I didn't get a lot of enthusiasm for Denver so what about Atlanta?
I've found an event planner to handle logistics. Now the hard part. Programming.
Do you want workshops, panels, seminars? If so, what about? I love technology, widgets etc. What would you travel across the ocean to see or do at a conference for bloggers of color?
Your thoughts and comments would be appreciated.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Hundreds of Bloggers of Color in one Place. What do You do?
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21 comments:
I've been to a few conferences lately that follow an "unconference" style for programming. Basically, the attendees plan and facilitate their own sessions based around a bunch of ideas. It was a pretty successful format when it was done here with PodCamp Atlanta. (Here's a link to the schedule so you can see what I'm talking about: http://podcamp.pbwiki.com/PodcampAtlantaSessions)
The thing with sessions like this is not to keep them too tight on time - an hour or so per session would be good. Another advantage to the unconference format is that if someone wants to talk about something that maybe isn't being mentioned, they're more than welcome to start a session to address it. I'm thinking sessions like Blogging 101, Podcasting 101, How to Monetize Your Blog and things like that would be some good introductory sessions.
Thanks Karsh. That site is cool.
I would not attend a conference strictly for blogging, but if it was tied into an actual writing conference, such as Black Writers Reunion & Conference, I would think that would be more attractive.
Unruly brown, the thing about blogging is that it's merely the vessel for which so much other change can come about. Sure, when most people think about blogging, no doubt the image comes up of someone just ranting off their own personal opinions to a silent audience, but blogging can also be an avenue for social change. It can be a way to spur community involvement. It can be used to reach a customer base for a business. It can even be a full time job.
A conference that's "strictly for blogging" would end up having a lot of other components, writing just being one of them. If anything, those writers' conferences can have sessions on blogging!
Hello g-e-m2001,
Atlanta, Georgia works for me. Quick question. What would be the purpose, the theme, or the mission of the Bloggers of Color conference?
A mix of workshops, panel discussions, and seminars would ensure that this "annual" conference would be informative, insightful, and inclusive.
Please keep me posted pertaining to your proposed plans. Sounds promising
Manchild
The content of the conference will be driven by the participants so if you have specific ideas, please post them. We will be having a conference call sometime in late July and we can firm things up before opening early registration in September/October.
What a great idea. I wish you much success with the planning of this event. I'll continue to check back in.
This conference could be amazing. I just found out about it today. I'll be checking back, and will spread the word also...
Atlanta has my vote. I'd def travel to network with black bloggers and writers. Let's Leverage!
My name is Libra and I am very new to your blog but, I am physical trainer who is a African American woman who usually travels speaking to people of color about Health and Wellness. I would be willing to offer my services to lead a discussion on nutrition, fitness, and overall wellness. Just let me know. My email is Libraforde@join-a-healthclub.com.
I think Atlanta would be an ideal place...and attract quite a few bloggers to network by day and hang out at night! I'd like to see sessions led/facilitated by those bloggers who have been successful in terms of the content they produce and traffic received based on that content.
I had a similar idea the other day. I would look forward to such a conference and would even give some of my time to making it happen.
ATL is a no-brainer. I think we need to have time for both discussion and action. To many times we talk and talk but walk away with nothing. There needs to be a focus on how to CAPITALize on their websites. I think a lot of black bloggers are leaving money on the table.
Okay so so far it seems people want a technical assistance aspect to the conference, How to make more money as bloggers, and how to increase traffic and one offer to teach health and wellness.
Libra, I'm pretty sure that one is not going to make it in. I don't know if you are familiar with my other blog, but I believe in laser like focus. So where this conference might tie into your goals is how to utilize blogging to drive your personal goal of expanding health and wellness. So what would be some information you would need in order to do that?
if it's in Atlanta, i'll be there. i'd like to see a seminar or interactive panel discussion about the pros and cons of "gramatically correct" writing versus "freestyle/free-for-all" in regards to the types of audiences one hopes to attract to one's writing via the blog...
Wow. do you want to lead that panel? Bloggers don't have "rules" or at least we don't have any yet. There are some generally accepted "customs" that developed over time, but if this is something you feel strongly about then you should definitely come up with a panel idea. I think we could have an entire panel on blogging etiquette. i don't believe in it, but a lot of bloggers do. I think we are too young to try to place limits on folks, not that we could if we wanted to, but I think that would be a lively session.
Re: bliss - that would be a kick-ass session to have! Seriously, stuff like that you certainly don't see or hear about at most "mainstream" conferences, but is something that's important for bloggers and writers of color. Great idea! I know some bloggers of color who do intentionally try not to write using Black vernacular or other slang, but those are normally blogs on certain niche topics, and not of any personal information.
I've been waiting for this so long you don't know. Seriously, lets get to it:
To me blogging is the tool we use to connect to communities - so how are using this tool?
Certainly one of the things we could put in place is a loose communications network of text, photo, audio and videobloggers. What I mean by this is when something jumps up in the M$M instead of allowing the usuals suspects to speak for us we put out content that allows us to speak to the subject at hand.
We kinda do this already but if something comes up political I'd like a centralize place where I could find POC blogging responses to issues easier than I can now.
Certainly we gotta talk about Photography & Videoblogging as a POC bloggers - are there specific responsibilities that we have or not have to represent our environments?
What constitutes a Black/POC blogger? This is not intended as a trick question. There are those of us who are POC but don't necessarily write about black issues (i.e. sustainability, financial education and starting a business.)
There are folks that are POC that only write about POC issues. Does one exclude the other?
I got a bunch more but I have to pack for BlogHer. Hopefully I'll meet up with some folks and lay down some rails of action.
I guess a POC blogger is anybody who is claiming the title. I think the point of the conference is sometimes when we participate in "main stream" conferences, Bloggers of Color get a panel or a "caucus" or a mixer, butt hat is it.
I also think that Black Bloggers whatever they blog about have the potential to have an even greater potential to affect conditions on the ground because of our connection with the organizations of our parent's generation.
Whether we like it or not, we do have a "collective" aspect to our various cultures. We've had to band together either by law or out of necessity so a "community" aspect, even if our communities sometimes gets on our nerves is already a part of who we are.
I don't care what you blog about. We can certainly have topical panels or seminars. I even thought of hosting a presidential candidate panel ( I am reaching, but those who know my track record know that that is not out of the realm of possibility). But the BIG sessions or over arching ideas would deal with things affecting all bloggers such as widgets and technology and making money, if that is what you want to do, or driving blog traffic and yes "etiquette" issues.
The conference is what we decide it will be. Just like our blogs are what we want them to be.
I think it's a wonderful idea. I think you should push forward with the conference. There is no time like the present time to get started. I will do all I can to help make it happen in 08. My blog is,
wwww.YourBestShot.Com
This is a really interesting idea. I'd like to attend for a couple of reasons
- 1. I've never been to Atlanta, and I'm relatively nearby in Miami. This is the perfect reason to visit.
2. I desperately need to come up on my technology game. I don't even know how to add an RSS feed. I need help in that arena like, yesterday.
3. I also would love to put faces to names, and learn from the experiences of other bloggers. This event would definitely need to have a social aspect, in addition to the sessions Karsh suggested. An open-to-the-public how to start your own blog event could also be interesting, I get a lot of e mails from readers about that.
This could be a lot of fun!
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