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JSNation Now Offers a Speaker Mentorship Program for Underrepresented Folks

When it comes to web development careers, not everybody gets the same start.

Our aim for JSNation 2020 is not only to create a great lineup that includes people from diverse backgrounds, but also to provide an environment where they would feel welcome. We would like to help these JS developers overcome obstacles and injustices they face along their way to breaking through and becoming well-known professionals in the industry.

That's why we decided to start a speaker mentorship program catering specifically to people from groups that are underrepresented in tech. That includes but is not limited to:

  • women
  • people of color
  • LGBT+ folks
  • people with disabilities

We would like to increase the visibility of the JavaScript developers belonging to these groups, and we would like to publicly appreciate their skills and experiences.

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The mentorship program offers an opportunity to be a part of the conference and consult one's submission with an established professional from the field of JavaScript development, who will be assigned to the speaker by our committee based on a submitted talk proposal.

6 individuals will be selected for the program, and each will get to have 3 sessions with the mentor: in the first one, the mentee will present the talk in its originally proposed form, and in the second one, the mentee and the mentor will go though the talk step by step and discuss details, so that the two of them can improve the presentation together. In the final session, the mentee will present the talk to the mentor once again in its final form. These sessions will be held online.

So, ready to submit your application? Before doing so, please consider what kind of talk format you would prefer based on the following available slots:

  • 2 regular talks - 30 min, no Q&A
  • 2 lightning talks - 5-7 min, no Q&A
  • 2 pre-conference meetup talks - 20-30 min, Q&A possible and the Meetup is usually held 1 day before the conference

Apply for the mentorship program

The JS pros that have confirmed their mentoring so far include Dora Kalneus, Andrey Okonetchnikov, Narendra Shetty, Robert Haritonov, and Denis Radin. We're still looking for extra people to join the team of mentors, so should you be interested in helping us, ping us at hi@jsnation.com.

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