Election 2018

Nominees for Board of Directors

David Henry

Jacob Gedrimas

Jan Henry

Jody Raiford

John Coggeshall

Joseph Baumann

Lewis Dennison

Mara Furland

Matt Arnold

Matt Carpenter

Mike Fink

Paul Lee

Sean Work

Tony Slover

Yasmine Abu-Soud

Board nominee survey

How long have you been a member of i3?

David Henry

Since October 2014

John Coggeshall

Since Around May, 2018.

Jody Raiford

Eight years, give or take a year or two.

Paul Lee

One year, give or take a day or two.

Jan Henry

Since December 2014.

Lewis Dennison

Since October 2014.

Matt Carpenter

About three years (since late 2015)

Mike Fink

Since April 2013, a little over 5 years

Mara Furland

Two or three years

What types of personal projects do you work on?

David Henry

I've worked on projects using nearly every zone at i3, but the wood shop, laser zone, and electronics lab are the ones I most frequently use.

John Coggeshall

See my User page on the Wiki, mostly ESP, Arudino, C/C++, Laser cutter, ELab stuff, CNC stuff

Jody Raiford

Teaching classes and getting people auth'd on tools is my main hobby. Using the various tools to help me through my Engineering degree is my main focus these days.

Paul Lee

Several things. Everybody knows about the crochet but not as much about the electronics stuff such as ESP32 Bluetooth project I'm working on. That involved writing an FFT that actually works and learning about FreeRTOS and the right encantations to properly tickle the Bluetooth stack. I also teach classes from time to time. I also did some page layout making the brochures and party invitations which wasn't exactly personal but was fun; I hadn't gotten to exercise my page layout skill in a while. And don't forget about the round tuits: bad dad joke meets really good practice item.

Jan Henry

I sew... especially costumes, like replicas of film versions. I'm three years in to a gown project from the live action Cinderella. I might finish this fall, maybe in time for Halloween! I always have a project waiting in the wings. My list is long. I also make 1:12 scale miniatures with polymer clay, paper or fabric. When I finish with Cinderella I'd like to get out in the shop more, do some welding, try 3D printing 1:12 scale dolls, etc.

Mike Fink

In the past year I've done a lot of home automation work (for both my actual home and as well as i3). I also enjoy designing things to cut on the laser cutters, and I dabble in woodworking.

User:Jan.m.henry.3

Mara Furland

Been working with mkfink and abzman on the IoT shenanigans, as well as other infrastructure projects around the space.

What appointments have you held/do you hold now at i3? (previous board, officers, zone coordinators, committee chairs, etc)

David Henry

Currently I am serving my second term on the board of directors, previously I was the secretary.

John Coggeshall

I haven't had the pleasure of formally holding a position at i3 yet! I am working with the Michigan Legislator (Rep. Wittenberg) promoting i3Detroit and working to pass laws that make it easier for us makers to do maker things, which I hope to involve the membership in as at least an unofficial thing and am looking forward to finding other ways to contribute.

Jody Raiford

Board, Zone Warden, Zone Coordinator, general smartass

Paul Lee

I started out almost from day one as the "unofficial Official i3 Tour Guide" which is probably how many of you met me. I’m also the current Vice President of Activities and Classes. And I was Maker Faire Co-ordinator 2018. I’m also one of the i3 "delegates" (not an official thing) to the Michigan Makerspace Operators Meetup which is a sort of fledgling networking organization to bring together people who help run makerspaces in Michigan to share ideas and best practices.

Jan Henry

I was on the 2016 board of directors, and also served during the current 2017 term.

I have been Craft Room Co-coordinator/Sewing since May 2016.

Sewing SIG organizer - SIG became active in spring 2016

Matt Carpenter

I have been the Vice President of Onboarding/Membership under its various names for the last year. In this capacity, I also did some of the tasks that would otherwise have fallen to the VP of Retention before that office was disolved.

Mike Fink

I was on the board for a couple years.

Secretary the past two years.

Laser Zone Coordinator for the past 3.5 years.

Mara Furland

I have no technical responsibility but I am currently responsible for a lot of the iot/server infrastructure.

What projects have you worked on to improve i3?

David Henry

Convertible whiteboard / cutting mat for the classroom.

Dust Collector and AC repair.

Table for the mini mill and drill press in the machine shop.

Getting the Juki industrial machine operational.

Numerous other minor tasks during pot lock events with other members.

Other improvements and fixes to equipment that has since departed the space.

John Coggeshall

I am currently working on a couple of different projects to help I3. The most immediately useful is trying to help i3 get away from what is a very old, and very difficult CRM system and replacing it with a much more modern alternative that will be miles easier to manage and add features to (as well as significantly improving the functionality for the treasurer and member's alike). I hope to also use that as a platform to start implementing cool stuff like RFID-based payments for food or zone donations, etc. I also have contributed to the existing CRM system to fix bugs here or there as someone has approached me or I've noticed somewhere I can fix something that is causing problems.

I am also working with Jody on a little side project to build the space a CNC plasma cutter for the metal working area by contributing my knowledge of CNCs, 3D printers, and Arduinos to build the electrical component controls to move things around.

In addition as I mentioned in the last question I am working on a project to pass Right to Repair legislation here in Michigan and hope to earn the support of Rep. Wittenberg who will be visiting i3 later this month to discuss it.

Jody Raiford

I took the welding zone from a table and a couple curtains to a full zone with multiple modern welders and a range of other tools.

Lots of other small projects, most recently the Bunk Couch Reorganization and helping build several pallet rack shelves around the space.

Paul Lee

I’m currently working on better defining and improving the VP of Activities and Classes position. I’m also involved in sharing ideas in the Michigan Makerspace Operators Meetup in which I have participated from its beginning. I’m also working on making the transfer of knowledge better for Maker Faire organizers so it isn’t nearly as stressful of a job. I've also been participating in the Michigan Makerspace Organizers Meetup since its founding. Each meeting is hosted by a different makerspace in Michigan. The meetings are attended by the people who help run various makerspaces in Michigan. It is a great way to see how other makerspaces operate and share solutions to common problems. It has also made me appreciate even more how well i3 operates in that we have offered so many more solutions to the other spaces' problems than we get in return but seeing the other spaces and how they operate has given me some perspective on things that could be improved at i3.

Jan Henry

Cleaning -- I help keep our clean spaces clean and organized. I try to keep the craft room and classroom presentable for members and our guests who come for sewing and craft events. And everyone else!

I have been beefing up the sewing options -- advocating industrial machines, large tables, useful tools. In preparation for the future, I have some ideas that I think would make us a great destination for people who sew, for the growing costuming segment, and expand their skill set with the shop equipment we have here that goes beyond what is normally available to them.

I've added custom curtains and ironing board cover to the craft room.

I also try to post social media for i3. I put sewing updates on the Facebook page, but I seek out events, classes and random goings-on to post so the world on social media can see some of what we are. I've just started on instagram so I'll be doing more of that soon, and Twitter too. I'll be adding to the blog too, starting with the snippets on Facebook and fleshing them out into blog posts for the world to read about.

Matt Carpenter

I (along with other candidates Jody and Tony) had the privilege to represent i3 at the Nation of Makers Conference earlier this year. Following a whirlwind weekend meeting with leadership from other spaces and discussing issues we returned to share our newfound knowledge with our own membership. A lot of interesting ideas came out of these discussions and I look forward to helping implement them in our community moving forward! I have also drafted modifications to the rules governing how the space operates and try to help out at potlocks when I can.

Mike Fink

I've done a lot of work to keep the laser cutters running and held many laser training sessions. I've worked on automating the space with IoT devices. I built our security camera system.

Mara Furland

Been working with mkfink and abzman on the IoT shenanigans, been keeping the servers running.

What qualities do you look for in a fellow board member?

John Coggeshall

I think board members need to have passion, because it's a volunteer organization and at the end of the day if you aren't getting paid to do a thing then you have to do it as a labor of love. If you don't have passion, then things aren't going to get done and for a board member I think that's more of a problem than other roles. Along those same lines I think board members need to be attentive and present, as the rest of the membership looks to them for leadership. People with experience dealing with legal and business matters, people who have the pulse of the membership at large, and people who don't mind the potentially mind-numbing and often frustrating administrative tasks required for the space are also good qualities.

Jody Raiford

It's nice to have a mix of personalities on the board, but the main thing has got to be the ability and willingness to respond in a timely manner.

Communication!

Paul Lee

A love of i3; board member is a thankless job so you need something besides praise to motivate you. Board members have to run the legal and administrative parts of "i3, the corporation", so you need hard-working people who can take care of business. Some of that business can be a bit personal so you need people who can act with discretion. And that business can also get heated so you need people who can be diplomatic. The business also involves legalities which need to be handled with care so board members should be patient and not rush to act.

Jan Henry

Communication. Being upfront about what you're doing, even if it is to just proceed with doing it yourself, let others know and keep them in the loop. The ability to listen to what a fellow board member is saying and wait for a finish, than listen to talk. Everyone has input and it should be respected and valued. It's also important to be able to make decisions that support the goals of i3. Fairness is important, as much as possible. And be excellent.

Mike Fink

I look for the abilites to hear multiple viewpoints before drawing conclusions, to not enter discussions closed-mindedly, and to keep separate personal opinions and what is best for the space overall.

Mara Furland

Communication, different views.

What qualities do you have to be a board member?

David Henry

The ability to discuss difference in opinion as a team and not take disagreements personally. Having multiple viewpoints is a great asset to have as a team.

John Coggeshall

Fundamentally I want the space to succeed and I'm willing to put my skills and time into making that happen. I bring a lot of working experience to the table dealing with organizations, including non profits (I am a freemason and a member of the Scottish Rite, as well as having been deeply involved in other organizations in the past). I run two of my own companies and can bring those experiences to meaningful use within the i3 board as well. I know how to navigate complex business and legal issues, as well as interpersonal matters.

I am sure I check off a lot of the buzz-words too (hard working, thoughtful, responsible, engaged, discrete, collaborative), however to me my most important quality for a position like this is that I know how to get things done, and how to work with others to move the organization closer to achieving its various goals.

Jody Raiford

I'm a decent communicator, even with people who have very different styles. I'm around the space pretty often, and I'm generally willing to lend a hand with whatever needs doing.

And for some reason, people seem to want me to do the whole Director thing. Who am I to judge?

Paul Lee

I’m quite the diplomat; I’m really good at seeing things from many points of view at once and finding a good compromise while diffusing contention. I can also be very deliberative when needed. I’m also one of the most discreet people around. Tell me something in confidence and I’ll take it to the grave. I also love i3; it just feels like home. I guess I’m pretty hard-working. I don’t really see myself as above average there but several people lately have independently mentioned it to me so I’m going to have to start believing it.

Jan Henry

I am a good listener and respectful of others. I like to get things done. I am organized and detail oriented.

Mike Fink

I try to understand other points of view in differences of opinion and be open-minded going into discussions.

Mara Furland

I care about the space, and I'm around a lot.

Why are you interested in being a board member?

David Henry

I would like to further contribute to i3, and serving on the board is one of the ways to accomplish this goal.

John Coggeshall

I find myself in a very short period of time wondering what I ever did without i3Detroit in my life, and how many ways it's already enabled me to go farther and do more cool stuff than I had ever even considered before I discovered it. I want to help ensure that magic stays alive within i3, and help it grow even more. I want to be involved to help protect it from potential derailing problems like the recent fire marshall troubles, to help find ways to bring more resources or awareness into the space to help it grow, and in general give back so that I and everyone else keep the magic of i3 growing to greater and greater things. I see the passion everyone has, and I think being a member of the board is one of the most meaningful ways I can contribute and a solid fit for the skills I bring to the table.

Jody Raiford

The main reason I ran in the past was to help with the expansion plans. As that is still frustratingly far, yet tantalizingly close, I'm trying to go again. Going to keep pushing, try to keep things together until we get through it.

Paul Lee

I have been an officer for a little while now and I’ve seen some of what the board does. I want to do a few things that being on the board would facilitate. First, giving back to i3; it’s such an amazing place. Second, the expansion will take a lot of work and things will get heated so we’ll need a diplomat to keep heads level. Third, the Fire Marshal incident demonstrated that we are a legal entity with requirements and responsibilities that we are sometimes lax in fulfilling. I’d like to work on ways to make us better at being compliant without burdening the entire membership with daily compliance work.

Jan Henry

I want to help shape i3's future and help to make the decisions that both protect us, our members and community and position us as a space for makers to find what they're seeking. I am seeking financial support either way, but as a board member I would be making contacts within the communities around us to help build out for expansion and in the addition of equipment.

Matt Carpenter

As an officer I have been attending board meetings for the last year and have had the opportunity to observe and participate in debates around the space at large. This has given me a preview of issues the orgnaization may face down the road which I am both interested in and excited to tackle!

Mike Fink

I've enjoyed and found worthwhile my past times serving on the board and I would like to contribute in that way again.

Mara Furland

I care about the space, and I'm around a lot.

What is your stance on rules/organization vs pure do-ocracy in the space? When/where is there a place for each?

David Henry

I prefer that rules are kept to a minimum, however, rules are required to provide clarity and direction which helps to keep thing moving in the right direction.

John Coggeshall

i3Detroit is a hackerspace, and I think the primary objective should always be to enable people to be creative not bog them down with rules and regulations. I think the board should think long and hard about creating strong rules, and should reserve that power for things that are related to safety, health, or the continued success of i3 and it's space. I think i3 needs to be a place where experiments can happen freely and innovative ideas aren't bogged down with red tape beyond what is necessary to protect the members and the organization. Status Quo is never a good reason not to do something, especially in a Makerspace and the board should always in my opinion lean toward enabling, not disabling, it's membership.

Jody Raiford

It's a hackerspace, not a gov't facility. Do all the things, and try not to get upset when people gripe about it, which they will. Don't be destructive of what other people made without decent buy-in, and be ready to put it back if it turns out to be a problem. Mostly, just try to be excellent, and it will all work out just fine.

Paul Lee

Most rules are there for a reason. Usually, “don’t do X” is a rule because someone caused a problem by doing X. I don’t think do-ocracy and reasonable rules are incompatible; there is plenty of room for do-ocracy within reasonable rules. If not, then perhaps the rules need to be re-evaluated as being too strict. I think at i3 our rules should be, except where legally necessary, loose guidelines or procedures rather than “thou shalt/thou shalt not” commandments; we are all rather intelligent adults and should be able to reasonably work out the potential consequences of our actions ahead of time. The rules are the rules as agreed to by the membership so if they say not to do X then don’t do X. But if they don’t say no, then I would personally default to a permissive pro-do-ocracy reading while taking into account my reasoned prediction of the outcomes of my actions.

Jan Henry

Rules are an important piece of an organization because they establish a protocol for what should be done. It doesn't mean that rules limit or penalize people unnecessarily but I think in a 24/7 organization without staff, it's important to know what the boundaries are. Whatever rules are set, they should be applied consistently. Yet there is definite room and need for the do-acracy, because there should be the freedom to make decisions, the best of which are made in clear communication with anyone affected.

Mike Fink

The rules should guide and make way for the do-ocracy. Simple rules like “Always leave a note, especially when in doubt” can do a ton to avoid conflicts and complications. Especially with questions like “Is someone using this material?” or “Who is working on this project/space improvement? Can I help? Or will I probably just break things?” When making changes to the space, members (and sometimes even Coordinators) should bounce their ideas off a few people, make sure they've considered all the ramifications, who may be affected, whether things can be reverted, etc before going through.

Mara Furland

This currently needs to be better defined in the rules, but the rules should guide the way people do things. We shouldn't need rules for every single thing, and we shouldn't be confused about what rules exist, where they are, and what they say. As is, we just ignore a lot of the rules that don't make sense, we should really clean those up. Either way, rules should guide people doing things, not stop them. Or confuse them.

What is the biggest issue at i3 that you hope to address in the next year, whether you serve on the board or not?

David Henry

Expansion planning and/or crowd funding (either internal or internal/externally) for space improvements or equipment.

John Coggeshall

I think space is a big issue that is starting to create friction within the organization and needs to be addressed in one way or another and I hope to be a part of that. I also hope to encourage the organization to continue it's investment in the types of tools and technologies that are inaccessible to the average maker and make it as available as possible for all to use! But unfortunately a lot of that requires space too, so I think space is a big priority for next year. I'd also like to see the board spend some time focusing on the right sort of processes and approaches to better protect the organization that don't hamper the membership unnecessarily. As i3 grows we will be getting more attention, and more scrutiny from the government at various levels -- it's important we manage that in such a way that we don't run into further issues.

Jody Raiford

We're out of space. If we get the space next door, great. If not, we SERIOUSLY need to consider other options. That might mean moving, or it might mean limiting membership, or closing some zones, or some other option all together.

Paul Lee

I think improving classes will be a long-term activity of mine at i3. I’d also like to continue in helping recruitment through various methods, including tours. But the biggest issue I plan on tackling is the issues surrounding legal responsibilities and code enforcement.

Jan Henry

Resolving space issues with either expansion next door or exploration of other real estate. Upgrading equipment via member donations and outside grants/funding/donations.

Mike Fink

I would like to have a solid plan for what happens when (if? :/) we are able to lease the other half of our building, including budget, a move-in plan, and a vision of what the whole space should look like once everything is moved.

Mara Furland

Expansion and rules cleanup.

What are your long-term (5+ years) goals for i3?

David Henry

I would like to increase percentage of members that contribute to the i3 community. I think the changes to the member on-boarding process are an excellent step towards this goal.

John Coggeshall

More space for zones and equipment, more space for storage, and more outreach. Outreach to me means not only more members, but getting more involved in our community directly besides just the annual Makerfare. I'd love to see i3 in a position to be able to help the community at large with repair workshops, and become more of a known entity throughout SE michigan for both makers in the community and the general public as a resource. Of course I think this all has to be done within the restrictions of financial, legal, and organizational constraints as well.

Jody Raiford

Thinking about long-term planning for the little ball of chaos that is i3 kinda makes me giggle. I have some general ideas that i'd like to see, like more space and more members, but to call that a "plan" seems a bit grandiose. I'm just going to try and hold on to being excellent, and let things grow how the membership wants.

Paul Lee

We will have expanded into the new space or into a new space. We will still be independently financially solvent. We will have expanded capability. But we will still be a close-knit quirky community.

Jan Henry

Increased membership of like-minded community makers and an expanded space, perhaps with an additional classroom/clean workspace and room for new zones and for smaller zones to expand into, and storage for member materials that don't fit well in homes. It would include increased membership by people in the arts, such as glass, paint, textile, jewelry, etc. More classes in all zones and even classes aimed at creating a crossover of skills... for example pulling people into the woodshop who might otherwise not consider it, whether they are from the outside community or within i3. Cross-pollinating the use of these zones, inside and outside of i3. Using grant awards to expand, researching equipment (purchased by budget or grant) that could be cutting edge for the maker community and being that place, where people can come to learn to do.

Mike Fink

In 5 years I would like to see us occupying our entire building and at least being on a path to owning it if financially possible. We should, by then, be over the 200 active member mark. I would like to see our popular/crowded zones expanded and/or improved as well as additional zones added as space and regulations allow, such as a space for automotive work, a dedicated space for sewing, and more general purpose, quiet, clean space.

What makes i3 great? Why did you join/why do you keep coming back?

David Henry

The ability to discuss and interact with others that have an interest in creating and learning.

John Coggeshall

I joined for the hardware, I discovered an entire community I never knew existed! It's so cool to see everyone, at any hour nearly, buzzing around hacking on this or painting that or building something else. This all happens independently of much structure, with the biggest problems arising from the occasional inconsiderate member or squabbles over a lack of working space for everyone to do everything they want. It's a place where people can push limits, innovate, and express themselves in a way that is simply impossible in most other places. I think that's pretty awesome.

Jody Raiford

It's a place where we can do stuff that interests us with a minimum of oversight and a maximum of freedom, with just enough structure, rules, and collaboration to keep so many fascinating individuals from killing each other.

Paul Lee

The equipment is great but in reality, you can find a saw or a soldering iron in many places. What really sets i3 apart is the abundance of smart, knowledgeable, and caring people that I’ve met at the space.

Jan Henry

Because my project is never-ending!! Seriously though, i3 is great for community collaboration, for inclusion, for teaching and encouraging people to do for themselves and providing educational access to machines to do that. I like to come here and work on my stuff among other people making their stuff. There is support of goals and dreams... I'm thrilled to be an active participant in the community and care for it like a piece of myself is attached to it, because it is.

Mike Fink

There’s a high concentration of smart, respectful, helpful people with diverse skillsets and experience. Plus all the tools that I could never afford/justify buying on my own, and seeing all the awesome things people do with them that expands my ideas of what I can do.

Mara Furland

I like talking to so many different people doing different things, who are willing to talk about the things they care about and I don't know about yet.

What isn't i3 for?

David Henry

i3 isn't a job shop.

John Coggeshall

It's not a formal school or employment training, nor a tool rental. It's not your house or your own personal workshop, either. It's not somewhere you should expect anyone to do anything for you besides keep the space in good shape and the tools in working condition, although you're certainly grateful when someone makes time all the same to do more for you to help! I mean I could probably go all day talking about all the things i3 isn't, right?

Jody Raiford

It's not an organized job shop. It's not a political outreach. It's not a daycare, or a school. It's not a counseling center. It isn't any of these things directly, even if any or all of them might happen as a side effect of the freedom that comes with being what we are.

Paul Lee

Daycare, child or otherwise. We don’t hold your hand. We don’t do it for you. We teach and show and tell. We help. But we help make you grow and learn and be self-sufficient.

Jan Henry

It's not a personal workshop/garage for leaving piles or a mess, it isn't for paid staff, it isn't for customers.

Mike Fink

The inconsiderate.

Mara Furland

I agree with the above.

What will you do if the board or members pass a decision you disagree with? Will you enforce it?

David Henry

The board makes decisions as a team. Once the team has decided it is one of the responsibilities of all team members to support the decision.

John Coggeshall

There's no point to having a board at all if the board and it's members don't stand by the collective decision so yes, of course I would enforce it. At the end of the day my vote would be counted along with all the rest -- and if something were to be decided that I simply could not stomach to enforce despite my personal feelings, I would resign.

Jody Raiford

Depends on the decision. I've voted "no" on some board items, but still upheld them, when they were something that wasn't existential to myself or i3. If something came up that I couldn't enforce, I'd step down, either from the board, or leave the space entirely. It'd have to be pretty big, though, like going to a for-profit model or something else equally big.

Paul Lee

The board needs to allow dissent but once a decision is made it must present a unified presence. Dissenting board members must still carry out the will of the board. If they cannot, then they should resign rather than breed toxicity by undercutting or criticizing the decision of the board.

Jan Henry

The time to oppose and communicate a different viewpoint is during the discussion phase but once something is approved by the majority, the board must follow it, and as a member of the board yes, I would enforce it. Maturity is important as not everyone will always agree.

Mike Fink

All rules and policies should be enforced with equal weight, regardless of personal agreement. If a significant portion of the membership or board thought something was a good idea, in spite of arguments against, then it likely has merit. Varied enforcement leads to confusion of correct policy and often forces those who properly enforce the rules to take the unpopular role of strict enforcer. This turns potential conflict with organizational policy into personal conflict which can be far more dangerous for a group like i3.

Mara Furland

Uphold it or leave.

Should we work to make i3 more inclusive and diverse? How can we?

David Henry

Yes. We should encourage diversity and be inclusive and welcoming to everyone. The wide range of backgrounds and talent among our members is one of the things that makes i3 great.

John Coggeshall

I don't think we can *make* i3 more diverse, but I think we can do more to get the word out to communities that might otherwise have never heard of us and make them feel welcome if they want to join. Makers are a diverse as the population and we should be reaching out to all of them and encouraging them to join us in making cool stuff. So from an organizational standpoint I feel like i3 should certainly not shy away from making sure the entire community knows who we are, and welcome/enable anyone who has the drive to make stuff do that.

On inclusion... To me I hear inclusive and I think of things like disabilities, and that's a challenging problem that I think requires its own champion to take on, and probably should be addressed on a need basis. For example could someone in a wheelchair really use the laser cutters, or a person with a vision disability? It'd be a challenge without help to get to that computer. I think if encountered with that situation, the board should do what it reasonably could to work with zone coordinators to enable someone with a disability to participate, but I would also like to believe (and do) that the membership itself from a cultural standpoint would quickly assist as well. Perhaps I've misunderstood the question, but assuming I haven't I am not in favor of things like making the entire space wheelchair accessible simply because "it should be". That to me sounds like a extremely time consuming and expensive bar to reach without necessarily a real need behind it. It should instead be handled on a case-by-case basis, with the goal always to be to enable any member who limited by a disability couldn't participate given whatever the current situation is.

Jody Raiford

It's more like, should we let i3 be more inclusive and diverse? You can't force such a thing. All you can do is be accepting of those who come, support the rights of everyone regardless of any of the long list of attributes that might define them, and do our best to all be excellent to each other. After that, it's up to each person to decide if i3 is what they want to be a part of. (note: I'm a ridiculously over-privileged individual, as a white cis-male that came from a relatively stable background, living in one of the richest societies on the planet, possessing reasonably good mental and physical health. I believe in the concept of diversity in the sense that differing backgrounds and personalities and abilities make for a better world, both in general and specifically at i3. I believe that those with greater abilities have a duty to help those with lesser abilities, within reason and when accepted. But i'm one of the least qualified people on the planet to talk about inclusivity and diversity, no matter how well-intentioned I may be)

Paul Lee

I think i3 is made up of a self-selected group of people; by that I mean you come to i3, take a tour, and i3 either calls to you or it doesn’t. I don’t know how we could make i3 call to specific people or how we would decide which specific people. This question has two key words: “inclusive “ and “diverse” which are separate things. I think i3 is very inclusive in that we have members of all kinds and they are welcomed as they are. Bradlee and I have never felt uncomfortable or unwelcome but I can speak only for my own experiences. I don’t think we could get more inclusive unless we started embracing children, job shoppers, and people opposed to do-ocracy. “Diverse” is the other part. I think i3 is pretty diverse compared to similar organizations, especially when you look under the surface. Diverse backgrounds and viewpoints are good things but I don’t know how we could increase diversity given what little effort we expend on recruitment. Or if we should increase recruitment efforts simply for the sake of diversity.

Jan Henry

I think our inclusive nature is one of the great things about us. Every organization has a culture about it, and as long as a person fits with the spirit of be excellent, teach/DIY, and community, they would be a great asset. Diversity in skill comes from being present in multiple disciplines in the community so people know we're here for them. We should always strive to be open to the community in terms of people and skills.

Mike Fink

Yes. In general, broadening the space's capabilities should make the overall skillset of the group more diverse. It's important to make sure that new members get that i3 is a community in addition to a workspace.

Do you agree with i3's current Harassment Policy?

John Coggeshall

It's a pretty good framework, but I think when it comes to such an incredibly sensitive subject such as the topic it covers, it shouldn't be taken as the end-all-be-all either. No policy can capture every possible circumstance or situation in such a complex subject as human interaction but these policies should always serve to inform and guide be responses the board has when problems arise. The policy reflects the idea that everyone should always feel comfortable in the space, and everyone should always make room and take care to make sure others are comfortable. That's a noble goal, and extremely difficult if not outright impossible to capture in 9 bullet point rules.

Jody Raiford

It's good for what it is. Could use some work, but I'm no policy wonk or SJW with strong skills at crafting better language for such things. Until we get some genius to write the perfect policy, I think ours does the job, and is certainly worth using!

Paul Lee

I do. I think it’s actually a pretty good policy. I'm sure there is always room for improvement but as it is, it is quite clear and rather comprehensive.

Jan Henry

I do agree, as it is clear and sets boundaries for expected behavior and the steps taken if it is crossed.

Mike Fink

I do. It does a good job of making most expectations and responsibilities fairly clear.

What do you think of the Geek Social Fallacies and/or the Missing Stair Theorem?

David Henry

They do seem to apply and align to the interesting happenings at i3 to varying degrees.

I think the Ostracizers Are Evil Fallacy is the one I've observed the most frequently.

Paul Lee

Geek Social Fallacies

I don't know about how authoritative the Geek Social Fallacies are as such but some of the ideas definitely apply and not necessarily just to "geek social groups". i3 has struggled with the idea of trying to be all things to all people in the past but I think we've gotten better at realizing that not everybody is in our "target market" so to speak.

Missing Stair Theorem

I know this is something that i3 has struggled with on more than one occasion. It is a problem that the board, both by itself and through the Member Advocates, needs to do a good job of identifying and eliminating.

Jan Henry

It's part of any social circle, and being aware of the pitfalls can help. i3 is an inclusive place, so of course the effects are going to be seen here and I think communication is likely a key to working with it. When I've had to make a comment on or offer what I hope is some constructive criticism, I make a point of framing my words as best I can to separate the "criticism" from the person. In other words it's not that I don't like you, I didn't like what you were doing in this instance.

Mike Fink

I thing GSF do often apply, and they are important to be mindful of, both for oneself and also when considering the words and actions of others.

Do you think that people should be allowed to hold multiple positions at i3 at the same time? (Board, ZC, Officer, etc.)

David Henry

Yes, it's up to each of us to determine how much we have time for.

John Coggeshall

I think it's a necessary evil sometimes, but a diversity of roles within the membership should always be the goal.

Jody Raiford

I think it would be nice if we had enough people available and willing to fill the various roles, but we're still at the point where fewer than 30% of the membership is willing to step into said roles. Maybe someday we might be able to keep things separate, but we aren't there yet.

Paul Lee

Should they be allowed to? Yes. Should they do it? Maybe. It depends on the person and the positions involved. Just in my time here, there have been people who have successfully held several positions simultaneously and did a fabulous job at all of them. There have also been people who couldn't perform just a single job. Also, some positions are more time consuming and taxing than others. Whether you hold several positions or only a single one, the key is that if you're struggling you need to "fail loudly" and sooner rather than later so that someone else can take over if needed.

Jan Henry

Yes. Each person has the responsibility and freedom to choose what they have energy for. If there is evidence down the line that something is failing, they might need someone to check in with them and ask if they want help with anything and ultimately, offer to find a replacement if things are at a standstill, something we've done in the past even if the person had one post. So it's not always a determining factor if they carry more than one i3 post. I believe in letting people carry on with what they want to do, and addressing issues if they arise.

Mike Fink

Yes, but one should do so responsibly and understand how to fail loudly. From personal experience, I would strongly encourage not wearing too many hats (two is my limt), but oftentimes there are more positions than we have volunteers.