For a long time, tech culture has focused too narrowly on technical skills; this has resulted in a tech community that too often puts companies and code over people. Greater Than Code is a podcast that invites the voices of people who are not heard from enough in tech: women, people of color, trans and/or queer folks, to talk about the human side of software development and technology. Greater Than Code is providing a vital platform for these conversations, and developing new ideas of what it means to be a technologist beyond just the code. Featuring an ongoing panel of racially and gender diverse tech panelists, the majority of podcast guests so far have been women in tech! We’ve covered topics including imposter syndrome, mental illness, sexuality, unconscious bias and social justice. We also have a major focus on skill sets that tech too often devalues, like team-building, hiring, community organizing, mentorship and empathy. Each episode also includes a transcript. We have an active Slack community that members can join by pledging as little as $1 per month via Patreon. (https://www.patreon.com/greaterthancode)
184: The Python Software Foundation and the Future of Conferencing with Naomi Ceder & Ewa Jodlawska
01:39 - Ewa’s Superpower: Organization
02:01 - Naomi’s Superpower: Empathy for the Marginalized
02:51 - The Python Software Foundation (PSF)
05:26 - Regional and Local Meetings: Building a Healthy Community
06:52 - “Everybody Pays” and the PSF Budget
- Financial Aid
11:16 - How the Pandemic is Effecting the PSF
- Financially
- Moving to Virtual Conferencing
13:20 - Intellectual Property
- Holding in Trust for Community
- Preserving Goodness
- PyLadies
- Brand Integrity
16:36 - The Development of a Code of Conduct
- Enforcement
- Ratio of Enforcers to Attendees
23:08 - Naomi: Classics, Language, and Computer Science
- Similarities and Differences
29:15: Ewa: Ending Up in Governance
31:03 - Ewa and Naomi’s Roles in PSF
- The PSF Board
- The PSF Staff
35:49 - Creating Emergency Funds
40:18 - Grants & Sponsorships
42:33 - Contractual Agreements
46:22 - Engaging in a Virtual Setting Over In-Person Events
51:15 - Approaching Issues Marginalized People Experience
Reflections:
Rein: If you want to understand how an accident happened, you need to understand why what a person was doing made sense to them at the time. “What would this mean if this made sense?”
Jacob: Looking forward to new conference formats.
Carina: What solutions are people pitching for moving to virtual gatherings?
Naomi: Only in our space do we think it’s "weird" to talk about whether or not we need emergency reserves. Also, online Hallway Tracks? Yes or no? What do now?
Ewa: Moving to online events is emotional.
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Special Guests: Ewa Jodlawska and Naomi Ceder.