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Here’s what’s new on the Convene Podcast this week.
🎙️ Convene Article: ‘We’re Not Changing What We Do’: Standing Strong Amidst DEI Backlash
How DEI is embedded in Minneapolis’ DNA and blueprint for future growth and why other destinations — and the events ecosystem — need to better convey the business case for diversity. Written and read by Barbara Palmer, deputy editor at Convene.
🎙️ Convene Series: How Events Can Foster Belonging in Divided Times: A Conversation with Cameron Curtis
In this powerful episode, Cameron Curtis, Executive Director of the LGBT Meeting Professionals Association, joins the Convene Podcast to unpack the tangible ways that inclusion, safety, and allyship show up in real-world event planning. From confronting fear of DEI backlash to rethinking how we communicate with venues and attendees, Cameron offers practical guidance and hopeful perspective for industry professionals navigating today’s challenging landscape.
🎙️ Convene Talk: When Weird Works (and When It Doesn’t): Lessons From the World’s Wildest Science Conference
What happens when researchers trade lecture halls for campgrounds, five-minute rhymed papers, and walk-up songs? In this Convene Talk, the editorial team unpacks a recent Nature article on the “Woodstock of Biology” — a freewheeling festival near Prague that pushes the boundaries of what a scientific conference can be. From playful formats and outdoor experiments to questions about inclusivity, outcomes, and design principles like MAYA (“most advanced yet acceptable”), we ask: when does weird energize an event — and when does it alienate?