paving stones or gravel.

We do not have a childcare program. This would certainly also be an opportunity for improvement to make it easier for parents or single parents to participate.

I'm sure I've forgotten a lot more

Ich möchte noch mal etwas zum Thema Diversität, Inklusion, Chancengleichheit und Teilhabe ergänzen:

Uns sind die Themen sehr wichtig. Gleichzeitig sind wir in manchen Bereichen nicht so weit wie wir es gerne wären, oder haben abwägend Entscheidungen getroffen, die bestimmten Dimension "benachteiligen".

Ich hoffe damit eine Diskussion anstoßen, dass wir (als Organisationsteam) unsere Perspektiven erweitert, Lernen und die @OSCo verbessern können.
Ich hoffe das kommt hier nicht als Rechtfertigung rüber.

Erst mal zum "positiven"

Diversität

Diversität oder Diversity umfassen individuelle, soziale und strukturelle Unterschiede und Gemeinsamkeiten von Menschen. D.h. zum Beispiel

• ethnischer Hintergrund
• Geschlecht
• sexuelle Orientierung
• Alter
• körperliche und geistige Fähigkeiten
• Gesundheit
• Religion und Weltanschauung
• soziale Herkunft
• Wissenstand
• Familienstand

Gerade mit Informationssicherheitsbereich ist Diversität superwichtig und gleichzeitig nicht gegeben. Das versuchen wir mit der Konferenz zu verändern.

Was tun wir dafür:

Wir haben eine CoC um einen sicheren Raum zu generieren https://opensecurityconference.org/coc #CoCPledge

Wir haben eine dem #PHPledge folgende Health & Safety Policy
https://opensecurityconference.org/conference/health

Wir achten darauf das wir diverse Keynotespeaker*innen haben.

Kinder und Partner*innen sind willkommen.

Das #OpenSpace Format ermöglicht Beträge unabhängig vom Wissensstand. Man muss keine Expert*in sein um zu partizipieren, kann gemeinsam Wissen sammeln und generieren oder um "einfach" Hilfe bitten.

Der Ort ermöglich es Teilnehmenden jederzeit eine Pause zu machen, sich auf ihre Zimmer zurückzuziehen oder nach draußen zu gehen (wenn es das Wetter zulässt)

Wir machen mit der Konferenz keine Gewinne, sondern die Kosten werden zu gleichen Teilen auf die Teilnehmenden umgelegt. (Dazu auch mehr bei den Lücken). Das schließt die Organisationsteam mit ein. Nur Keynotespeaker*innen bekommen Kosten erstatten.

Uns ist es wichtig, dass Sponsoren unsere Werte teilen.

Lücken, Potentiale und Abwägungen

Eine vor-Ort Konferenz benachteilig Behinderte, die nicht einfach Reisen können, Menschen mit gesundheitlichen Einschränkungen, die das Risiko eine Reise oder der Veranstaltung selbst nicht tragen können. Selbst wenn wir keine Gewinne erzielen, sind die Kosten für finanziell Schache prohibitive.

Das Open Space Format kann für neurodivergente Menschen anstrengen sein.

Mögliche Ansätze das zu verbessern sind

• das Event (auch) online anzubieten
• mehr Sponsoring zu gewinnen (wer da einspringen oder helfen will!!!)
• Verbilligte Tickets oder "Stipendien" anzubieten (scheitert im Moment noch daran das wir keine "Geschäftsstruktur" haben)

Auch unser Veranstaltungsort ist nicht in allen Belangen optimal. Es gibt Behindertengerechte Zimmer und die Räume, die wir gebucht haben, sind ebenerdig zu erreichen. Das gilt aber nicht für alle Räumen und Wege, die Stufen vermeiden sind Teils länger und habe Teile mit Pflastern oder Kies.

WIr haben kein Betreuungsprogramm für Kinder. Auch das wäre sicher eine Verbesserungsmöglichkeit, um Eltern oder Alleinerziehenden eine Teilhabe zu erleichtern.

Ich habe sicher noch viel vergessen

@robin thanks for the honest write-up.
Curious to see what becomes of #PHPledge - it would certainly be a shame if the push for the existence of Health and Safety Policies would stop, but agree that it might need a... revamp of sorts.

Annnnd the air quality monitoring array has been deployed at #MatrixConf! Can you guess which room the BarCamp is starting in? 😂

Tomorrow will be the real test of the venue's ventilation, as we're expecting about 4x the attendees that we have today.

We take the #HealthAndSafety of our community seriously and are requiring masks indoors this year. The data we collect will help us calibrate our approach with this venue when we return!

#PHPledge #PublicHealthPledge #AQI #COVID #OpenSource #FOSS

An event, in Portugal, in 2024, with a COVID-19 health and safety policy? It can be done!

I just found out about https://wiki.digitalrights.community/index.php?title=Global_Gathering_COVID-19_Policy , the COVID-19 policy for the #digitalrights "Global Gathering 2024" event that is going to happen in September 27-29 in #Estoril and I must say I'm quite happy about it.

#phpledge

What's that sound? 👂

It's the engines of the #PublicHealthPledge event badging application process spooling back up!

We've thrilled to have started receiving applications from events that are going through the @chaoss DEI event badging process and will be reviewing applications on a weekly basis starting today!

#HealthAndSafety #COVID #DEI #IAQ #OpenSource #FOSS #Events #PHPledge

I am wondering if the #PHPledge crowd @phpledge has any recommendations on best practices regarding choosing meal venues.

Events often have (and sometimes are only) meals involved - whether it is a dinner party or the lunch and social couple of hours between morning and afternoon talks, etc.. Sometimes it will be catering on the event venue, and health measures are more under the organizers' control, but often enough those meals are going to happen in indoor restaurants.

So my question is, what measures should a PHPledge-conscious event take in choosing a restaurant?

You may not have the spoons to attend an event.

You may not realise there's something you can do right now to help your community be more accessible to others.

You may want to spread word of a cool event to your followers. Which is awesome.

I'm always going to check out what you're interested in, mutuals.

Although I'd like a small favour if you can. Please can you check if they have a public health policy?

If they don't could you ask them? Please?

Because I want to boost.

#PHPledge

Kinda heartbroken.

Something I posted in 2023 @josh .

Yet again, I get the impression that FOSS doesn't really believe in equality. Especially if it's difficult to implement, or to get people to understand the issue.

Yet again, people express resentment that some of us are asking openly for some consideration of our health and safety.

Or perhaps Organisers don't like people asking them to enable that equality of access.

#PHPledge #CovidIsNotOver

https://dotart.blog/cobbles/foss-conferences-and-covid

Hello again @phpledge !

Your website says "We will be launching an initial Organizer Guide in the coming days, which we will iterate on in conversation with community leaders and expert", but... well, is there a draft for it somewhere, yet?

#PHPledge

We are in maintenance mode because the universe has thoroughly piled on the volunteers behind the #PublicHealthPledge project – but we're still here!

We continue to advise event and community organizers who are willing to put in the work to run safer and more inclusive events.

Please, keep advocating for #HealthAndSafety precautions, tagging us in posts, and sending people our way! We are always glad to help.

Culture change is slow, but together anything is possible.

#COVID #PHPledge

@vmbrasseur @chaoss @lisihocke @IsItArtOrTrash @phpledge
Good idea. It's on our Todo to integrate the #PHPledge requirements

@marado Thank you for asking, there are some good examples on several US conferences including @bsdcan

https://www.bsdcan.org/2024/

On @pycon

https://us.pycon.org/2024/about/health-safety-guidelines/

@NorthBayPython
Who also have guidance for in place accessible presentations

https://2023.northbaypython.org/health-and-safety-policy

Plus if you talk to @josh who runs @phpledge he will be happy to advise you .

#phpledge

It's a bit depressing how many in-person conferences, also in the Python community, simply ignore that at least *communicating* their Health and Safety Guidelines on their website in times of "learning to live with COVID" could be a good idea - let alone having some in the first place.

Shoutout to PyCon US and PyCon IT who are doing this properly. As a signatory of the Public Health Pledge* #PHPledge I appreciate it!

#CovidIsNotOver

* https://phpledge.com/

If an event's Health & Safety policy boils down to only requiring what authorities require, and it doesn't involve masking, testing, vaccines, or serious efforts to address indoor air quality and ventilation ... then the event is out of step with the Public Health Pledge.

We are here to raise the bar, together, one event at a time.

Sometimes that means making sacrifices, or having uncomfortable conversations. This is to be expected.

#PublicHealthPledge #PHPledge #HealthAndSafety

An event organizer’s duty of care: from Codes of Conduct to Health and Safety policies

https://blog.josh.tel/2023/10/19/an-event-organizers-duty-of-care-from-codes-of-conduct-to-health-and-safety-policies/

#CoCPledge #FLOSS #HealthAndSafety #OpenSource #PHPledge #PublicHealthPledge

Every time you see an event that lets you down on Health and Safety, look for an event that hits the mark. Then, celebrate them publicly!

There are so many good examples leading the way here. Shining a spotlight on them provides positive reinforcement _and_ illuminates the path forward for events that have work to do.

We'll link to some good examples in the replies. 🧵

#PublicHealthPledge #HealthAndSafety #DEI #Events #Inclusion #PHPledge #COVID

I'll be talking about jq and JSON @SeaGL on Saturday, November 4th

I'm flying up to Seattle to be masked and in person. We're hybrid this year, so you can watch our talks remotely

This is part 3 of my jq trilogy, "Advanced jq: awk for JSON"

https://osem.seagl.org/conferences/seagl2023/program/proposals/950

#FLOSSconf #SeaGL #jq #JSON #FLOSSevent #Seattle #PHPledge

#TasteOfIndia because I'm looking forward to a fantastic meal while in town :)

A question for some folks for a crowdsource thing.

What excuses do you get from #conferences, when you ask about a #masking or public health policy due to #Covid?

I need some answers for..... Reasons.

#PHPledge

I am committed to diversity and inclusion, including people with disabilities, chronic illness, and caregivers, therefore I pledge to only participate in or organize events that have robust Health and Safety policies.

You can too.
#PHPledge https://publichealthpledge.com/ @phpledge

@everythingopen @xrobau will Everything Open be sharing the conference space with another event?

I am glad to see that there is an awareness of COVID in the health policy. Would you consider a more #PHPledge type health policy? @josh would love to help you.

We all ready have the examples of #fossy, @NorthBayPython , @SeaGL and also @bsdcan who managed to create a robust safe health policy. #CovidIsStillHere

I loved going to LCA in 2020. It would be nice to have another event I could attend.

Shout out to the team at @FOSSBackstage for their #HealthAndSafety policy!

We hope that they add masking to their policy, but the bottom line for now is that they have a policy and they've committed to not weakening it between now and the event.

That is head and shoulders above the status quo of events that act like it's still 2019.

Learn more about the event: https://24.foss-backstage.de/

Read their H&S policy: https://tickets.plainschwarz.com/fossback24/page/health-safety/

#PHPledge #PublicHealthPledge #FOSSBackstage

@phpledge @josh One last thing.

Will @fsf / @fsfe commit to having a #PublicHealth policy at their meet ups celebrating #gnu40?

Will any of the attendees who are speaking at these events commit to the #PHPledge?

It's only a few weeks away, but I did ask back in July, with no response.

Or does fighting for rights only apply to code and hardware?

#CovidIsStillHere

https://chaos.social/@onepict/110752617706140180

@phpledge @josh We need leadership and leaders who do what John Scalzi and others did.

We need those leaders to take a stand and refuse to attend conferences without a rigorous #PublicHealth policy.

We need those leaders to sign the #PHPledge.

We need them to be brave enough to stand for everyone in their communities. Not just stand for those they can meet in person during a conference.

We need leaders, panelists and keynote invitees to politely decline if no policy is in place.

@phpledge @josh

I want our flagship #FOSS organisations and their executive directors to look beyond their careers and their opportunities and to consider the larger communities they are leaving behind and actively excluding.

Perhaps I'm naive. I always thought choosing FOSS showed a more communal way of thinking.

We managed to encourage codes of conduct to ensure conference safety for vulnerable individuals.

Let's improve on that so that our conferences are open to everyone.

#PHPledge

One of the points @phpledge and @josh makes is that you can ask for safer conferences to attend. We've done it before by pushing for conferences to have COCs with anti harrassment policies.

We need our community leaders to push for rigorous public health policies as #CovidIsStillHere

In 2013 @scalzi decided to take a stand on COCs by announcing he wouldn't be the guest of honor, or a panel participant unless the conference had an anti harrassment policy.

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2013/07/02/my-new-convention-harassment-policy/

#PHPledge

We may be biased, as the pledge author is a co-organizer of the event, but we think the @northbaypython #HealthAndSafety policy is pretty great.

Two other events have already adapted the policy for themselves. Maybe it can be useful for you too!

Take a look at a model policy: https://2023.northbaypython.org/health-and-safety-policy

#Events #OpenSource #PublicHealthPledge #PHPledge

We've been a little quiet here, but our work is far from done!

Public Health Pledge author @josh will be presenting about event Health and Safety policies next month in Portland, Oregon.

We're building a community of practice, creating model policies, and notching a few wins.

As the puzzle pieces come together, we can make a renewed push advocating for change -- with the necessary tools ready for people to adopt.

#PHPledge #PublicHealthPledge #HealthAndSafety