Ace Unconference: FAQs

Pre-registration is absolutely not required! You can also register on the spot at any time of day. This event is completely free with no registration fees of any kind.

However, pre-registering does help us get an accurate headcount so we can make sure we have the right amount of supplies and food for everyone, so it is highly encouraged. It also and helps us ensure that we can accommodate any food allergies, dietary restrictions, or accessibility needs in advance.

We generally recommend that attendees consider bringing the following

• An n95 or equivalent mask. We will also have additional masks available on site if you don't already have one. 

• Sunscreen. This event is partially outdoors, and the sun is very bright at mid-day. 

• Wide brimmed hat, parasol, or other sun protection. See above. 

• Small snacks. While we provide lunch, and cupcakes as an afternoon snack, we also encourage you to bring any other small snacks you may want throughout the day; the nearest stores or cafes are a several block walk

• Refillable water bottle. We will also have drinking fountains and cups on site. 

The James Kenney Community Center is located inside James Kenney park in North Berkeley. The UnConference features two indoor meeting rooms which will be used for breakout sessions, one on the first floor and one on the second floor. Both stairs and elevator access are available. There is also a large outdoor courtyard area that will also be used for breakout sessions - please note that this area is in direct sun in the middle of the day, so hats and sunscreen are recommended. There is a single all-gender bathroom attached to the courtyard, multiple all-gender restrooms on the second floor, and mens and womens restrooms in the gym. There are also water fountains just off the lobby.

We have two recommendations for places to go if you need to step away for a bit.  The first is off into the park: there are lots of benches, picnic tables, and grassy areas just outside the gated courtyard. The second, if you would prefer somewhere inside, is the kitchen on the second floor, adjacent to the upstairs breakout room.  However, there is a little noise bleed from that room, and this space will not be available when food is being delivered and during lunch setup and cleanup times.

At the start of the UnConference, we'll have a large, blank schedule grid up on the wall of the outdoor courtyard, with rows for each session timeslot and columns for each breakout room. The morning scheduling session is when we start to fill in those blanks. 

Before we start, we'll prepare a stack of session cards, markers, and small pieces of tape for all attendees. We'll pass these out while also explaining the next few steps of the scheduling process, which is as follows:  

• First we'll invite attendees to brainstorm potential session topics, and write them down on those session cards (see the next question for more about what info to add there). 

• Then, attendees who have a topic to suggest (which not everyone will) are invited to line up in front of the schedule grid.

• Each person is then asked to announce their proposed topic, give a short 1-3 sentence oral explanation of what that topic might entail, and whether their proposed session is open or closed. 

• After announcing their topic, each person can then use tape to place their session card in any open area of the schedule.

• This process will continue until all proposed topics have been added to the schedule, or until all spaces on the schedule grid have been filled. 

Once completed, the schedule will remain up in the courtyard for attendees to reference throughout the day.

One of the unique things about the UnConference schedule, however, is that it's a living document that grows throughout the event. Attendees can continue to add session cards to open spots on the schedule grid throughout the day, as new ideas arise or if previous conversations are so good that they just have to be continued. Session proposers can also move their sessions to another open space later if it comes into conflict with another similar topic. 

Even a lack of open schedule slots isn't a hard limit. If all "official" schedule grid slots are full, attendees are still welcome to get creative and DIY their own additional breakout sessions in the any of the public park areas adjacent to the community center. 

No advanced preparation is required to propose a discussion topic - just a general idea of what you'd like to have a conversation about! Attendees who propose a topic are NOT expected to have any specific presentations or discussion questions prepared. However, if you'd like to start brainstorming in advance, these are the three pieces of information we need to know for each session: 

1. What is the topic of the session? This will be a short title that we can add to the schedule, which will be written on the session sheet. 

2. What is a 1-3 sentence explanation of your topic? This won't be written down anywhere, but we do ask anyone proposing a topic to give a 1-3 sentence introduction out loud during the morning schedule building.

3. Is this a closed or open session? Closed sessions are targeted at specific groups, like aromantic aces, people of color, trans aces, etc. Open sessions are open to anyone, regardless of whether they have any experience with or knowledge of the topic. Session sheets should be labeled as closed or open. 

In addition to our breakout sessions and discussion topics, we'll also have our lending library available with several ace fiction and nonfiction books for you to browse through, as well as an arts and crafts table with button + magnet making supplies for ace, aro, queer, and other custom buttons. If you'd like to bring your own printouts or magazine cutouts to make into buttons, you can do that too!

We encourage attendees to check out these areas during breaks, during sessions where they aren't as interested in the scheduled topics, or whenever they need a short break. 

Yes! The UnConference is a casual event where we invite people to drop in or drop out as needed. It is completely acceptable for people to come for only part of the event if they aren't able to make the full day. Also, even if you miss the morning scheduling session, you can still add a proposed topic to the schedule if there are still any open spaces when you arrive.