I'm delighted to share my happiness with you about how many great session proposals y'all have already submitted for Netroots Nation 2009 in Pittsburgh, PA. Today is the deadline for your submissions.
Over the next four (and hopefully eight, and beyond) years, we have a remarkable opportunity to work together to push progressive policy into legislation. Your proposals for our sessions set the tone -- in aggregate, we hope to present a comprehensive view of what the netroots cares about, and a plan for how to make change happen. This is the grassroots event of the year, and we want you leaving it energized and committed to taking specific action to move our agenda along.
In order to create the most well-rounded conference possible, we still need your input. Can you help us develop and organize the sessions that you’ll attend at Netroots Nation in Pittsburgh —- and help shape the conversation for progressives in 2009?
It's easy for you to get involved.
Click here to submit your idea for an engaging session that will bring in interesting perspectives on a relevant issue. If you haven't thought it through fully yet, at least give us what you can today, and then we'll have you supplement it should the process move forward for your ideas.
We want to see proposals on key issues like the economy, health care and energy policy. And we also want to include sessions about successful offline and online organizing tactics. You should take a look at last year's agenda to get a better sense as to what we've done in the past, but you're certainly not limited to that in any way, and we certainly welcome your creativity in thinking about lively session formats -- because "moderator + 4 speakers on a dais giving prepared remarks and answering 3-4 questions from the audience" is by no means the only way to do things.
[This scheduling note: we listened to your concerns about feeling overwhelmed last year, especially on Saturday, so if you haven't done so already please look at the new schedule. We're planning to start substantive panels Thursday morning this year while spreading the caucuses throughout the schedule, with Sunday devoted to community service in Pittsburgh rather than more events in the Convention Center. (In other words, if you don't show up until late Thursday afternoon, you will miss out on stuff.)]
[We're also going to try to have fewer things going on at once during each row of the schedule -- last year's grid (PDF) presented as many as 12 must-see events at once, meaning not everyone could attend everything they wanted. That's a shame both for you as attendees as well as for our speakers, who spend a great amount of time preparing for the conference and want to reach as wide an audience as possible. It also means, obviously, that we're going to have to make some hard choices this year, and I'm glad we have such a diverse group of NN veteran activists around to help shape the program].
We want this year's agenda to reflect your interests. And your interests are best expressed by your proposal.
When you're brainstorming, here are a few things to think about:
Click here to read the full list of guidelines and submit your idea.
By submitting a proposal, you are taking responsibility as the organizer of the session. We’ll help you along the way, but ultimately, it’s your baby, and you'll need to secure the participants, determine the contours of your session and promote the heck out of it in the months leading into NN09.
This is just one way you can get more deeply involved in the Netroots community. Will you join us?
Thanks in advance for all your ideas and help.