Reflecting on DjangoCon US 2024
Hello Djangonauts!
With DjangoCon US 2024 š behind us, we wanted to do some reflecting. We've asked a few of our organizers who attended DjangoCon US about their experience.
- Doreen Nangira Wanyama: Hackathon lead, Django Girls Organizer, Sprints, Code of Conduct
- Drew Winstel: DEFNA Vice President, Program Co-Chair, Opportunity Grants team, Code of Conduct team
- Julius Boakye: Opportunity Grants co-chair
- Lidya K Tilahun: Program, Communications and Opportunity Grants committee
- Tim Schilling: DEFNA Secretary, Communications co-chair, Community team, Code of Conduct team
So letās hear what they thought of the conference!
Note that the remainder of the post switches to a first-person interview.
Interviewer:
Hi folks! Thanks for agreeing to help with this! Let's start by having you tell us a little about yourself and your role as an organizer for DjangoCon US 2024.
Doreen:
My name is Doreen Nangira Wanyama. I am a Python software developer and a data engineer. I come from a country called Kenya. During the DjangoCon US 2024, I worked as a hackathon lead organizer. This was the first DjangoCon US hackathon. I was also the online chat moderator.
Drew:
Iām Drew Winstel. Iāve been the Program Chair since 2021 and Iām also on the DEFNA board, having been Vice President from 2021-23 and currently am a director on the board. My primary responsibility has been leading the team that picks the talks and arranges the schedule for the conference.
Julius:
My name is Julius Boakye, from Ghana and my role for DjangoCon US 2024 was Opportunity Grant Co-chairperson. I worked with my chair, Carol, to coordinate the grants program for DjangoCon US 2024.
Lidya:
Hey, Iām Lidya, I helped organize DjangoCon US 2024 by contributing to the Communications, Program and Grant Teams.
Tim:
My name is Tim Schilling. Iām a co-chair of the communications team for DjangoCon US 2024 and the DEFNA secretary.
Fantastic, thank you. Alright, first question. If there was a theme for DjangoCon US 2024, what do you think it was?
Doreen:
The theme that stood out for me was Django being a community for the community. The talks from various speakers from all over the world revolved around this. The fact that people sacrificed their time and spent sleepless nights to make this a success was just so amazing.
Drew:
Hmm, Iād have to say optimism. There was an air of cautious optimism through the conference that despite the ongoing tech layoffs and existential threats to the creative aspects of our work, weāre in a really good place in our little corner of our web development world.
Julius:
I think the theme of DjangoCon US 2024 was "Community, Connection, and Innovation." It was evident in the way the organizers and attendees came together to share knowledge, experiences, and ideas, and how the conference showcased the latest innovations and advancements in the Django ecosystem.
Lidya:
Not to sound corny, but Iād say Community. It was my first time, but I felt really welcomed.
Tim:
Oh, for me, there definitely was. It was all about the Django community. Each of the keynotes touched on an aspect of this, some more directly than others. Then I had several fantastic conversations outside the talks revolving around it.
All of those are lovely answers! Next one. Who at the conference left a lasting impression on you? Please try to limit yourself to one or two people; otherwise, we're going to list everyone at the conference š .
Doreen:
This one goes to Peter Grandstaff and Rachell Calhoun. Whenever Peter went on stage, he would just exude a great wealth of wisdom. Rachellās talk about empowering upcoming tech talents, such as Django Girls initiatives, is something that stood out for me. Her involvement in various volunteer activities showed passion and commitment to the course.
Drew:
Our three keynote speakers (Sheena, Mario, and Natalia) were all excellent. The keynotes really helped set the theme for the conference in a great way. I also want to give shouts to Marc Gibbons and Sage Abdullah, whose talks really inspired me.
Julius:
Peter Grandstaff and Benedict kofi Amofah
Lidya:
Keanya Phelps, Jay Miller and Peter Grandstaff (I know you said two, forgive me).
Tim:
This is tough. For me, itād be a toss-up between Ronard Luna and Monica Oyugi. Ronard is such a pleasant and positive human. Our conversations always leave me smiling and feeling great. With Monica, I met her this year at the Black Python Devs Leadership Summit, where she started asking questions about leading volunteer organizations. We connected on the challenges of balancing community organizing with life.
Aww. I'm delighted those folks are in our community. Moving right along, what about this year's conference was worth the time, energy and money to attend?
Doreen:
This yearās conference was worth everything. I attended online, but got the opportunity to interact with amazing people. I got the opportunity to work with both Salim Nuru and Sarah Sanger in the chat moderation, and I learnt a lot from them. I also learned new skills from the talks that I attended. I now know how to tackle some challenges I was initially facing when making Django applications. Apart from the tech skills, I improved other skills such as time management and collaboration. I had to plan my activities one week ahead of the conference and make sure everything was in order.
Drew:
Seeing everyone. Itās amazing to be in the room with so many fun people and catch up on old times like you were never apart, whether it be someone like Lacey Henschel who Iāve known for over two decades (wait, how?) or Carlton Gibson who Iāve only bonded with over the past 5 or so years thanks to multiple years of DjangoCon US attendance or Marc Gibbons, my cycling buddy.
Julius:
Even though I couldn't attend physically, I think what made DjangoCon US 2024 worth the time, energy, and money was the incredible opportunity to connect with fellow Django enthusiasts and experts from around the world. The virtual format allowed for a global audience to participate, share knowledge, and learn from each other's experiences. The conference also featured a diverse range of talks, workshops, and panels that showcased the latest developments and best practices in the Django ecosystem.
Lidya:
It was. It really was. I had a blast, I learned a lot and met people I otherwise might not have met.
Tim:
For me, it was getting to see everyone in person and interact with them in a physical space. Itās rejuvenating to be able to say hi to a person face-to-face when youāve only interacted with them over the internet. Beyond that, the collaboration and ideas of how to solve my own problems, both work and personal, are entirely worth it.
Yes! Folks, please come attend next year, as you can see, it's well worth it. Join us! Now, looking forward to DjangoCon US 2025, what are you planning to do differently from this year?
Doreen:
First of all, next year, I am planning to start my visa application process early. I missed in-person attendance because of visa delays. I am also planning to engage more in Django community events and help upcoming developers learn these skills. Having been a Django Girls coach for one year now, I hope to spread my wings and bring more people to the Django community. I also hope to participate more in open-source projects after seeing the amazing Django projects at DjangoCon US 2024.
Drew:
Iām handing off the Program Chair role to Afi Maame Dufie, who will do an excellent job of leading the team. Iāll still help out, but Iām going to be a little less heavily involved. Itās time for someone else to take the reins.
Julius:
I am planning to attend the conference as a speaker this time, and I am planning to make sure I make enough networks.
Lidya:
As an organizer, I have ideas in place for next year, and as an attendee, I will plan my travel a bit more.
Tim:
I can barely think of what Iām going to do next month, much less next year! I think I might fly in a day earlier or fly out a day later. I donāt handle FOMO well š .
I would say I'm going to hold you to that, but a year is a long time from now. I'll settle for just seeing you all again. As we wrap up this interview and the conference itself, please share any closing thoughts you have about the community, the conference, or yourself. It's really up to you a ā choose-your-own adventure of sorts.
Doreen:
My closing remarks will be this: Just show up. Whether it is showing up to a Django conference or a Django Podcast, always do your best to show up. There are lots of amazing opportunities that you will get if you just show up.
Drew:
A tip for my fellow organizers: start picking your replacements early. You canāt do the same thing forever and itās great if you can start bringing people up and handing them leadership roles as gracefully as possible.
Julius:
Thank you to the Django community for being an amazing group of people. I'm honored to be a part of it and can't wait to see what the future holds. Until next time, keep coding, connecting, and conquering!
Lidya:
This conference was my first experience with the North American Django Community, and Iām glad that it was my first introduction to this community. I had a great time, and I'm excited to see you all next year. Cheers!
Tim:
Thank you to everyone who attended and made this yearās conference what it was. It was an immense joy to interact with you all in such a wonderful space. I hope you all had a great time and encourage others to attend / sponsor next year!
Well said. I appreciate all the time and effort you all put in for this and the community. Well done on a successful DjangoCon US 2024, and here's to a fantastic 2025!
