CodeLand 2022 CFP

Thank you for your interest in speaking at CodeLand 2022, the tech industry’s friendliest conference for early-career programmers and their mentors! The conference will be held on June 16-17, 2022 from 9am-3pm PT / 12-6pm ET / 4-10pm UTC on each day. For the third year in a row, it is taking place virtual-only, on the CodeNewbie Community.

Talk Format

While CodeLand 2022 content as a whole (keynotes, talks, panels) will be published to the conference site as a combination of on-demand and live-streamed videos, this CFP is only seeking proposals for talks that will be pre-recorded as a 15-minute video. If your talk would be longer than 15 minutes or can only be given live, please do not submit it to the CodeLand 2022 CFP.

Accepted speakers will be asked to participate in a live group panel session during the conference as well. Participation in a panel is suggested but not required. Participating speakers should be prepared to answer moderated attendee questions about their talk during their panel.

Timeline

This CFP will be open until March 29, 2022 at 11:59pm UTC. We are unable to accept any proposals after that time. We aim to have every proposal responded to with an acceptance, waitlist, or decline by April 26, 2022. If that date has passed (in all timezones) and you have not heard from us yet, please email us.

How to Submit a Proposal

This CFP is a little more involved than some others, and we recommend that you click "Submit a proposal" first to carefully read through the information we're asking you to provide (including all descriptions) before you submit your proposal in full. We do recommend that you fill in every field to give our Committee a comprehensive idea of what your talk would cover, and how. We do not consider any details about your talk proposal outside of what is submitted here.

If you have multiple ideas for great CodeLand 2022 talks, you are more than welcome to submit multiple times! In the first round of review, the Committee does not see your identity nor whether you've submitted other proposals.

All talks at CodeLand 2022 must comply with the CodeNewbie Code of Conduct. Please review this in full before submitting a proposal.

Themes

CodeLand's primary audience is early-career programmers and their mentors, and therefore, all proposals should be targeted to that specific group. Additionally, this year, we have provided specific themes that we're suggesting that proposed talks may fall into, described below. Please select one during the submission process that applies to your proposal.

If you feel your proposal could fall into more than one theme, please still select only one and make note of the others in your Talk Outline. If it doesn't fit into any of the below themes, please select "Other" and suggest a theme within your proposal.

Tech & Ethics
In an increasingly complex tech landscape, programmers have a responsibility to write code that has the best interests of human beings at the center. The safety, security, and health of individuals and communities relies on ethical technology — but is it measuring up?

Guiding questions/examples:
- What are the real-world implications of the projects we're building (positive or negative)?
- How can early-career software developers contribute to an ethical future in tech on day one?
- How are specific communities being impacted by the rise of Artificial Intelligence? How is the environment affected by our data centers? etc.

Beyond the Binary
Technology is only useful and positive if it reflects the world around us — and that's only possible when our industry is hospitable to many viewpoints, backgrounds, abilities, races, ages, and genders. Each of us plays a role in ensuring the diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility of technology — so let's talk about it!

Guiding questions/examples:
- What should early-career developers understand about the differences between inclusivity and diversity?
- What should every programmer know about accessible design?
- How can early-career developers help create a culture of diversity and inclusion on their teams?

Healthy Coding
Software development is an incredibly rewarding field, but it can also feel challenging, lonely, and impact our mental and physical health in various ways. We all deserve to feel healthy in our chosen field, inside and out. So, let's explore how we can promote holistic health for people who code.

Guiding questions/examples:
- How can newer software developers ensure that their coding career/hobby doesn't negatively impact their mental and physical health?
- What are some signs of burnout in tech and how can we avoid them?
- How can early-career software developers create personal boundaries at work to promote self-care?

Open Toolbox
We're willing to bet that you've used your coding skills to build something amazing before. Tell us what you made, how you did it, and how others can learn from your successes and mistakes!

Guiding questions/examples:
- Share an insightful and engaging breakdown of an app you built recently
- How did you build your own version of a popular website or service and what did it teach you about coding?
- How do you make valuable, thoughtful open source contributions?

Review Process

The first round of proposal review is anonymous, meaning that your name and biographical information are hidden from reviewers. Please respect this by removing any potentially identifying information from the other fields. If you have questions on this, you can email us at codeland@codenewbie.org -- no Committee members will see that email.

Biographical information is visible in the second round of review, which helps us to ensure that we consider any relevant experience or credentials and that we select a diverse group of speakers.

Speaker Benefits

CodeLand 2022 speakers receive a $200.00 USD speaking stipend. We also provide the opportunity to receive speaking mentorship from a member of our Program Committee.

Virtual Speaking Support

Selected speakers should expect to meet with members of our Program Committee at least once and perhaps more during the preparation process, as we help ensure that your presentation, slides, and recording environment are appropriate and meaningful for the CodeLand 2022 audience.

We are happy to provide as much support to new speakers as you need, from deep dives on your talk topic, to specific recommendations on affordable recording equipment, to guidance on making your presentation as accessible and inclusive as possible. Specifically, all submitted talk videos will receive one-on-one attention from a member of our staff or Program Committee to help speakers craft the best possible version of their talk.

Contact

As noted above, every proposal submission will be responded to by April 26, 2022, whether or not the talk is accepted. Please only contact us with questions on the status of your proposal if you have not heard from us after that date. If you have any other questions in the meantime though, don't hesitate to email codeland@codenewbie.org. Thank you!