rainbowR conference and leadership committees

I have recently been taking a more active role in rainbowR, a community that supports, promotes and connects LGBTQ+ people who code in the R language, and spreads awareness of LGBTQ+ issues through data-driven activism. I’m very excited to be a member of the newly elected rainbowR leadership committee and to help organize the inaugural rainbowR conference as part of the conference organization committee.

The leadership committee was elected at the inaugural rainbowR Annual General Meeting as part of a process to formalize rainbowR into an unincorporated association with a membership-approved constitution. Having been a member of the rainbowR community since 2024, I’ve frequently participated in the monthly meetups, and enjoyed meeting many others who share my excitement about R. I look forward to being able to do more for the community as part of the leadership team.

The inagural rainbowR conference is our first major event, taking place as a virtual conference between 25–26 February. It will bring together LGBTQIA+ users of R, and their allies, to promote their work and foster connections amongst the community through a lineup of great speakers and multiple workshops and social events. I’ve had a great time collaborating with the other members of the organizing committee, and I can’t wait to see the conference happen!