Members in Attendance: Daniel Lockley, Mandy Walker-LaFollette, Tendai Muparutsa, Heather Steele, Maria Minnaar Bailey, Janis Weeks, Alex Weeks, Adrienne Stewart
Members Absent: Alyson Quinn, Michael Sibanda
Non-voting members in attendance: Claire Jones
Meeting lead: Alex Weeks
Notes taker: Mandy Walker-LaFollette
Was a quorum of Board members present?: Yes
January Notes/Minutes
Approved over email.
Discuss Timing/Logistics of 2024 Virtual Zimfest (Claire, All)
Claire has written to the OC and others and gotten few responses. Claire spoke with Mark Swift; they looked at the 2020 Online Workshop Schedule and propose a similar structure but over fewer weekends.
Summer Olympics dates are July 26 – Aug 11, 2024. We think it’s unlikely to be a conflict and should move forward regardless.
Do we call for applications or reach out directly to people? We think we should call for applications to make sure we have a diversity of applicants and content. Several ideas for content were discussed, including cultural presentations, language, drumming, and cooking presentations.
Recommendation: 4 weekends with 2 presentations per weekend, during July and August. Not conflicting with Nhema North, Aug 13-17, and not conflicting with Oregon Country Fair, 2nd weekend in July. Proposal: July 20, 27, August 3, 10.
Claire will follow up with interested parties.
Updates on 2025/2026 Locations (Adrienne, Claire)
Adrienne is still working with Jessica at WWU – Jessica is looking at grassy areas for concerts and possible exceptions to noise ordinances, which usually start at 11pm. Adrienne will work on coordinating a site visit.
Claire is still working with CWU (Ellensburg), who contacted the rodeo grounds: camping and RV could be available there. Both locations have 10pm curfews since they’re in the middle of town, but could do 11pm curfews indoors. Exhibition halls at the rodeo location were proposed as concert locations. We’d need to bring in everything including the stage and chairs, and it could be very hot, so Claire doesn’t think that would be desirable. There are other options that they will look into. It will come down to a site visit, which Claire will coordinate after the WWU site visit.
Heather Ward hasn’t had time to follow up on the locations near Spokane.
Eastern Washington doesn’t have a conference services or similar department, which is a major red flag for Claire. WSU in Pullman and Whitman College in Walla Walla are still potentially on the table.
Presidential Search (Janis & All)
Seven people have been contacted & declined. There are still 6 active names to investigate. The board discussed a few additional options, added them to the list, and folks will reach out to their assigned nominees.
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