I would like to suggest a report back format where everyone shares their thoughts on the meeting. Add to this post or comment please.

Drew – We spent the first part of our meeting discussing how we can deal with inequality in our group. The discussion brought us to three main points: Training, Mentor-ship, and Outreach.

I don’t want a group dominated by white males from privilege but I am also struggling to maintain what we have already built. These problems can be solved together. By training people how to use tools, mentor/skill share with those who want to build the tools, and though out reach to listen to feedback from the community one lowers the barrier of entry into Tech and allows for more people to be involved in building and maintaining our shared resource.

If highly skilled person with access to technology is the inner ring, then I need to focus on serving those in the outer most rings. I, though, must strike a balance. I don’t have the resources to connect with the outer most rings right now, but I (and Tech) should always strive to reach that goal.

The group agreed on a number of things to move us in the right direction.

I hope the training program I’m working on will help broaden our lovely group. I plan to share and gather feedback from my morning sessions and then take it down to Charlott’s Place in the afternoon. I will be looking for an after work space to run some training to allow our work bound brothers and sisters to join in the fun.

We then gave report backs. Agreed to implement Charles’s Terms of Use statement on the web site and open it for general review by the community. The group also discussed Devin’s project proposal which he will show us on Wednesday.

The food from Kitchen was great tonight!