Editing Meeting Notes 2016 07 12 (section)

= [[ Membership Binder ]] =

* '''Invite a knowledgeable volunteer to describe''' [[membership]], and the application process.
<blockquote>Being a member of Noisebridge is not like being a member of a gym or your local chess club. Anyone can come to Noisebridge to hack and learn: you don't need to be a member for that. At Noisebridge, membership is something different: it means taking responsibility and committing to help to maintain, improve, and govern Noisebridge. As a member of Noisebridge, you don't just come here to hack and learn, you actively work to improve what you see around you, help to deal with problems, and make this community and space better than it is today.</blockquote>
* Read off any names from the binder for the past month. Mark down a check or other indicator on every open application to keep track of how many weeks they've been read out.

Adrian - Would anyone like to describe membership?

Scotty - Membership at Noisebridge (not his application text) - Nobody needs to be a member to participate in noisebridge. Members are like caretakers. The members are sort of like board members. The real board are more of a token group that have agreed not to do anything.  They have pledged to guide the community and make sure it stays on track. To become a member you fill out a membership form and ask 2 members to vouch for you. Your application is read off for four weeks. After four or more meetings anyone can ask you questions during the meeting. You leave the room and a number of people discuss membership. You find a bribe like beer and a lime and come back when it is done.

Trent - One addition - everyone is encouraged to participate in the discussion about the prospective member, and everyone also can participate in talking about the prospective member when they leave the room.  The membership are the people who concense on that but still need to hear things from the broader community.

[Adrian reads Scotty's application]


* Anyone eligible to join this week should
** introduce themselves,
** answer any questions members may have for them, then
** leave the area in search of gifts (traditionally beer and a lime, or cookies) for the rest of the group.
* The rest of the meeting should reach consensus on whether they may join.
* Remember to applaud new members when they return.

Jarrod - Is there anything you want to add before we ask you questions?

Jarrod - Scotty - you say that members are like caretakers. Could you elaborate on what you believe the role of a member of Noisebridge is?

Scotty - Sure, I view members as caretakers essentially. Sort of like custodians of the community itself. Most of the time the community functions pretty well without people in a full member capacity. Members are responsible for help keeping the community on track when it veers off course. I think most of the time that this can be done without being a full member. But members have concensus and blocking as a safety measure to keep members from going too far off course.  For example, to make sure concensus is not happening too quickly when there is still strong dissent or there is too much discussion and there are perhaps alternatives that are more palatable to everybody.

Jarrod - Do you agree with the anti harrassment policy that we have?

Scotty - I do. I would like to understand a little better what people mean. There has been some discussion about turning it into a full code of conduct. I would like to see why people are saying that, and maybe help to make it a bit broader and contribute to it being a safe and welcome space.

Alex - What do you think would be necessary to block and how would you go about it?

Scotty - I don't see blocking as a way to stop things directly but rather a way to make sure we have a healthy discussion. I see blocking's purpose as to make sure that we have more time rather than to stop the process entirely. I don't expect to have to use blocking (any time soon). I see the utility of blocking in its abstract concept rather than the actual use of a 'block'.  Blocking helps people remember that they need to discuss until they have broad community buy in. That cultural understanding prevents blocking from becoming a tool that they have to use directly. I think that's really healthy instead of a model where the block is actually used regularly.

Alex - As becoming a member, you've been involved in a couple projects already. Do you want to get involved in more projects? Do you see your projects as bringing other people into noisebridge and that would cause you to eventually sponsor them to become a member as well? In other words, bring more great people to noisebridge.

Scotty - You mean sponsoring philanthropists?  I think there are a lot of people here that we should get more involved.  A few very involved non philanthropists that should become philanthropists. A few philanthropists that should apply for full membership.  I also don't think those 2 roles are the first step. Rather I think getting people involved is the big thing.  As far as other projects, I feel like I already got involved in a bunch of projects I am already really excited about.

Jarrod - What do you think is Noisebridge's current biggest failing, or a big failing? What is something you are not thrilled about or ashamed about.

Scotty - I think we need to do better on safe space stuff which is why I have been putting energy into that. I don't think we are as inclusive or safe as we think we are and I think we need to work harder. The first steps towards cultural things are usually just talking about it, which is why I suggested adding that to the meeting format.  It's still evolving, we'll see what happens as we experiment. There's more work to be done there.  We are much better at filtering people that are physically dangerous or who might steal but we are not as good at filtering out people who make people uncomfortable, particularly people who are a minority in the community.

Carl - What have you worked on that you had the most fun with or that you are most proud of?

Scotty - I had tons of fun with the bookshelves. I did the design for the bookshelves, Naomi's originally design - I sketched them up, maybe 5 of us put them together.  I really enjoyed working with that. I also had fun putting the LEDs on and debugging that and whatnot. Flaschen Taschen all the things.

Jason - I have a 2 part question. What is Noisebridge? What is Noisebridge to you?

Scotty - Noisebridge is a hackerspace. I think it's a bunch of things. it's a community of people that are all passionate about what they are into and making things and taking them apart and learning and teaching and sharing them with others.  Also it's the Physical Space.  We are a place that provides tools and space and infrastructure for people to explore what they are passionate about, specifically around making and learning.  Wow, for me - noisebridge is a lot of things. I started comign here about 5 years ago when I was living in the South bay. I would come up whenever I could, every week or two. I started just working on projects and just sat in the corner and wasn't very integrated. It's almost become a second home now or almost like a living room.  When I am here, I am usually living in a different place but noisebridge is a constant where I come to hang out and work on projects and stuff. Noisebridge is also directly or indirectly the cause of me going independent and starting my own company and no longer working for the man. It's really significantly changed my life.  This gave me the freedom to really explore what I am passionate about and sort of live the full time hacker lifestyle.


[Scotty leaves]

[NO NOTES ON THIS SECTION]

The members have concensed that Scotty Allen shall be a member of Noisebridge HEREFORTH!