Panel: Ruby's Killer Feature: The Community

by Christopher Sexton, Sean Marcia, Latoya Allen, and Zuri Hunter

The panel discussion titled "Ruby's Killer Feature: The Community" featured speakers Christopher Sexton, Sean Marcia, Latoya Allen, and Zuri Hunter at RailsConf 2017. The central theme of the panel is the importance of the Ruby community and how local meetups serve as a vital foundation for building connections within this community. The panelists shared insights on how to engage community members and facilitate involvement in organizing and leading events.

Key points discussed include:

Community Organizations: Each speaker provided an overview of their community initiatives, such as Ruby for Good’s weekend events supporting nonprofits, She Nomads’ focus on remote work and travel, and Women Who Code’s network aimed at uplifting women in tech.
Member Engagement: The panel stressed that consistent engagement relies on understanding members' interests and actively involving them in discussions. Feedback mechanisms were highlighted as crucial in shaping future events.
Encouragement and Leadership: The speakers discussed methods to empower members to present or lead initiatives, including mentorship programs that pair junior members with experienced leaders, which fosters confidence in participants.
Creating Safe Spaces: The establishment of a code of conduct was deemed essential to ensure that all community members feel welcomed and safe, which helps mitigate conflicts and encourages diversity.
Diversity and Inclusivity: The importance of promoting diversity within tech communities was underscored, with strategies shared on appealing to underrepresented groups and making events accessible. The demographics of Ruby for Good’s registrants demonstrated the positive results of these efforts.
Value of Meetups: The significance of local meetups for fostering connections was articulated, emphasizing that in-person interactions deepen relationships and enhance community bonds.

In conclusion, the panelists emphasized the ongoing need for mentorship and support in the Ruby community, advocating for attendees to utilize the shared insights to cultivate inclusive environments within their networks. They encouraged everyone to remain engaged, co-host events, and actively participate in nurturing the community as a collective to bolster growth and inclusivity in tech.

00:00:13.340 All right, good morning! Hopefully, you all enjoyed the keynote and the break that we just had. We are continuing today with our panel.

00:00:19.439 I am really excited for this session on Ruby's Killer Feature. I'm going to introduce Chris, who is the moderator. Chris is the VP of Engineering at Radius Network, where he builds mobile proximity tools and services.

00:00:32.309 He co-founded the Arlington Ruby group and helped organize both Ruby Retrocession and Ruby for Good events. Enjoy the panel!

00:00:58.800 So I'm going to go through and we'll do quick introductions, and then we'll get started. All right, thank you for the introduction! Hi, everybody, my name is Latoya Hunter.

00:01:12.510 I am a Howard University lover of computers, a mission systems major, and I am also the Women Who Code Ruby on Rails lead in Washington, D.C. I am a junior software engineer at Digital Globe.

00:01:27.000 Hi everyone, my name is LaToya. I am the founder of She Nomads, an inclusive space in tech for people who want to travel while working remotely, and I'm also a principal Rails engineer at Daily Coast.

00:01:39.140 Okay, I'm Sean. I am Sean and I work with organizations like Ruby for Good. I help organize these events, and I also work for the government.

00:01:54.360 One thing is we'd like to have your questions, and I've put some index cards in the front two rows up here. If you can, I’d love it if people could come up, grab an index card, write down a question, and just hand it up to me.

00:02:08.729 We want to be able to go through some of those. All right, so before we go into the questions, let's get a little context. Can you give the elevator pitch for one of the community organizations that you guys organize?

00:02:22.140 Let’s go in reverse order. Since Sean is holding the microphone, I'll start with him. The pitch I like to give is about Ruby for Good. You've probably heard of it and seen people wearing the shirts here.

00:02:35.910 It's a long weekend event where we get a lot of people like us together, and we help nonprofits that really need our skills but would never be able to afford it otherwise.

00:02:58.800 As I said before, She Nomads is a space for people who want to travel while working remotely, and I think a big part of working in tech is constantly developing your skill set.

00:03:14.850 We offer free coding classes, study groups, and accountability groups, along with a remote work and wellness retreat because I think those are important for us as people in tech.

00:03:33.900 Women Who Code is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a community and network for women in tech or women who would love to join tech. In our D.C. chapter, we have weekly meetings on various subjects including Python, Java, Ruby on Rails, and front-end work.

00:03:59.370 We host workshops and talks, providing a support group for women in the industry to share our knowledge. One of the things I'd like to set is the original drive behind this panel was my interest in people who help foster community.

00:04:34.430 We had a wonderful panel discussion on the first day about getting involved in the community. Now we are more focused on the next step: if you’re already involved in the community, how can you step up and organize, or if you're organizing, how can you evolve the groups you're in?

00:05:06.470 The first topic I'd like to discuss is member engagement. My first question is: how do you get consistent members in the organizations that you help with?

00:05:20.270 For our organization, consistent member engagement starts with feedback. When we first get women on board, we like to determine what topics they're interested in, particularly in Ruby on Rails.

00:05:47.720 We strive to provide the best possible content, focusing heavily on beginners. Remember, we all started as beginners, so we ensure our events clarify what they need to know and outline the steps to improve.

00:06:10.220 We maintain constant engagement through platforms like Slack, which helps keep the communication flowing outside of official events. Our community members also play a crucial role in this engagement.

00:06:29.510 I've noticed that many face left due to a lack of a code of conduct, so we established one to provide clear guidelines. Additionally, I recognized that many people were struggling to find remote jobs that enable travel.

00:06:49.270 This led to the creation of a job board, connecting people with companies hiring for remote positions. Listening to and meeting the needs of our community is incredibly important.

00:07:14.040 It's vital to make members feel included in the community; we engage them by having everyone introduce themselves at meetups and share something interesting about them, such as a book they'd take to a desert island.

00:07:35.930 Moreover, we encourage people to connect outside of the meetup, like grabbing coffee together.

00:07:58.600 Continuing from that, how do we encourage people to present at meets or step up and lead projects? I'm a big fan of volunteer work and guiding people to take initiatives.

00:08:14.500 Many people want to contribute but often feel self-conscious. I sit with them and suggest they give a talk about something they're passionate about.

00:08:34.710 For She Nomads, our events are typically remote which is convenient for engagement. If someone wants to teach a class or lead an Ask Me Anything (AMA), they can do that no matter where they are.

00:08:55.710 If a group of people is in cities like New York, Mexico City, or Lisbon, I'm all for them organizing a meetup under the She Nomads banner.

00:09:14.470 Now, Latoya, since you run a lot of workshops, how would you convince someone who feels too junior to lead or help others?

00:09:35.540 Encourage them by reassuring them they can do this, and offer help to put together their talk. It’s all about instilling confidence.

00:09:55.850 Sean, with Ruby for Good, one challenge is finding leaders for projects. How can we help those who feel underqualified?

00:10:13.720 What we’ve started doing is pairing junior members with senior mentors from the community. This way, they have someone to guide them through the process.

00:10:31.720 Latoya, you mentioned the code of conduct earlier. How important is it, and what specific points should be made when working in a community?

00:10:54.550 I believe two key things are essential: have a code of conduct and enforce it. If people violate rules or disrupt the community, it’s crucial to address that immediately.

00:11:15.590 Moreover, creating a safe space for everyone is vital. Ruby does a great job at this, but I’d love to see other communities also step up.

00:11:31.890 Has anyone here experienced conflicts in their organization? How did you handle it?

00:11:47.150 While we've had an overwhelmingly positive experience so far, we did face an incident recently that was handled exceptionally well.

00:12:06.660 We established a three-strike system. On the first offense, we would speak to the individual and explain why their behavior was unacceptable, referring to the code of conduct.

00:12:23.540 If the behavior repeated, we'd remove the individual to ensure a safe environment for others. However, it’s essential to reach out and explain their misunderstanding.

00:12:44.670 While having rules is vital, I’ve heard counterarguments suggesting we should just 'be nice.' It’s clear that despite decades of efforts for equality in tech, not everyone gets the message.

00:12:58.020 Having a framework is essential to foster a positive environment. There’s no doubt that rules are necessary for enhancing community dynamics.

00:13:18.890 Now, shifting to discuss diversity and culture, how do you encourage diversity in your organizations?

00:13:28.850 As an individual from an underrepresented group, I aim to make my presence known. When we started She Nomads, we wanted everyone to be an ally to underrepresented groups in tech.

00:13:48.420 This approach might have initially turned off some people, but it ultimately strengthened our community by preventing issues from arising.

00:14:16.270 Our leadership team recognized that we may not be the most diverse group, so we are adding more organizers from various backgrounds to reflect this.

00:14:37.030 We also consider logistical elements, like the location of our meetups and potential economic barriers that could prevent certain groups from attending.

00:14:53.890 Sean, Ruby for Good is a general outreach group. What steps do you take to encourage diversity beyond the organizers?

00:15:16.430 Before registration opens, I reach out to diverse organizations and network. At Ruby for Good, we've noticed our demographics reflect our efforts.

00:15:33.910 This year, 44% of our registrants identified as female, which is a promising sign of diversity in tech events.

00:15:52.600 For meetup organizers looking to ensure diversity, reaching out to individuals who don’t typically attend events can encourage participation.

00:16:09.860 Engaging with them personally shows that you value their presence. Inclusivity drives a positive change in community dynamics.

00:16:30.780 I want to emphasize that expanding community offerings is vital. More meetups lead to increased participation, ensuring people find their fit.

00:16:49.480 Joining forces with other organizers to co-host events creates opportunities for more diverse experiences and perspectives.

00:17:03.170 Collaborating with groups regional to your specialty encourages knowledge-sharing and encourages attendees to participate.

00:17:21.840 For example, I’ve linked up with the Chicago Python Ladies to run workshops together. Merging different communities can only bolster the tech scene further.

00:17:40.510 I believe there's a distinct value in complementing each other's strengths and creating more room for collective growth.

00:17:58.410 As an organizer, having more groups in the same area means more options for individuals who want to learn.

00:18:15.930 In Arlington, for instance, I was thrilled when Reston launched their Rails meetup. Having more opportunities means richer experiences.

00:18:33.090 In the tech community, there’s no fear of healthy competition. It fosters a collaborative environment with lots of options for learners.

00:18:50.100 Encouraging more events, especially across different time zones, can only enhance the network. If you’ve ever been inspired to start your own group, do it!

00:19:12.680 If you find yourself traveling 20 minutes to meetups frequently, consider launching your own!

00:19:27.340 Latoya, you mentioned earlier that She Nomads began as a virtual community. How did you manage to create a co-located event in Mexico?

00:19:43.990 When I first started working remotely, I struggled to find a community. In the U.S., there are numerous meetups, but not everywhere people travel.

00:20:04.440 As I traveled to Mexico City, I found that many others faced this same issue. I decided to take the leap and create a space for those wanting the same experiences.

00:20:22.070 Surprisingly, many people were eager to join the trip, and a diverse experience blossomed in Mexico. It has enriched the sense of community through shared adventures.

00:20:37.960 So did you find value in that co-located face time? Absolutely! The bonds we formed energized our community and deepened our connections.

00:20:51.500 Sean, you originally organized Ruby Retro Session, and somehow you transitioned it into Ruby for Good. Can you explain how that happened?

00:21:06.350 Retro Session is a one-day unconference where we gather and discuss various topics as a community. It’s excellent for bonding and community building.

00:21:25.430 I recognized how nonprofits face challenges, and there was an opportunity for developers to provide invaluable aid with minimal effort.

00:21:46.030 With my software skills, I wanted to assist nonprofits in need, which partly stemmed from a sense of responsibility to give back.

00:22:06.360 As we wrap this discussion about helping our community, let’s all remember the importance of encouraging beginners.

00:22:19.840 Finding ways to teach those new to tech not only lifts individuals but enhances the community as a whole.

00:22:34.800 To create effective mentorship, we need to understand the goals and aspirations of our peers and guide them along the way.

00:22:52.340 It’s important to deliver encouragement while consistently checking in on their progress. Building a supportive network will build confidence over time.

00:23:07.270 Mentorship plays a key role in transitioning from learning to entering the industry; that guiding hand is often what helps individuals take that leap.

00:23:22.670 Support, even on a small scale, can significantly impact those unsure about stepping into the industry.

00:23:37.800 Continuing these discussions about mentorship is vital; it reinforces the need for support as we navigate our paths in tech.

00:23:52.700 Questions still arise regarding effective mentorship and how to find suitable guides in the community.

00:24:08.700 Lastly, in closing, how important are meetups for maintaining community connections?

00:24:25.900 Meetups provide foundational connections, especially in-person interactions, as they allow us to better communicate and bond.

00:24:44.070 While remote connections are valuable, nothing truly replaces the significance of physical presence in building relationships.

00:25:03.890 We encourage new members to bring code samples, share their challenges, and create opportunities for mentorship to take shape organically.

00:25:17.380 Encouraging individuals to participate more actively in these meetups allows for deeper connections to form.

00:25:33.910 As we wrap up, it’s essential to recognize the impact of engagement, especially with those eager to join the community.

00:25:49.950 Interested individuals can begin onboarding through personal outreach, helping them feel welcomed and valued.

00:26:05.900 Co-hosting events serves as a platform for bridging gaps and creating vibrant interactions in the community.

00:26:22.670 I would encourage everyone to take these lessons back to your own communities and help cultivate a welcoming environment.

00:26:38.600 Regardless of whether you run a large organization or are just starting out, creating positive connections can propel every participant forward.

00:26:57.340 Thank you all for being here; together, we can continue fostering the amazing Ruby community.