[TriLUG] women in tech, childcare in TriLUG

[Cristóbal Palmer]

Greetings LUGers,

Two things.

1) An article for you to look at. It is not about Linux in particular, but it is about tech and it is about doing what's right because it's right, not because, for example, it means more money. I think a lot of Linuxy types are Linuxy types because they like doing what's Right, not just what's easy or what's cheap. Anyway, here's the article:

http://www.chesnok.com/daily/2012/05/11/what-i-mean-when-i-say-i-would-like-more-women-in-the-software-industry/  

2) One of the things I said I'd do when I got elected to the SC this time around is figure out childcare this year. I think this is related to the above, but is a thing unto itself. It is a large enough thing that I can't figure it out on my own. I need two kinds of help.

2a) Policy and lawyers help.

Have you been involved with an organization that provided childcare? Have you dealt with writing policies for such organizations? Have you dealt with insurance providers for such organizations? If you answered yes to any of these, I'd like to hear from you. I'd like to make this an official thing, but TriLUG as an organization can't claim childcare is available for meetings until we're sure we can do it right.

2b) On-the-ground help.

Do you have experience organizing play groups or other ad-hoc childcare? Would you be willing to watch over a small group of kids for 45 minute chunks or so? I need a core group of volunteers to make this childcare happen.

Some history/background: No, I don't have kids. I have two much-younger siblings whose diapers I remember changing, and my mom was one of the people who set up a bilingual daycare provider (since renamed and under different management) in Chapel Hill. I am very aware of the many unique challenges in dealing with other people's children. Both of my parents have been educators and coaches in the whole range from pre-K to undergrad. I'm also very aware that I'm not qualified to take on any number of the roles they've taken on. Put another way: I'm not volunteering to watch your kids. I'm volunteering to help make sure TriLUG has a system in place that will help parents with young kids come to and enjoy TriLUG meetings. If you think that's a laudable goal, then please help me make it happen.

Cheers,
--  
Cristóbal Palmer
cmpalmer.org