Here are the details we’ve worked out for the unofficial POC-only events @ WisCon:
Friday:
Meet & Greet
After the opening ceremonies (approx 8:30PM) there will be an informal gathering of POC so that we can meet each other, plan how we’re going to deal with certain aspects of the POC space during the con, and squee over the # of us all in one place. At around 8:50 we’re going to depart for somewhere other than the lobby–perhaps someone’s room, a corner of the bar, a restaurant, wherever we decide. So be sure to be in the lobby before then!
Saturday:
11:45 – 1:00 PM – Intra-POC Relationships & Coalition Building Kaffeeklatsch
one of the overflow rooms on the 6th floor.
Participants of this kaffeeklatsch will be limited. (I’ll let you guess what the limitations are.) In order to avoid certain unpleasantness, there will be folks at the con with sign-up lists for this event. You’ll be able to recognize them by the buttons they wear, which will say “People Against We-Sha-Sha“. If you want to be one of the people with a sign-up list, please let me know.
(The lunch time begins at 11:15, which gives people time to hop over to the cafe to get some food if there’s nothing in the con suite they can eat. But I believe this year they are making sure there are vegetarian and vegan options.)
Monday:
8:00 – 9:45AM – POC Breakfast & Con Roundup
Concourse Hotel Restaurant
Some have suggested we have a last get-together on the last day to go over our con experiences and sketch out a plan for how we’re going to deal with some of the POC-only spaces next year. I blocked out the entire early morning programming block so that people could drop in as they wake up, pop out to attend a panel, etc.
Also, now that the programming schedule is up, is anyone willing to take shifts (during one programming block, say) so we can have a POC-only lounge space?
Now that we have a day/time, is anyone able to print out a bunch of copies of the info flier so we can hand them out?
And last, I would like to have a reading with all POC participants (though the audience can be mixed, maybe?), maybe on Saturday. Is anyone interested in reading?
Spread the word, everyone! I want as many people to know about this before the con as possible, as it will facilitate getting people in the right place at the right time.
If there’s anything an ally can do to support this, please let me know.
I plan to link to this post as the “current plan” for interested folks and to your post on the Wiscon LJ community for some of the discussion as part of my Wiscon blogging. Please let me know if linking isn’t okay or if I don’t have the right links for the right things.
FYI, i’m doing a reading with alaya dawn johnson, doselle young, and bryan thao worra at fair trade at 4 pm on saturday. i hope you’ll all schedule your reading at another time so we can all attend each other’s!
Waaaah! I wanna go to
Wiscon!!!! Save a button for me – send it back with someone…
Oh, I missed the comment about the reading. If I have the time open, I’d love to. I do nothing but multicultural fiction, so I’m certainly at no shortage of material for it. Saturday is clear for me, except for the first panel slot and after nine until 10:15.
I’m part of the Wrting Workshop on Friday, but after that I can take a stint with a clipboard and do signups. :)
I’d definitely be willing to do the sign-up and read at the POC reading.
As for taking shifts I don’t exactly understand what you mean. Taking shifts where exactly? And for the whole weekend or only on Monday?
Just an FYI so we can stay on top of it,
According to the E Cube, Room 607 is out of play as well since it’s been designated as a quiet reading space.
So 629 and 607 are both out.
Jackie
I just read the comments on the WisCon thread. I wanted to add that I think this was due to confusion about which rooms were dedicated to what, and has nothing to do with the POC space situation. Just in case anyone was wondering that. I think it’s unrelated.
The space would be open on Sunday lunch, I believe.
we’ll do another of the rooms, then :)
Hi. I’m sorry, but the Journeyman Writers Meeting just got moved to room 629 on Saturday over lunchtime. I know, this gets weird with WisCon not being able to officially support the POC meeting, but I thought you would want to know.
Hey, I can do flyering if you need. I get in around 10PM Thursday night, so I’ll miss packet-stuffing, but I’m not sure if that would be our flyering vehicle of choice? My visual design skills sort of suck, so it’ll probably be very plain, but let me know how many copies and how to distribute!
Yep, that darn We-Sha-Sha root keeps popping up again *rolls eyes*
I love the button, in fact I’d like to take one home after the con just so folks ask what it’s about.
all the people wearing the buttons get to keep them. This I decree!
“People Against We-Sha-Sha“
*roflmbao*
I’m willing to take some shifts with the click board and the lounge inbetween my panels. I just got the programing info, so need to check what time I have open. This is a great thing, very important. I’m glad it’s happening.