Python user groups 2013

Goals
Between June 1 2013 and Dec 1 2013:


 * At least 3 intro / diversity events get run after consultation with the fellow in each of the first and second half of the fellowship


 * At least 3 user groups improve their speaker diversity in the first half of the fellowship and at least 5 user groups improve their speaker diversity in the second half of the fellowship

Plan
Within the first month:


 * Will announce the project to the group-organizers mailing list.
 * By Mon June 10.
 * Will actually send Fri June 14; blog post will go live today.


 * Write an outline for the informational index page that has info for user group organizers.
 * If time this month, turn that into a high-clarity web page.
 * Will probably try to get in person feedback from Michelle Rowley when I visit Portland for Open Source Bridge.
 * Will publish the source to the website as a git repository on presumably Github, to accept pull requests and other feedback.
 * Outline by June 17.


 * Identify 20 Python user groups and get in touch with their organizers, presumably by email, indicating these goals of the meta-organizer fellowship, linking to the guide, and asking if they'd like to participate and/or chat about the guide.
 * To help me do the contacting in batch, first I'll be making a spreadsheet or similar table of these groups, with estimates for their sizes.
 * Initial contact by Wed June 26.

Info website
Let's start by making it Asheesh's tips for a great user group.

Those are:


 * Think about newcomer-friendliness in your topics
 * Don't do it alone (see also Yannick summary)
 * Host lightning talks
 * Have a social thing after the talks
 * Run a BPW clone
 * Keep track of your success
 * Random sampling is a good tool in general, if you can't reach everyone
 * Funding tips
 * PSF wants to fiscally sponsor you probably/possibly
 * Get your Meetup fees refunded

What else?

Pinging user groups
Groups where I think I can make a difference:


 * ChiPy http://www.chipy.org/
 * Pinged someone there to have a Hangouts conversation. Hoping to hear back by Mon Aug 26.
 * This could lead to 1/3 speaker diversity goals.
 * SF Python http://www.meetup.com/sfpython/
 * Pinged them with a possible speaker.
 * This could lead to 1/3 speaker diversity goals.
 * DC Python http://www.meetup.com/dcpython/
 * 1 woman speaker in the past year
 * It seems likely that I can help connect them with speakers. Next unmet speaker slot is in December.
 * Though I wonder if it'd be interesting to have, like, DC Python Data Science lightning talks at the upcoming data science-y one.
 * Vancouver Python http://www.meetup.com/vanpyz/
 * I sent them a ping. Could be a good target for a project night.
 * Paris Python http://www.meetup.com/Paris-py-Python-Django-friends/
 * Probably they'd love to do a project night. Yay Sylvain Zimmer.

Groups where further research is required:


 * NYC Python http://www.meetup.com/nycpython/
 * SF Django http://www.meetup.com/The-San-Francisco-Django-Meetup-Group/
 * Austin Python
 * NYC Django http://www.meetup.com/django-nyc/
 * Sydney Python http://www.meetup.com/sydneypython/
 * Brisbane Python http://www.meetup.com/Brisbane-Python-User-Group/
 * Oslo Python http://www.meetup.com/oslo-python/
 * Miami Python http://www.meetup.com/python-miami/
 * Pune Python http://www.meetup.com/PythonPune/
 * Hyderabad Python http://www.meetup.com/Hyderabad-Python-Meetup-Group/
 * Cleveland Python http://www.meetup.com/Cleveland-Area-Python-Interest-Group/
 * Django Stockholm http://www.meetup.com/djangosthlm/
 * Python Ireland http://www.meetup.com/pythonireland/
 * Pittsburgh Python http://www.meetup.com/pghpython/
 * Python Chile http://www.meetup.com/python-chile/
 * Central Ohio Python http://www.meetup.com/Central-Ohio-Python-Users-Group/

Groups that seem OK:


 * Boston Python http://www.meetup.com/bostonpython/
 * I presume they have things under control, but maybe I should check in anyway.