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?

Status: http://user-groups-beta.openhatch.org/

I also already know some text changes I should make, having used the text as part of convincing ChiPy to do project nights.

Pinging user groups
Being tracked in Trello. Specifically:


 * Project Night candidates (board open for public viewing)
 * Future board to be made.

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.
 * Other relevant groups
 * http://www.meetup.com/WomanDevelopers/
 * http://www.meetup.com/Girl-Develop-It-Chicago-IL/
 * Project night status: they want to have one, but I don't know who can "run" it. I just pinged aeva to see if it makes sense as a one-off to organize something that's theoretically a PS:1 + ChiPy collaboration.
 * 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.
 * Encouraged to apply for Meetup reimbursement on 2013-10-03; no answer yet.
 * Other relevant groups:
 * http://www.meetup.com/dc-pyladies/
 * Baltimore Python
 * Had phone call; maybe will run a Project Night soon.
 * Encouraged to apply for Meetup reimbursement on 2013-10-03; no answer yet.
 * ~200 peoplle Vancouver Python http://www.meetup.com/vanpyz/
 * I sent them a ping. Could be a good target for a project night.
 * I should send them a fresh ping.
 * Paris Python http://www.meetup.com/Paris-py-Python-Django-friends/
 * Probably they'd love to do a project night. Yay Sylvain Zimmer.
 * ~200 Python Ireland http://www.meetup.com/pythonireland/
 * Super healthy group: women leader, seems to be fairly diverse in attendance and speaking.
 * 20-40 attendees per meeting
 * Could possibly add a project night. Pinging.

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/
 * 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.


 * FIXME: Add socal linux stuff per #openhatch conversation 2013-08-30

Dates
Started: June 1, 2013

Mid-way: October 16, 2013

Extended end: March 1, 2014

First half of grant period
Groups running intro & diversity events:


 * 1) SF Python started running Project Nights
 * 2) An introductory Python lecture in a new user group in Bhubaneswar, India, run by Tarashish Mishra. This led to the creation of PyBBS.

Groups with gender diversity improvements in speakers:


 * 1) SF Python

Goals were:


 * At least 3 intro / diversity events get run after consultation with the fellow in each of the first half of the fellowship (2 of 3 achieved)
 * At least 3 user groups improve their speaker diversity in the first half of the fellowship (1 of 3 achieved)

Second half of grant period
(Caret (^) means the event either happened already, or is scheduled and progressing along toward success. High certainty.)

(Star (*) indicates not yet scheduled, but seems very likely to happen. Moderate certainty.)

(Question (?) indicates that it is planned, but not scheduled yet. Low certainty.)

(Plus (+) indicates that it is expected, but after the end of the grant period. This by itself does not affect certainty.)

Groups running intro & diversity events:


 * 1) (^) Python Dominican Republic ran a Project night, Nov 19.
 * 2) (^) Chicago Pythonistas ran a Project Night, Feb 27.
 * 3) PhillyPUG is running Project Nights again; the first new one in a while is the result of a conversation I had with Dana Bauer. It took place Feb 17.
 * 4) (^) PyLadies NYC organized a Linux Beginners Tutorial (their idea!) and I'm helping them with scripts and general support.
 * 5) (+) A multi-week intro Python event in Seattle is going to be organized by Mako.
 * 6) (+) (*) PyLadies SF is organizing an Intro to Django event on April 26. my role, as I understand it, was to help connect people.
 * 7) (+) (?) PyLadies Boston is interested in running a Django-oriented newcomer's tutorial. Expected in May or so, after PyCon.

Groups with gender diversity improvements in speakers, due to my collaboration with them:


 * 1) (^) (+) PDX Python has booked Mele Sax-Barnett to speak in March.
 * 2) (*) (+) I helped connect SF Python with more women speakers again. This will come to fruition on March 12 (but is not published yet).
 * 3) (*) (+) Connected Stacey Sern and Allison Kaptur with NYC Python for the PyCon warm-up talks in April (meetup page here:  but their names aren't mentioned yet).
 * 4) (^) (+) For the first time in its history (as I understand it), Python Barcelona has talk proposals from women. Their upcoming lightning talks will have more diverse speakers, at their upcoming "Learn Some Python" event on March 30..

Goals were:


 * At least 3 intro / diversity events get run after consultation with the fellow (3 of 3 achieved, 6 if you count events after the end of the grant period, 7 if you count maybes)
 * At least 5 user groups improve their speaker diversity in the second half of the fellowship (0 of 5 achieved, 4 if you count events after the end of grant period)