This year, WordCamp US programming is going to run differently!
Goal
The goal of WCUS programming is to unite the community in a way that will collectively move WordPress forward. Our community thrives when it grows, because we acquire new knowledge and new perspectives when we include new people. Just as WordPress is an open-source CMS, we are an open community. We know WordPress runs approximately 40% of the websites on the web; meaning there are a lot of WordPress users who are not yet part of the community.
The Past
In the past, WCUS felt like a local WordCamp but bigger, and therefore better. Sponsors paid more, tickets cost more, and the afterparty had more refreshments. For speakers, there was an unspoken and unofficial belief that you must climb the ladder: first speak at a local meetup, then a small-town WordCamp, then a big city WordCamp, and lastly, WCUS. This structure is not inclusive for WordPressers who aren’t currently active in this community.
This Year
We are attempting to put an end to the “Competition of Competitions,” in order to concentrate on the collective goals of this community.
We are targeting experienced, seasoned, professional speakers at the top of their industries who are not currently active members of our unique community to speak at this year’s WCUS program. There are WordPress agency owners who have never been to a local meetup; plugin developers who don’t know what a WordCamp is, and there are scholars and academics who have never heard of Matt Mullenweg.
Survey for Suggestions
We want to hear from the community about what a successful WordCamp US would look, and will be collecting suggestions for speakers and programming topics. This is not a formal nomination process, and you should not get other people to nominate you.
We’d love for you to suggest people we’ve never heard of, but who you feel may deserve to speak at a tech conference of this magnitude; speakers with ideas the WordPress community should know about. If you do not have a topic or speaker to submit in the form, share the news far and wide with your network so we can reach more WordPress users!
If you’ve got someone or something in mind, please submit them today!
Call for Speakers
Don’t worry! We also have a traditional Call for Speakers in addition to the curated programming from the programming team.
Onwards and upwards,
WCUS Programming Team:
Matthew Clancy
Rachel Winchester
David E. Smith
David Brattoli