Diverse and Inclusive Event Speaker Selection

This topic has been such a long time coming! Today, Allie and Michelle take the time to discuss how event organizers - in tech, WordPress, and beyond - can ensure that the people they invite to speak as well as the people they select are diverse. Building a diverse, equitable, balanced, and inclusive program of content isn't an overnight process, but can be achieved through intentional planning and decision-making. We hope that event organizers from all types and sizes of events find this episode helpful! 

We also hope you check out our past episodes that center around event organization and speakers.

Timestamps

[00:00] Introduction

[02:06] Speaker recruiting and outreach

[06:47] Speaker application pages and forms

[08:12] Diversity questions on speaker applications

[15:06] Ad

[15:26] Building a program of content 

[17:21] Weighted speaker selection

[19:12] The myth of taking in order to give opportunity

[22:00] Putting the person before the topic

[24:09] The case for blind speaker selection (and it's pitfalls)

[27:24] Creating balanced programming after selection

[28:53] Announcing speakers all at once

[31:09] Diversity and inclusion must be intentional

[32:30] Outro

Places to Find Diverse Speakers

• WP Speakers
• HeroPress
• WP Diversity
• BlackPress
• WordPress Women of Color
• A Diverse WordPress