BlogHer '06 - Identity and Obligation Thanks and Other Shout Outs *Updated*

My primary experience of the conference content was as moderator of the Identity and Obligation panel. I was able to catch bits of some other sessions but mine was the only one where I saw the whole thing. :-)

I've attempted to make my rounds around the blogosphere to leave thank you comments, and I will continue to do so. But let me try to call out those to whom I owe particular thanks.

I have undying gratitude to the panelists - Dawn Rouse (the microphone master), Karen Walrond, Carmen Van Kerchove, and Marisa Trevino. I moderate for a living and working with this dream team was effortless. I just had to be the designated loud mouth.

Thank you to Elisa Camahort for pulling together such a stellar group of women on this panel and for honoring me by asking me to moderate.

The session was special not just because of the amazing women surrounding me but because of the equally amazing group of people both in the room and participating virtually. Kirk recorded the session, Farah, Christine, Lynne and Karl live blogged it. Keep your eye on Amy Gahran's Wiki for additions. Denise and Jeneane chatted it. And PHAT Mommy led the BlogHers in spirit - check the comments for links to those who played the home version.

Updated to add: Liz Henry has an amazing liveblog of the session. Go read it now. I'll be waiting.

I'm going to try and make another post later where I will attempt to give a shout out to everyone I managed to meet, speak with, glimpse and give you a virtual squeal and hug if I didn't get to in person. As volunteer to help organize the conference I didn't really get to attend or participate - I got to be the hard ass at the registration table and the whipping girl for all the sponsors and attendees who for whatever reason felt that we didn't supply the experience they imagined they would have or, worse yet, imagined they were promised and for the hotel employees who insisted that we never asked for things that we had planned for and asked for for months.

Don't get me wrong - for the most part attendees, sponsors and hotel staff were lovely, appreciative and flexible. But I'm still, days later, having a particularly difficult time processing all the negativity I'm seeing expressed about the conference. In particular, I resent the implicit assumption in many of the posts and chatter that the organizers (including me) were unconscious to or uncaring about or did not plan for various aspects of the conference. Also, I'm bugged by the implicit suggestions that conference attendees (or non-attendees) have no agency or responsibility in how they experience or perceived the conference.

So, I have to give a very special shout out to the group of women who were subjected to my bitter, fried brain ranting on Saturday night and who did not slap me upside the head even though I am sure they wanted to because, hell, I wanted to slap me. xoxo to Annette John-Hall, Tiffany Brown, Gena Haskett and Tarita Thomas for allowing me to vent and promising me some specific suggestions. Much love, sisters.

Cross posted at Fizz.

Powered by QumanaTags: BlogHer, BlogHer06, Identity and Obligation, Dawn Rouse, Karen Walrond, Carmen Van Kerchove, Marisa Trevino, Elisa Camahort, Kirk Brooks, Farah Sowaleef, Christine Herron, Lynne D. Johnson, Amy Gahran, Karl Erikson, Daily Dose of Denise, Jeneane Sessum, PHAT Mommy, Liz Henry, Annette John-Hall, Tiffany B. Brown, Gena Haskette, Tarita Thomas