#adacamp

[araujofamilia]

Cerimônia na Adacamp celebra o Dia Mundial do Orgulho Autista

https://www.flickr.com/photos/184521073@N06/53800398579/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[katjasoardi]

"Every summer has its own story" . Follow 👉 eurcamping_abruzzo . #abruzzo #rosetodegliabruzzi #missingyou #campingplatz #camping #camp #campsites #travelpics #campinglife #adacamping #pincamp #caravanlife #familyholidays #summer #campingfun #campingholidays #campingtipps #nature #outdoors #campingurlaub #ecccampingführer #campinginfo #campingführer #caravan #caravaning #campinglust #campsitefinder #wheretonext #yeswecamp #campingurlaub (presso EurCamping Roseto, Abruzzo- it) https://www.instagram.com/p/B36UEN0IWXL/?igshid=hvwmj7k75z9b

[ayvalikdalis]

Ada camping Özel plajıyla cunda tabiat parkının ve yeşilliklerin içinde doğayla ve denizle bütünleşmiş bir tesis Odaların tümü plaj kenarında içlerinde duş-wc,TV önlerinde dinlenme balkonlarıyla alışıla gelmişin dışında aklınızda kalacak bir tatil yapmak isteyenler için. Otel dahilinde plajda yer alan tam deniz manzaralı ve akşam günbatımının en güzel izlendiği restoranda Türk mutfağı ve deniz ürünlerinin keyfine doyamayacaksınız. ADA CAMP otelde çocuklar için oyun alanı ,basket,voleybol sahası ve 6 tonluk deniz akvaryumu yer alır. Tesisin bulunduğu yer trekking , bisiklet , şnorkelli yüzme, dalış ve olta balıkçılığı için idealdir. Cunda merkez 3 km. havaalanı 50 km. mesafededir. @adacampcunda misafirleri rezervasyon yaptıkları taktirde iskeleden alma imkanımız vardır. @ayvalik3sea dalış merkezi ile sualtını keşfedip tatiliniz renk katın.... #cunda #adacamping #cundaadasi #adacampingcunda #adacampcunda #camping #scuba #ayvalık #ayvalıkdalış (Ada Camping Cunda) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzUx6vtAyX4/?igshid=si11eeawq51x

[wee5macs]

I know these two will take really good care of my little man! Morgan is his counselor this year, and Joshua was his counselor two yeasts ago!! I know he's in a safe place 💕 #adacamp #campmontana2017 #diabadass #mommysstillscared #spotthedrop #thedropspotted #beyondtype1 #beyondtype1daily (at Beartooth Christian Camp)

[doubleunion]

Wikipedia + open source + fanfiction workshop, Jan 27 3:30 pm

On Saturday January 27 from 3:30 to 6 pm, join us for an informal workshop on participating in open technology and culture. This is for members, guests of members, and people interested in joining DU. How to visit DU: https://doubleunion.org/visit

This is aimed at people curious about contributing to Wikipedia, open source, or fanfiction (or all three), and it’s also for people with experience in them!

Your host will give a brief overview of ways to get started (around 3:45 pm), and then we’ll provide mentorship, encouragement, and friendly company for things including:

Contributing to Wikipedia, such as editing articles or uploading your own photos.

Contributing to open source software, including both non-code and code contributions.

Reading and writing fanfiction or working on other kinds of fanwork (we’ll probably watch a few fanvids for inspiration).

RSVP (optional): https://www.facebook.com/events/589110251434833/

This is inspired by the AdaCamp events and how they saw creative fan culture as part of open technology and culture, along with open source software, Wikipedia, and other “open” projects. This is an important framing that gives fanfiction, which has a majority-women community, the respect it deserves and doesn’t always receive. We can talk about this!

[cattechnica-blog]

Feminist Hackerspaces: Hacking Hackerspaces

As a field, engineering follows a flawed ideology. Engineering is typically depicted as a meritocracy. A meritocracy is a system where only the quality of your work determines your success. At the same time, engineering programs are infamous for their lack of diversity and for the disadvantages that women face in the field. According to the NSC in 2013, only 19% of women completed a bachelor's degree in an engineering field. Engineering companies have histories of discrimination and abuse, such as paying women less than men for the same work and the countless claims of sexual abuse. Because straight men are already at the top societally, they naturally gain more representation in high paying fields, such as engineering. Because of the meritocratic assumption underpinning the field, this lack of representation is then seen as a result of poor work done by women, rather than by discrimination by men. By claiming that poor work is the reason women are not represented in engineering, rather than realizing the true nature power structure that surrounds the field, those already in the field are able to continue their discrimination in a way that is ideologically justified, while justifying their own privilege as a result of hard work.

Hackerspaces are posited as one answer to this problem. For the uninitiated, hackerspaces are communal spaces that combine engineering, art, and learning. Hackerspaces typically eschew the rigid hierarchies adopted by corporate engineering structures, instead promoting free flowing information and autonomy.

NYC Resistor, A New York Hackerspace

One would think that this would lend itself nicely to having a diverse range of people using hackerspaces. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Women are once again underrepresented, due to a number of compounding factors. Hackerspaces, as one would expect, usually attract those in an engineering field, which makes those outside of engineering feel less welcome in the space. While hackerspaces eschew the typical hierarchy found in a business setting, they adopt a de-facto hierarchy by attracting the same straight male engineers that dominate businesses and colleges. The same meritocratic justifications are made, and the same hierarchy develops.

So what can be done then? Where can women and non-binary groups feel welcome when the business, college, and hackerspace world are structured to leave them out? In true engineering style, the solution is to hack hackerspaces: to create one that is designed to avoid the problems that befall other engineering organizations.

The model of this new hackerspace is Double Union. It was first conceived at a feminist unconference (a conference without fees, sponsored talks, or rigid hierarchy) called AdaCamp in 2013. Double Union was formed out of a need for a hackerspace that was more welcoming for women and non-binary peoples, without the need for having to prove that they belong like in other hackerspaces. Double Union is designed at every level to avoid the issues that befall typical engineering organizations. The prime indicator of this is its base assumptions, a document that details what values its members should uphold. Meritocracy is explicitly rejected in this document, citing that it does not address the overarching hierarchy formed by our society that favors straight men. Double Union is structured to avoid the usual hierarchies that form when a hackerspace is without a governing body. Inspired by Jo Freeman’s The Tyranny of Structurelessness, the space is structured such that there is a board of directors that handle high level decision making while also having committees that handle various aspects of the space, such as screen printing or electronics. This de jure governing body ensures that no oppressive de facto body will form out of the existing hierarchy in our society. Double Union has 15% of its budget go towards inclusivity and multicultural advisors. In 2018, the acceptance criteria changed from those who "identify as a woman in a way significant to them", to those who "identify as a woman or non-binary person in a way significant to them". This further reinforces the message of inclusivity that Double Union embodies.

Double Union hosted zine making event

    This is not to say that Double Union is perfect in every regard. While it does appeal to a wide range of people not normally represented in hackerspaces, it misses a key demographic: mothers. This is where Mothership Hackermoms comes in. Like Double Union, Hackermoms is designed to be inclusive to groups not normally represented in engineering, this time with a focus on mothers.

Hackermoms members

To quote their webpage: “Traditional hackerspaces have great equipment and ambitious projects, but no safe spaces for babies, young children or, consequently, their mothers.” Hackermoms features childcare and events for mothers and their children that are not normally featured in other hackerspaces. They also feature a program called the Failure Club. The Failure Club is a program where members set a goal that seems terrifying or impossible, and then work towards that goal in an environment that allows them to learn from their failures and support each other.

What Double Union and Hackermoms share is that they both solve the contradiction formed when a meritocratic viewpoint is applied to a society that already favors straight men. Although they appeal to different audiences, they both apply a new philosophy: one that favors inclusivity, making mistakes, and encouraging those otherwise left out to create and grow.

[radical-empathy]

Community Agreements/Code of Conduct

We shared the following text in a handout during the Radical Empathy in Archival Practice session. Please feel free to adapt and share. 

Agreement # 1: This session should be a welcoming, supportive, and comfortable space for all participants. You needn’t have read Caswell and Cifor’s article in order to participate.

Agreement #2: Discrimination and harassment of any kind will not be tolerated. This includes utilizing offensive words or actions related to race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, country of origin, age, disability, physical appearance, body size, religion, veteran status or other protected class status; displaying discriminatory or offensive images; intimidation; stalking; use of unwanted photography or non-consensual recording; sustained disruption of conversation; inappropriate physical contact; and unwelcome sexual attention. You will be asked to excuse yourself from the room if you engage in this kind of behavior.

Agreement #3: Unless you are discussing your own thoughts and learning, please no tweeting during small breakout conversation. Commit to listening and sharing.

Agreement #4: Before you speak, you may request that what you say is “off the record.” This is a moment to be shared within your small group discussion. It will not be shared during the larger group share-back, on social media, or in participant’s notes.

Agreement #5: We all have different ways of communicating. You needn’t participate verbally (you can write or draw out your thoughts as well), but we agree to make sure there is time and space for everyone who wants to participate in the dialogue.

These Agreements are inspired by the Codes of Conduct created by the Society of American Archivists, the 2014 NYC Archives Unconference Code of Conduct, and the Adacamp event policies

[persistchicago]

#PERSIST

Co-Curated by Toisha Tucker and Alexandra Antoine.

#PERSIST engages with art as a form of cultural activism. The exhibition is presented in a small sitting room furnished like a space one could find in many homes. Presenting the exhibition in a domestic space highlights how our collective resistance is not just something that we do in the streets, but that it is an intimate part of our everyday lives. In an effort to underscore the visibility of women as figures in the home and the invisibility of women in art spaces and as leaders of movements of social, physical and cultural resistance, all of the participating artists are women*.

*We use an inclusive definition of “woman” and “female” inclusive of trans women, genderqueer women, and non-binary people who are significantly female-identified (definition credit: adacamp SF).

#PERSIST is shown in conjunction with Management Assistance Group’s Confluence 2017 at Catalyst Ranch.

[allthingslinguistic]

When you think of what constitutes English, or French, or any other language, you probably think of books. You think of dictionaries, grammars, AUTHORITIES that tell you what the language is and isn't. But I'm here as a linguist to tell you that's not what language is. Language is an open source project. Well, each language is its own open source project. And we're all contributing to them all the time. In fact, if you ask the dictionary-makers they'll tell you the same thing. We're the ones who collectively decide whether a word lives or dies -- the dictionaries are just a record of how people are already using language. They're help documentation. But just because something's open source doesn't mean that everyone is equally welcomed to muck about in the source code. When you think about which types of language, which dialects are considered powerful, educated, correct, standard, proper, you're not talking about any inherent features of the language itself. I can tell you that linguists have NEVER found this. The prestigious forms of a language are really just those that are historically spoken by people who already in power. And if you think someone's speech sounds dumb, or uneducated, or sloppy, or inarticulate, it's because we as a society think the same thing of the people that speak it. But both languages and open source projects are better when all kinds of people are contributing. Remix language!

“Language is open source” (Text of a 90-second lightning talk I gave at AdaCamp Montreal)

For more on the lexicography point, see the TED talks of Erin McKean and Anne Curzan. 

[z-rah-blog]

AdaCamp: spending time with women in open source and technology

I've just spent the weekend at AdaCamp, a two day event aimed at increasing women's participation in open technology and culture. It was great, and gave me lots to think about, some of which I've tried to outline here.

The weekend started with a pretty hefty 'housekeeping' session, ie. things to do, and things to avoid, during the camp. This section was more comprehensive than other events I'd been to, and this was, in essence, because inclusivity was a founding cornerstone of the event. I really appreciated and admired, for example, the organisers of the event not just saying the usual - "if you have any problems come to us" - but further than that, giving us an email address that would bypass them and go straight to their bosses, in case participants were having any problems with the organisers themselves, or felt uncomfortable discussing things with them. I couldn't help but imagine how many awful situations at conferences would have been made much easier if people had had that option: if it's the organiser of the event being abusive or creepy, it's very hard to know where to go for help, without a provision such as the one provided here.

There were suggested things we could write on our name badges- for example, your preferred gender pronouns, and this made me realise how welcome provisions like that must be for the trans- community. Similarly, the clear labelling of a gender neutral bathroom facility. There was a designated 'quiet area', and there was a clear and well-publicised (in print, sent via email, and presented at the introduction session) code of conduct.

Even so, though, I noticed throughout the weekend how hard it is to precisely abide by certain aspects of the Code of Conduct - specifically, in terms of the language that we use. I also noticed (not for the first time) how incredibly important the words we use are to how we make others feel, and how we display and share our values. I'm totally guilty of not always being mindful of this myself, but I'm trying to get better at it. Whether it's describing something as "girly", or hyperbolically saying that something "made me want to jump off a bridge", it's effectively doing the exact opposite of what we were there for - being inclusive, promoting a fair and equal society, and most of all, getting rid of patriarchal values.

It was fascinating to be able to meet so many women from so many different areas of 'open'; despite our many differences, it was reassuring to know that we all shared some key feminist values. I'll admit though that I was expecting there to be a more geographically diverse set of participants - the very, very large majority came from Europe, quite a few from the US, and very few from Latin America, Africa and Asia - but of course, travel is expensive, and unfortunately visas are hard.

There were some sessions that really opened my eyes to another area of this 'open' bubble- for example, talking about women in open source. Most of the women there were coders, who had contributed to open source code projects; and despite my having read accounts of abuse and harassment within the open source community fairly regularly before, the severity of the situations they face, really hit home for me during this session. It's so, so different being able to see and hear those women talk in person about their experiences; it's even sadder that these experiences were by no means rare, and the stories were full of vicious, petty, actions and people. I can't quite get my head round the fact as I've understood it: that the choice for a woman who wants to contribute to an open source code project is, effectively, 'contribute and likely face harassment', or 'don't contribute and stay quiet'. It's a terrible understatement, but that is not a humane choice to be faced with.

I feel like lots of the sessions acted as a necessary, and much-needed space for women to tell their stories, to vent, and most of all, to get angry. So often, the things we see and face happen in situations where it's hard to show your emotions outwardly (because you'll be told to 'calm down', or that it's "not that big a deal", or that "he didn't mean it", or where colleagues or those around you will judge you for being "overly emotional", or "unprofessional"... etc etc) - so we bottle them up, and only share them when put in a space that is explicitly marked as safe to do so. Doing so isn't healthy, and, I'd suggest, it's also not that helpful for those around you.

There were some recurring themes throughout the camp too: that we are worried about our online, and offline, privacy and security. That the way that our professional lives are structured doesn't leave us with much reassurance: for example, the fact that changing the technology used within an organisation often needs to come from a high level position - so suggestions from lower down the ranks are rarely taken on board, even when they bring advantages like more secure privacy, or cheaper, open source systems. That, all too often, deciding to work in an organisation or or for a cause that we believe in means that we have to compromise on some really basic things, like workers rights and steady employment rights. That men need to stand up and stop ignoring abuse and harassment that they see, in order for there to be a real change of culture. That we need to respect that there are different understandings of 'feminism' and hugely different experiences within that.

There were some unanswered questions that came up multiple times, too: how to call out abuse, without getting burned yourself? It should by no means by the responsibility of the victim to do so, but is there a way of structuring it in a way that means that the perpetrator can't then turn it on its head to cry 'defamation', or use it against you? Does the fact that we use technology make us stronger, or weaker? And in offline situations, how do we identify fellow feminists, or allies? (My half-serious suggestion of walking around conferences waving a flag that says "I think women are people too" was met only with laughter...)

In many of the cases above, there was one really key strategy that kept coming to my mind: the value of mentorship. It was through a friend and mentor that I even heard about the existence of 'imposter syndrome', and I felt so much better about it when she told me that she (yes, she, experienced, intelligent, wonderful woman!) suffered from it too. Offering your time to others - not even necessarily explicitly as "mentorship time", but simply making yourself available if anyone needs it - is, for me, one of the most valuable things we can all offer (and I've resolved to do it more explicitly, and more often, myself).

There were very few set sessions before the camp started itself, because it was structured as an 'unconference', but one of these was on Imposter Syndrome; a topic that I think affects us all, in some way. I was expecting something a little different from this session - rather than talking through feelings and behaviour related to imposter syndrome, I would have found some concrete strategies and suggestions to cope with it, particularly useful.

I was also very conscious, during that specific session, of the cultural differences in the room; I'm British, and, going by the stereotypes, we basically always say everything is fine. Especially around strangers. I was in a group with German women, who (again, I'm stereotyping) would very rarely express deep and intimate feelings with complete strangers. However, throughout the group exercise, I could hear groups of primarily North American women carrying out the exercises without any hesitation - this made me wonder about the value of adjusting exercises to fit the cultural boundaries of the participants a little more. (AdaCamp originated in the United States, which, I would suggest, is something is fairly clear from the structure and content of the event.) - that said, I realise that this is incredibly difficult.

All in all, as you might be able to tell, from the long blog post - I learned a lot. I met a lot of really, really cool women. I came across some great resources, and ideas I hadn't thought of before, and it gave me a lot to think about.

Thanks, AdaCamp!

[araujofamilia]

Cerimônia na Adacamp celebra o Dia Mundial do Orgulho Autista

https://www.flickr.com/photos/184521073@N06/53800398279/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[katjasoardi]

It's coming! The game begins soon! Eurcamping is waiting, so get on your way...🚙 11th May is approaching.🏕 Follow Us 👉 @eurcamping_abruzzo for more Tag tour friends to see this #summer2018 #abruzzo #campingplatz #acsi #camping #camp #campsites #europe #italy #travelingram #explore #travelpics #camping #campinglife #adacamping #pincamp #caravanlife #familyholidays #summer #campingfun #campingholidays #campingtips #nature #outdoors #sun (presso EurCamping Roseto, Abruzzo- it) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv8yGeeAlRy/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ln2xs3gw14a5

[ayvalikdalis]

#ayvalık #ayvalik3sea #cunda #cundadalis #ortunç #saman #cundaadasi #muratreis #molaotelcunda #adacamping #denemedalisi #sarimsakliplaji www.ayvalikdalis.com (Ayvalik 3 sea dalış merkezi)

[wee5macs]

Drop off day at #campmontana2017! I was barely keeping it together until I saw this girl!! Thank you Kelsey!! #lovethem #adacamp #friendswhoarefamily #spotthedrop #thedropspotted #beyondtype1 #beyondtype1daily (at Beartooth Christian Camp)

[soundslikefury]

All-gender bathroom. #adacamp #allgenderbathroom #cfa2014 (at Puppet Labs, Inc.)

[rachelwalexander]

How I spent my last weekend, or "why AdaCamp is amazing"

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend AdaCamp, an unconference for encouraging and supporting women and other non-male people involved in open technology and culture.

If you've never heard of an "unconference" before, it basically means the participants work together to decide on sessions, workshops and other activities. We all pitched ideas for things we wanted to lead or see other people lead on a Google spreadsheet before the event, and voted for things we'd like to attend. The conference schedule looked like this:

As a result, the weekend was incredibly varied. We kicked off with a series of 101 tutorials for people new to different topics - everything from application programming interfaces (APIs) to sewing to editing Wikipedia. Later in the weekend, we had opportunities to learn about open source databases, practice assertiveness and basic self defense, and discuss how "quantified self" apps (fitness/food/health trackers and the like) could be improved and used in a feminist way (for instance, by having weight gain or weight maintenance as a possible goal, rather then having everything focus on weight loss).

It was an incredible experience: I met fascinating and inspiring people, learned new technically skills, got some ideas for projects to work on, and received a ton of career affirmation. There were a lot of web developers and other solidly-tech people there, but we also had a handful of journalism-minded folks, quite a few librarians, Wikipedia editors and more.

The diversity of the group and the attention to everyone's needs was one of the best parts of the conference. Food allergies and requests were easily accommodated, child care was provided for the duration, walkways were kept clear and marked with blue tape for accessibility, and everyone was generally incredibly conscientious and kind to one another.

I'm currently working on a list of web projects I want to complete to help solidify my web design/programming knowledge and transition from "learning new things" to "getting things done." My goal is to finish that list this week, and I'll post the results when I'm done, but AdaCamp definitely gave me a few new ideas for adding to it (and an incredible group to reach out to for help).

If you're interested, you can learn more about the Ada Initiative, which puts on AdaCamp, here.