Here’s a friendly reminder that you are worth way more than the free labour people and organizations seem to expect from you.

Exposure or “access” to networking opportunities is not a real reason for not paying for presentations at events or conferences. I would love to build up years of experience presenting and facilitating while preparing for (hopefully) further education in adult education and curriculum/instructional design. However, it costs money and I can’t let my skills go to waste while I save money to support that dream.

Worse yet, organizations or conference planning committees that make their presenters pay for the privilege of doing work for you… WOW! If you’re on such a committee and have ever wondered why your organization or your work was vanilla, lacking depth, or missing key voices on certain issues or topics – this might be why.

You can’t work towards accessibility or equity, and set the bar so high that only people of a particular socioeconomic status can reach it.

Do better, please and thanks.

For all my friends struggling through this wildly exploitative system right now… I feel you, and support you A LOT… don’t jump into anything for free. You deserve better than that. Get yours. Let’s build community standards for those of us who do this work without the formal education behind us, so more of us can get into spaces that will value our work and pay accordingly.