Merge branch 'main' into bhm-2025-charles-turner

.github/workflows/typo_config.toml

@@ -19,5 +19,6 @@ extend-ignore-re = [
     "AAS",
     "Villegas",
     "Wil",
-    "Lok"
+    "Lok",
+    "BITCON"
 ]

_posts/2025-01-31-black-history-month.md

@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+---
+layout: post
+title: "US-RSE Celebrates Black History Month 2025"
+tags: [dei, black-history]
+author: Lance Parsons, Cordero Core
+date: 2025-01-31
+---
+
+![Black History Month Logo]({{ site.baseurl }}/assets/img/BHMlogo.png){:
+.align-center .width-half}
+
+US-RSE’s [DEI working group (DEI-WG)](https://us-rse.org/wg/dei/) is proud to
+lead the US-RSE’s participation in celebrating [Black History
+Month](https://www.blackhistorymonth.gov/).
+
+First up, we’ll be sharing stories throughout the month that recognize and
+celebrate African Americans who have inspired our members through their
+accomplishments in their careers and their personal stories. We’ll be
+publishing these posts throughout February to highlight such people, where we
+talk about the person and tie their work and life to the RSE movement.
+
+* A. Phillip Randolph \-
+  [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._Philip_Randolph)
+* Check back here for links as articles are posted
+
+In addition, we’re excited to host a **Zoom discussion on Thursday, February
+20th at noon PT / 3 PM ET**. [@Cordero
+Core](https://usrse.slack.com/team/U0523JRUDE3) shared one of his favorite
+YouTube channels with us from Garrison Hayes. We invite you to watch the three
+episodes linked below from [Garrison Hayes' YouTube
+channel](https://www.youtube.com/@GarrisonHayes/featured), and then come
+prepared for a lively, engaging, and thought provoking conversation with us
+over Zoom on Thursday, February 20th and continuing in the [`#dei-discussion`
+channel](https://usrse.slack.com/archives/C01C8CJQ7AP) on Slack (details and
+link in the channel). For those that aren't familiar, Garrison explores a
+variety of interesting questions, usually at the intersection of Black history,
+politics and current events.
+
+* [Why the right is so obsessed with
+  DEI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARKvxeNCp84)
+* [Tim Scott and the "token black
+  guy"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcEOpjV1Upc)
+* [Why are Black people still
+  Christian?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKSF1huXOuw)
+
+Finally, we wanted to share with you some articles, shows, and resources we
+found engaging and we invite you to share your own, either on Slack or with the
+hashtag `#usrse-blackhistory`.
+
+### **Events/Conferences**
+
+* [**US-RSE Zoom Discussion**](https://usrse.slack.com/archives/C01C8CJQ7AP) -
+  Thursday, February 20 - Garrison Hayes episodes on DEI, the "token black
+  guy", and Black Christians - Register on Slack in the [`#dei-discussion`
+  channel](https://usrse.slack.com/archives/C01C8CJQ7AP)
+* [Black Tech Week](https://blacktechweek.com/) \- July 14-16 at the Aronoff
+  Center in Cincinnati, OH
+* [BITCON 2025](https://bitcon.blacksintechnology.net/) \- BITCON is the annual
+  conference for the largest community of Black technology professionals
+  globally
+* [Black Women in Data Summit 2025](https://www.blackwomenindata.com/) \-
+  centers Black women's point of view in all spaces where data lives
+* [AfroTech Conference 2025](https://experience.afrotech.com/) \- Explore
+  enterprise innovation, shape the future of work, build essential skills, and
+  champion tech for good
+
+### **Organizations**
+
+* [BlackGirlsHack](https://blackgirlshack.org/) \- Home of Black Girl Cyber
+  Magic
+* [Black In Astro](https://www.blackinastro.com/) \- Celebrating and amplifying
+  the Black experience in space-related fields
+* [Black Men in Tech](https://www.blkmenintech.com/about-us) \- access,
+  resources, and community for Black men within the tech industry
+* [Code.org’s Approach to Diversity and Equity in Computer
+  Science](https://code.org/diversity)
+* [blackcomputeHER.org](https://blackcomputeher.org/) \- dedicated to
+  supporting computing+tech education and workforce development for Black women
+  and girls
+* [African American Women in Physics](https://aawip.com/) \- honor the women
+  who paved the way, to inspire future physicists, and to connect with allies
+  interested in promoting diversity in Physics and other STEM fields
+* [National Society of Black Physicists](https://nsbp.org/) \- For nearly 50
+  years, NSBP has existed to open more opportunities in physics and related
+  sciences for African Americans and others across the African diaspora
+
+### **Articles/Podcasts/Shows**
+
+* [She Started It](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5202656/) \- an award-winning
+  documentary that provides a rare look in the lives of five ambitious young
+  women entrepreneurs (Thuy, Stacey, Sheena, Brienne and Agathe) who will stop
+  at nothing to pursue their startup dreams.
+* [Coded Bias](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11394170/) \- When MIT Media Lab
+  researcher Joy Buolamwini discovers that facial recognition does not see
+  dark-skinned faces accurately, she embarks on a journey to push for the
+  first-ever U.S. legislation against bias in algorithms that impact us all.
+* [Interview with Marc
+  Hannah](https://www.thehistorymakers.org/biography/marc-hannah-41) \-
+  co-founded Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI) in 1982, which created software and
+  hardware for 3D visuals in films like Jurassic Park and Terminator 2\.
+* Star Trek Episodes
+  * [Let That Be Your Last Battlefield ST:TOS](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708435/)
+  * [Far Beyond the Stars ST:DS9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708538/)
+  * [Living Witness ST:VOY](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708926/) (great
+    episode about historical revisionism)
+* [View on Demand: “Black Excellence in Real-World
+  Computing”](https://www.acm.org/diversity-inclusion/bhm-2023) from ACM
+* [Fostering an Enjoyable Black History Learning Experience in Your CS
+  Classroom \- Computer Science Teachers
+  Association](https://csteachers.org/fostering-an-enjoyable-black-history-learning-experience-in-your-cs-classroom/)
+  from Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA)

_posts/2025-01-31-randolph.md

@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+---
+layout: post
+title: "US-RSE Celebrates Black History Month"
+tags: [dei, black-history]
+author: Cordero Core
+date: 2025-01-31
+---
+
+[*Originally post on
+Medium*](https://medium.com/@cdcore/a-philip-randolph-the-brotherhood-of-sleeping-car-porters-and-the-invisible-labor-of-research-6546aa5716fb)
+
+![A. Phillip Randolph]({{ site.baseurl }}/assets/img/bhm-2025-randolph.png "A.
+Phillip Randolph in front of the Lincoln Memorial"){: width="400" }
+
+### A. Philip Randolph, The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, and the Invisible Labor of Research Software Engineers
+
+In 1925, A. Philip Randolph took on a challenge that many deemed
+impossible - organizing Black railroad porters into a union that would demand
+fair wages, humane working conditions, and respect. The Brotherhood of Sleeping
+Car Porters and Maids became the first Black-led union to receive a charter
+from the American Federation of Labor, marking a pivotal moment in American
+labor history. Randolph understood something profound: labor, especially Black
+labor, was often unseen, undervalued, and dismissed. But through organization
+and collective action, the invisible could be made visible.
+
+Nearly a century later, a different kind of labor remains invisible - the work
+of research software engineers (RSEs). They build the code that powers modern
+scientific discovery, yet many find themselves in an ambiguous space within
+academia and research institutions. Their contributions are fundamental, but
+their labor often goes unrecognized in publications, funding structures, and
+career pathways. This is not a coincidence. It is part of a larger historical
+pattern.
+
+---
+
+### The Unseen Hands that Move the World
+
+The sleeping car porters were integral to the expansion of American rail
+travel. They worked long hours under harsh conditions, often relying on tips
+rather than wages. They were expected to be invisible - to perform their work
+without complaint, to make passengers comfortable, and to disappear into the
+background. But their impact on American society was immense.
+
+Research software engineers may not work on railroads, but their labor carries
+a similar paradox. They enable science to move forward - writing software that
+models climate change, processes astronomical data, and deciphers genetic
+codes. Yet, the very institutions that benefit from their labor often fail to
+formally recognize them. Many RSEs are classified as temporary workers,
+postdocs, or "other support staff," despite their indispensable role in
+research.
+
+Randolph understood that change would not come from individual effort
+alone - it required collective organization. The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car
+Porters became a vehicle for economic mobility, civil rights, and structural
+change. Today, the US Research Software Engineer (US-RSE) community is doing
+similar work, advocating for the formal recognition of RSEs in academia and
+pushing for career paths that respect the reality of their contributions.
+
+---
+
+### The Power of Naming and Recognition
+
+One of Randolph's greatest victories was securing the term "Brotherhood" in the
+name of the union. To be recognized as part of an organized workforce rather
+than just "servants" was revolutionary. Naming something - calling it what it
+is - is an act of power.
+
+![Railroad workers]({{ site.baseurl }}/assets/img/bhm-2025-randolph-2.png
+"Photo of two rows of railroad workers")
+
+In research, the term Research Software Engineer did not exist in widespread
+use until the past decade. Before that, individuals who wrote software for
+research were often called "computational scientists," "programmers," or simply
+"support staff." The adoption of RSE as a professional title mirrors the
+struggle of the porters: to be named is to be seen. To be seen is to demand
+recognition.
+
+For many RSEs, their work is not just a technical function - it is a form of
+advocacy. They fight for open-source software, for better funding models, for
+institutional recognition. Just as the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters laid
+the groundwork for Black labor organizing, today's RSEs are building the
+foundation for future generations of software engineers in research.
+
+---
+
+### Labor is Political
+
+Randolph understood that labor and civil rights were inseparable. He was not
+just organizing workers - he was challenging the racial and economic systems
+that shaped their exploitation. His work directly contributed to the broader
+Black freedom struggle, including the 1963 March on Washington, which he
+co-organized.
+
+The fight for recognition in research may seem different, but it is no less
+political. It is about who gets to claim credit for discovery, who receives
+funding, and who has the stability to build long-term careers in science. Many
+RSEs, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, face additional
+barriers in these spaces. Their work is essential, yet they often find
+themselves excluded from the power structures that shape research priorities.
+
+Randolph did not accept invisibility as fate. Neither should research software
+engineers.
+
+---
+
+### The Path Forward
+
+As we mark the 100th anniversary of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and
+Maids, it is worth reflecting on what labor advocacy means today. RSEs, like
+the porters before them, are shaping the future through unseen, undervalued
+labor. Their work is critical, their contributions are real, and their fight
+for recognition is just beginning.
+
+![Black History Month Logo]({{ site.baseurl
+}}/assets/img/bhm-2025-randolph-3.png "Celebrating the Past, Looking Toward the
+Future, Black History Month")
+
+Randolph believed in the power of organizing, in the necessity of solidarity.
+The US-RSE community stands as a modern parallel - advocating for fair labor
+practices, recognition, and inclusion. The lesson from history is clear: no
+labor is truly invisible unless we allow it to be.
+
+If research software engineers continue to build, organize, and demand
+recognition, they - like Randolph and the Brotherhood - will shape a future
+where their labor is seen, valued, and honored.
+
+---
+
+Stay tuned, share your thoughts, and be part of the conversation. How has
+invisible labor shaped your field? Let's make history visible - together.
+
+Join us on Slack in the
+[`#dei-discussion`](https://usrse.slack.com/archives/C01C8CJQ7AP) channel.

pages/about/code-of-conduct.md

@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ $(document).ready(function(){
     The current Code of Conduct Committee consists of:
     <ul>
         <li> Ludovico Bianchi</li>
-        <li> Lezlie Espa&ntilde;a</li>
+        <li> Suzanne Prentice</li>
         <li> Joshua Teves</li>
     </ul>
     You may reach any of them on the US-RSE slack individually or email <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> in order to contact them.