When we first really started talking about HBD as a thing — as a specific thing, with parameters and goals and actual people involved, as opposed to us venting to each other and comparing notes and talking about something needing to be done — we made a giant Google doc and just started dumping ideas into it. We started reordering and massaging the ideas, and then it took form, and then Trent had about 1001 flights within 2 weeks and Nikky is in the midst of working on a tiny little project at a small place in Orlando, and I (Cyn) said to hell with it, and put verbs and stuff into our ragtag google doc, poured it into a template, flipped the light switch, and said hey. We're doing this thing.
And then the info signups started pouring in, and I went and breathed into a paper bag and freaked out. We've got a couple of things in the hopper for the next few weeks: keeping Nikky sane on install (heh), starting up a speaker's bureau info page, getting out the mentorship survey and getting the first 1:1 matches made, scheduling peer networking online roundtables/meet-ups, and getting together at the TEA Summit. Several of us have board obligations or whatnot at TEA, and as soon as those meetings are anchored we'll figure out a time and place to get together for coffee or drinks.
Thank you to everyone for being so enthusiastic. To board members in various associations who've said 'what can we do to help' and women I've looked up to from afar who've said 'what you're doing is fantastic'- and then pushed their younger colleagues to sign up. Thank you for sharing your ideas. Big thanks to bosses who've said 'this is awesome, how can we help you?' Thank you HBD early adopters for your infinite patience as we lumber into life. Thank you for participating in our slack discussion groups (and if you've signed up for HBD but haven't received a slack invite, check your spam folder and if it's not there, kick me). Most of all, thank you for welcoming us and for being so honest and open.
On behalf of the women behind the curtain herding this thing into life, thank you, we're glad you're here, and let's get rocking.
-Cyn