[Chicago] ChiPy Organizers Meeting

[Nick Bennett]

I really value diversity of personal perspectives and opinions, associating
myself with people who think differently than me and express how they feel
by communicating in an open-ended way with the group.

Valentina, I greatly appreciate that you have added your voice to the
conversation, and seeing you have the will to express yourself gives me
courage to say something too. I derive substantial value from this
conversation, and it's not even related to Python.

Then again, it is related, in that we are brought together by our common
interest in communicating via this programming language. The language of
Python, like this user group, is defined in a way by the people
contributing to it.

I am grateful I have this soap box to try to spread good will.


On Thu, Feb 20, 2014 at 4:03 PM, Valentina Kibuyaga <namusoke at hotmail.com>wrote:

>  Thanks for your input and advice well taken.
>
> As you know, I do not allow any diversity issues to eliminate me from
> opportunities.  Further, as I pursue my start-up, I cannot afford to allow
> diversity issues to impede my progress.  Therefore, I focus on the
> similarities as opposed to the differences.
>
> Nevertheless, as leader, I have to speak up when I encounter unwelcoming
> behavior.  I am very inclusive, especially in the technology space where I
> believe that technological innovations to solve humane problems will and
> require the human race.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Valentina Kibuyaga
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 15:27:05 -0600
> From: nick271828 at gmail.com
>
> To: chicago at python.org
> Subject: Re: [Chicago] ChiPy Organizers Meeting
>
> Beautifully put, Randy.
>
> Valentina, I understand what you say to mean that there is not racial,
> socioeconomic, gender, or Python skill-level diversity at ChiPy. What
> Randy's response says to me is that thinking of diversity in this way is
> only skin deep, and that people who otherwise look and sound similar are
> actually worlds apart in who they are underneath.
>
> You know one of the secrets to diversity too, introducing yourself and
> learning about the differences that make someone unique. Randy and I are
> white men who attend ChiPy and Open Gov Hack Night regularly, but from
> there we diverge. I have XXY chromosomes, presumably he has XY. He is 20
> years my senior, he loves brisket and I love candy, he is a self-described
> pointer while I'd say I'm a list of dicts, and so on.
>
>
> On Thu, Feb 20, 2014 at 3:14 PM, Randy Baxley <randy7771026 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
> When one can no longer see or hear diversity then perhaps it will have
> been achieved.  You are unfortunately the only you I have met.  Have you
> ridden Blue, Red, Brown, Orange, Green, Pink, Red and Purple?  How about
> the 56, 80, 3, 151, 60?  Diversity to me is like hardware.  Beautiful and
> utilitarian while greatly divisional.  I greeted you and smiled at you.
>  Were you late to the meeting?  I sat next to you at a workshop at two
> locations.  Maybe I cannot fill your box for diversity.  You see I am the
> only me I know as well.
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Feb 20, 2014 at 2:19 PM, Valentina Kibuyaga <namusoke at hotmail.com>wrote:
>
> Brian:
>
> Thanks for the quick response.
>
> Survey completed.  And, the next step will be to reach out and discuss
> welcoming ideas.
>
> Again, thanks.
>
> Valentina Kibuyaga
>
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2014 13:56:35 -0600
> From: brianhray at gmail.com
>
> To: chicago at python.org
> Subject: Re: [Chicago] ChiPy Organizers Meeting
>
> It is disheartening you felt unwelcome. Please take the survey
> https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LCCDQV5  Also, feel free to reach out to
> me offline and let's work together to make ChiPy more welcoming.
>
>
>
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