Decoupled Days believes in an inclusive conference and speaker lineup. We particularly encourage members of underrepresented groups, such as women, people of color, LGBTQ+, trans and GNC people, disabled people, veterans, neurodiverse people, and economically disadvantaged people, to submit proposals.
Decoupled Days 2026 will be devoting at least 50% of all accepted sessions to speakers of underrepresented groups and 10% of all accepted sessions to first-time speakers. If you’re submitting a session proposal, please indicate anything you would like to note in the Inclusion section of our call for papers form.
Diversity and inclusion in our content
- In 2017, though inclusion was important to us, we made no formal commitment as an organization. Ultimately, 15.4% of all accepted sessions were submitted by speakers from underrepresented groups.
- In 2018, we committed to devoting more than 25% of all accepted sessions to speakers from marginalized and oppressed minorities or first-time speakers. Ultimately, 42.8% of accepted sessions were submitted by speakers from underrepresented groups or first-time speakers.
- In 2019, we committed to devoting more than 35% of all accepted sessions to speakers from marginalized and oppressed minorities. Ultimately, 42.9% of accepted sessions were submitted by speakers from underrepresented groups.
- In 2019, we committed to devoting more than 10% of all accepted sessions to first-time speakers. Ultimately 8.9% of all accepted sessions were submitted by first-time speakers, and we did not reach our goal.
- Of those 25 accepted sessions from underrepresented groups, 4 sessions (16%) were from first-time speakers.
- In 2020, we committed to devoting more than 45% of all accepted sessions to speakers from marginalized and oppressed minorities. Ultimately, 50% of accepted sessions were submitted by speakers from underrepresented groups.
- In 2020, we committed to devoting more than 10% of all accepted sessions to first-time speakers. Ultimately, 26.7% of all accepted sessions were submitted by first-time speakers.
- Of those 15 accepted sessions from underrepresented groups, 5 sessions (33.3%) were from first-time speakers.
- In 2021, we committed to devoting more than 50% of all accepted sessions to speakers from marginalized and oppressed minorities. Ultimately, 35.6% of accepted sessions were submitted by speakers from underrepresented groups, and we did not reach our goal.
- In 2021, we committed to devoting more than 10% of all accepted sessions to first-time speakers. Ultimately, 22.2% of all accepted sessions were submitted by first-time speakers.
- In 2022, we committed to devoting more than 50% of all accepted sessions to speakers from marginalized and oppressed minorities. Ultimately, 31.3% of accepted sessions were submitted by speakers from underrepresented groups, and we did not reach our goal.
- In 2022, we committed to devoting more than 10% of all accepted sessions to first-time speakers. Ultimately, 0% of all accepted sessions were submitted by first-time speakers, and we did not reach our goal.
- In 2023, we committed to devoting more than 50% of all accepted sessions to speakers from marginalized and oppressed minorities. Ultimately, 76.4% of accepted sessions were submitted by speakers from underrepresented groups.
- In 2023, we committed to devoting more than 10% of all accepted sessions to first-time speakers. Ultimately, 17.6% of all accepted sessions were submitted by first-time speakers.
- In 2025, after a hiatus in 2024, we committed to devoting more than 50% of all accepted sessions to speakers from marginalized and oppressed minorities. Ultimately, 50% of accepted sessions were submitted by speakers from underrepresented groups.
- In 2023, we committed to devoting more than 10% of all accepted sessions to first-time speakers. Ultimately, 0% of all accepted sessions were submitted by first-time speakers, and we did not reach our goal.
Diversity and inclusion in our organizing team
- In response to feedback in 2018 about the diversity of our organizing team, we began to work actively towards better representation within our organization. By 2019 and 2020, we had greater gender, ethnic, and sexual diversity than we did in 2018, but we continued our recruiting and outreach efforts.
- In 2021, our active organizing team was made up entirely of people from historically oppressed or marginalized groups, consisting of 100% people of color, 40% women, and 20% LGBTQ+.
Decoupled Days stands with Black Lives Matter
We stand in solidarity with the Black community and raise our voices in unequivocal support of the Black Lives Matter movement. We denounce all manifestations of and demand an end to anti-Blackness, police violence, and white supremacy in the United States and around the world. Read our complete statement.
In June 2020, the Decoupled Days organizing team donated $1,000 from our conference budget to Black Girls Code, a non-profit organization working to increase the number of Black women in STEM fields. We encourage our community to donate to organizations working to support Black technologists and anti-racist organizations.