Diversity & Inclusion

Education and collaboration are vital to the future of the open source ecosystem, and it is imperative to us that everyone in the community that wants to participate feels welcome to do so regardless of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, race, ethnicity, age, religion or economic status. Our Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for all those who participate in our community, as well as the consequences for unacceptable behavior.

Updated May 3, 2024

Please view our blog post about KubeCon + CloudNativeCon and Utah’s Bathroom Bill (May 2024) and our earlier Statement on Anti-Equal Rights Legislation & Event Locations (January 2024) for more information on how & when conference venue locations are chosen.

In light of recent legislative actions in Utah, specifically the passing of HB 257, we understand the concerns and apprehensions that have emerged within our transgender and gender-diverse community members regarding WasmCon 2024 in Salt Lake City. The discourse surrounding HB 257 has been confusing and, at times, misleading, contributing to an atmosphere of uncertainty.

To clarify the legislation, this law does not extend to privately owned venues, including those hosting our conference and related activities. The Salt Palace Convention Center, our conference venue, and the connected Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City are not affected by this law. Both have inclusive, all-gender restroom facilities available.

Additionally:

• No other hotels are affected by HB 257.
• The Salt Lake Airport has all-gender restrooms. 
• HB 257 does not apply to any privately owned venue or facility (hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, cultural attractions etc).
• Outside of schools, HB 257 only covers restrooms connected to changing rooms in government owned buildings (and even then there is no legal consequence if one of these restrooms is used).
• Salt Lake City boasts a vibrant LGBTQ+ community. For more details on local LGBTQ+ resources and to learn more, visit: Salt Lake City’s LGBTQ Community Resources.

The ACLU of Utah has provided a detailed overview and FAQ on HB 257, which we highly recommend for those seeking further clarification: ACLU Utah HB 257 Overview

We look forward to welcoming you to Salt Lake City for a memorable and safe WasmCon 2024.

Nursing Room
We will be providing a private nursing room at this year’s event to aid in the comfort and accessibility of our nursing attendees. The room will be available all days of the event and will be located onsite. For location information, please check with registration or information desk staff onsite.

Venue Accessibility
If you need any assistance locating an elevator, or have other questions about accessibility onsite, please speak to a member of the Linux Foundation event staff at any of the registration or information desks onsite. If you have questions prior to the event, please email events@linuxfoundation.org.

Child Care
Complimentary childcare will be available onsite during event days.

Wheelchair + Medical Equipment Rental
If you need a wheelchair or scooter, you can rent them from Mobility City. Please contact them directly for rates and availability.

Zen Zone
All attendees may feel free to use the Zen Zone as needed. It is a physical space where conversation and interaction are not allowed, where attendees can go if for any reason they can’t interact with other attendees at that time.

Communication Stickers
At Registration, attendees can pick up communication stickers to add to their badges. Communication stickers indicate an attendee’s requested level of interaction with both other attendees and press (including photographers and videographers).

• Green = Open to communicate.
• Yellow = Only if you know me, please.
• Red = I’m not interested in communicating (or being videotaped or photographed) at this time.

Please be respectful of attendee communication preferences.

Share your Pronouns
Pick up a pronoun sticker from registration to share your pronouns with other conference attendees. Please be respectful of attendees’ pronouns.

All-Gender Restrooms
We will designate specific restrooms as all-gender for attendees who feel more comfortable using those facilities.

First Aid/Medical Assistance
If you require first aid or medical assistance, please visit our registration desk or the venue front desk. For emergencies, please dial 911.

How to Handle a Harassment Report
If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the event staff immediately. Event staff can be identified by staff badges and/or shirts onsite and can be found at the event registration counter at any time. Our staff has had incident response training, responds to harassments reports and does so in accordance with the process recommended by the Ada Initiative, which can be found here on the Geek Feminism Wiki.

Conference staff will be happy to help participants contact hotel/venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the conference.

If you are planning to attend an upcoming event and have concerns regarding another individual who may be present, please reach out to us pre-event. Precautions will be taken to ensure a victim’s comfort and safety, including, but not limited to providing an escort, prepping onsite event staff, keeping victim and harasser from attending the same talks/social events and providing onsite contact cell phone numbers for immediate contact.

The Linux Foundation Contacts:
Tricia Barker, Event Director (tbarker@linuxfoundation.org)
Angela Brown, SVP & General Manager of Events (+1-415-368-4840; angela@linuxfoundation.org)

If you have ideas on how we can create a more inclusive event, please do not hesitate to let us know. Contact Angela Brown, SVP & General Manager of Events, at angela@linuxfoundation.org.