<![CDATA[LGBTQ+ of FIRST - Blog]]>Thu, 02 Jul 2026 01:35:24 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[Re-establishing Connection: My Journey to Becoming a Queer FTA]]>Wed, 01 Jul 2026 03:13:59 GMThttps://lgbtqoffirst.weebly.com/blog/re-establishing-connection-my-journey-to-becoming-a-queer-ftaBy: Nova R. (Ambassador)
Picture
Growing up, I never really had any type of exposure to what LGBTQ+ was. My high school barely touched on the subject, nobody in my family was LGBTQ+, and all my in-person friends were straight and cisgender. The first two years of high school were confusing for me; my connection with myself was “intermittent,” and I didn’t really know how to describe what I was feeling. Depression started hitting hard because I wasn't able to explain what I felt or how to explain it to others. Then, COVID-19 decided to roll around. COVID-19 was brutal for me and many others. This happened right in the middle of me having issues with my sexuality and my gender identity. I didn’t really have anyone to talk to or discuss it with because, at the time, I didn't have any friends who had experience with this or knew what I was talking about. The one place I did find solace was inside the online FIRST community. Through the online FIRST community, I met people who understood what I was going through and what I was feeling, and I was able to discuss things with them. I found places like the LGBTQ+ of FIRST community, where I met my friends, my chosen family, and two of my partners. The “intermittent connection” felt more stable as I was able to find who I am and sift through my feelings to figure out exactly what I was experiencing.​

Bringing My Authentic Self to the Field

As the world opened up and in-person competitions returned, I brought this newly discovered confidence with me. I realized that the FIRST community is worth giving back to and that it's important to make sure students have a safe place to be who they want to be. Students should be able to explore their identity while also being supported by mentors, volunteers, and alumni who have all been in similar situations of trying to figure out who they are. This passion for wanting to help students in their times of need led me down the path to becoming a FIRST Technical Advisor (FTA). In many ways, being an FTA mirrors my own journey of learning who I am. When a robot loses its connection on the field or the FMS decides that it wants to have a bad day, it's stressful, confusing, and overwhelming for the teams and volunteers involved. My job as an FTA isn't just to fix what is going on; it's also to be there as an emotional grounding force for everyone in their times of need so that they can perform their best on and off the field. Every time I troubleshoot something with the field, a robot, or the event itself, I am reminded of how the FIRST community helped me troubleshoot my own connection when I felt completely disconnected from myself and the world.

Looking Forward
​
​Becoming a queer FTA has shown me the power of visibility and the importance of making sure that FIRST is a space for everyone. Being an FTA isn't just about managing the event or the technology behind it; it's also about showing every student that they belong here exactly as they are, and that they are supported every step of the way. To anyone out there who is currently navigating their own "intermittent connection" or trying to figure out who they are: FIRST is more than just robots. FIRST is a network of chosen family ready to wire your connections and ground you from the doubts you may have. All of us are here to help build the most authentic version of yourself, which is someone you can truly be proud of. Keep exploring, keep troubleshooting, and do not be afraid to step up to the field and see all of the volunteers who are here to support you.
]]><![CDATA[Pride Month 2024: How did we get here?]]>Sun, 30 Jun 2024 05:00:00 GMThttps://lgbtqoffirst.weebly.com/blog/pride-month-2024By Eva True (They/Them) (Representative)

It’s that time of year again.  Pride Month is when we all come together to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and its shameless existence in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity.  We at LGBTQ+ of FIRST strive to “do justice” to this occasion in a variety of ways.  Namely, these ways include blog posts, social media content, and Discord events. 

I usually volunteer to write a blog post or two for the org during every pride month.  This year’s theme was… difficult to come up with, to say the least.  I’ve been sitting at my desk staring at a blank Word document and past blog posts on the website for the better part of an hour.  A lot of the actionable advice, agendas, and personal testimonials have been written and rewritten over the years.  That’s when it hit me.  We look to the present and future a lot in our content, but have we ever really dug into the past? 

FIRST, at its very core, is a microcosm of what you see in the STEM world.  For decades, that meant straight men being the dominant demographic.  It also meant that breaking that “mold” was frowned upon and discouraged in a variety of ways.  Andy Baker has occasionally appeared at LGBTQ+ of FIRST roundtables to discuss what it meant to be queer in the STEM landscape before some relatively recent changes.  

After a few conversations with Jon Kentfield, who’s been involved with FIRST since the early 2000s, FIRST was one of the more accepting spaces to hang around in the 90s and 2000s.  However, in the age of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” being both a legislative and societal norm until the 2010s, only so much could really be done.  My understanding was that being ‘out’ to a limited number of people was safer within FIRST than it was within the broader world.  On top of that, a central teaching of FIRST has always been to accept others, regardless of their differences.  I don’t doubt that the program was at least a limited haven for queer people in the STEM community.

Now, let’s get to the details most of us were alive to witness.  It’s 2015, Obergefell v. Hodges is found in favor of the plaintiff and gay marriage becomes federally legal.  Conversations are being had that weren’t necessarily even thought about in the 90s and 2000s.  Society is changing, rapidly.  At this time, queer communities verifiably existed within FIRST in a number I wasn’t able to confirm.  Within the year, what would eventually become LGBTQ+ of FIRST began as a Tumblr page.  The details on this are shaky and I don’t have a primary source at hand to ask, but some digging shows that the Discord server came to be in the spring of 2016.

Things were slowly changing, of course.  However, I’d like to cite a 2022 interview I conducted with Jon Kentfield.  He said that he didn’t notice a major shift until after LGBTQ+ of FIRST gained momentum across the United States, and eventually, the world.  In the following years, changes began to sweep through the program rapidly.  2018 marked the first LGBTQ+ of FIRST conference in Detroit.  It was also the first year Woodie Flowers was publicly seen wearing an LGBTQ+ of FIRST enamel pin.  This started an interesting trend where you’d see all the most visible people within the program, such as Blair Hundertmark and Frank Merrick, sporting the pins.

This visibility was vital for growing the org.  One annual conference quickly turned into a handful of roundtables, and then an entire calendar of events becoming a regular part of FIRST events.  In Indiana, 6956 Sham-Rock-Botics played a leading role in making the district more inclusive.  In 2024, the events are adorned with pride flags supplied by their team, and LGBTQ+ of FIRST roundtables are held at 2 FRC district events and at DCMP. 

The physical presence is nearly universal, at least within the United States and Canada.  This presence can manifest as partner teams or staff members, but it never seems to take longer than 5 minutes to find somebody willing to hand you a pin, a pamphlet, and tell you about the organization.  The Rainbow STEM Alliance was formed to manage this growth and serve as a financial “shell” for the organization.  This was explosive for LGBTQ+ of FIRST, enabling the two organizations to work together on partnerships, finances, material distribution, and even an entire offseason event held annually.

In the online world, the server now has over 1,300 members.  The staff maintains an active blog and social media presence.  We even collaborate with FIRST and entities such as FUN regularly on content relating to the work we do.  Other communities, such as Neurodivergent of FIRST and Disabled People of FIRST owe their existence to the path that LGBTQ+ of FIRST paved in the late 2010s. 

​I can tell you that I heard about the organization in passing in 2018.  The only way to receive a pin was directly from one of a handful of staff members.  In the 6 years since, I cannot express how glad I am to see the entire FIRST community embracing equality and inclusion for everyone.  This leaves one clear message to queer people in the program: “You are welcome here”.]]><![CDATA[Transgender Awareness Week 2022]]>Mon, 21 Nov 2022 14:35:57 GMThttps://lgbtqoffirst.weebly.com/blog/transgender-awareness-week-2022Last week was trans awareness week, a week dedicated to bringing awareness to transgender people internationally and the struggles they face. The final day (November 20th) was trans remembrance day, a day dedicated to remembering victims of transphobic violence. Transgender awareness week was created in 1999 by Gwendolyn Ann Smith in honor of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was murdered in 1998. Ever since then we take the day of November 20th to mourn those lost to violence and hate crimes due to nothing more than living their truest lives. 

Trans awareness week holds many different values to different members of the community. For many, this is a day of celebration, a week for gender-nonconforming people from around the world to celebrate their identity and all that has been accomplished for the transgender community. For others, it is a time of mourning for friends, family, and community members lost. 

For those who celebrate it is shown by parades, parties, and events held by local community members. All around just working to make themselves visible and show that they are proud of who they are. It is also used as a time to educate the public on transgender rights and gender-nonconforming identities. There are programs run across the country to educate on everything from sex ed to advocacy for trans students.
​
As issues with transgender students especially when it comes to sports arise, the importance of these celebrations and attempts to bring awareness are all that much more important. As young people grow more confident and comfortable with their identities in the newer generations anti-trans hate groups have also grown. These groups work to dispute the validity of transgender identities and cause harm in the community. 

Now you may be wondering, what can I, a mentor, a student, a friend, or a teacher do to make transgender students feel safer? Luckily there's a lot you can do! Some important things are making sure your students or friends know you are a safe space and support them. Another thing is to provide gender-neutral bathrooms and spaces for all students. For many students in FIRST, travel rooming is also a concern so it is important to have open honest conversations with your team to ensure everyone feels safe and comfortable.]]><![CDATA[How to Make Your Team an Inclusive Space for LGBTQ Members]]>Tue, 28 Jun 2022 23:18:44 GMThttps://lgbtqoffirst.weebly.com/blog/how-to-make-your-team-an-inclusive-space-for-lgbtq-membersComing out to one’s community as an LGBTQ+ student is a daunting experience. Many wonder if they will find community, support, or respect after coming out. For me, coming out was made easier by the inclusion and respect our team had fostered for the LGBTQ+ community. Walking into our team’s pit for the first time, I saw the pride flag boldly displayed as members from our team handed out pamphlets for LGBTQ+ of FIRST. To me, it signaled that my team was going to be a safe space for me to come out and be respected in my identity.
The importance of making one’s team a safe space for queer and trans members cannot be understated. Here are some ways to make one’s team a more inclusive and supportive space for LGBTQ+ members. 

     1.  Have an easy way for members to share their pronouns
Sharing pronouns is an important way for members to share their identities. By normalizing sharing one’s pronouns on your team, you signal that your team is a safe space for trans and nonbinary members to express their authentic selves. To do this, your team can add a section for pronouns on team name tags or produce pronoun pins to distribute among team members.

     2.  Show pride in the workshop and at competitions
By displaying symbols such as the pride flag or the trans flag in your team workshop and at competitions, you indicate that your team is a welcoming and safe space for LGBTQ+ members. 

     3.  Respect members that come out
When members come out, respect their identities and feel free to ask questions on how to best support them. However, it is important that you respect the member’s privacy as well and do not share their identity unless they ask you to do so. It is also important to simply treat the member as any other and not single them out for their identity for any purpose.

     4.  Educate your team on LGBTQ+ identities
Taking time to educate one’s team on LGBTQ+ identities and the challenges they have faced is a valuable way to have team members better understand LGBTQ+ members, which can lead to increased inclusion and respect for queer and trans members on your team.

     5.  Create inclusive team policy
Adding clauses to team guidelines explicitly stating to respect LGBTQ+ members or making all members pledge to include and support LGBTQ+ members are good ways to not only ensure that your team is respectful to queer and trans members, but also signal to queer and trans members that the team will be a respectful and inclusive place for them.

     6.  Listen to LGBTQ+ member voices
It is extremely important to truly listen to the voices of LGBTQ+ members on your team. Provide spaces for LGBTQ+ members to express their views and suggest ideas to make their team a more inclusive and respectful place. 

Shrey
Ambassador, LGBTQ+ of FIRST]]><![CDATA[Interview with Jon Kentfield]]>Sun, 26 Jun 2022 16:04:32 GMThttps://lgbtqoffirst.weebly.com/blog/interview-with-jon-kentfield    As a part of LGBTQ+ of FIRST’s pride month activities, I was given the opportunity to interview Mr. Jon Kentfield.  Mr. Kentfield is a co-founder of the Rainbow STEM Alliance (RSA), serves as the manufacturing manager at AndyMark, and is a long-time FIRST alumnus and volunteer as well.  For most, he needs no introduction, but he gave several details and insights that I personally found fascinating, and I’m sure you will as well.



Q: Why don’t you start by talking a little bit about yourself, what you do, and how you got here?

A: “My name is Jon Kentfield, I’m a cis gay man, and use he/him prounouns. I’m a mechanical engineer and currently am the manufacturing manager at AndyMark!
I started on a FIRST® LEGO® League team in 2000 after my mom had taken me to see the FRC regional sponsored by her company at the time. She had some coworkers volunteering there who told her to bring me. I then joined the FRC program in 2001-02 and graduated in 2005 as my team’s president and drive coach.
In 2003 I started volunteering at worlds when it was in Houston the first time! I got hooked and have been volunteering ever since, 20 seasons now! On top of being a head referee for FRC and FTC, I also am a cofounder and president ofThe Rainbow STEM Alliance.”

Q: You’ve been in FIRST since before many of our members were born, can you describe what the queer environment was like within the program? How did this compare to the world at the time and what you saw outside of FIRST?
A: “Queer involvement was a thing, but most LGBTQ+ (myself included) were pretty closeted. One of my drivers, and the person I eventually came out to first, was the only out person I had any regular contact with at the time. I was the subject of a lot of bullying within my own middle and high school times, for at the time, what others perceived my sexuality to be. It kept me pretty closeted.
However, my team, and more specifically the other seniors I graduated with, were always welcoming and accepting. They even had offered to find me a guy to take as my date for prom if had preferred that. Mind you, I wasn’t out, but everyone in my life basically knew I think. They literally saved my life. I honestly don’t think I would have survived high school if it hadn’t been for my FRC teammates. 
The world in the early 2000’s was not kind to queer people (much more so than today), but FIRST has always seemed to be a safe place accepting of outsiders”

Q: When did you begin seeing a serious shift toward making FIRST such an inclusive environment?  When would you say it became (mostly) safe for people to present themselves genuinely at events?
A: “I don’t think I saw the major shift towards inclusion until the LGBTQ+ of FIRST student organization was founded and specifically the fact that folks like Woodie Flowers, Frank Merrick, and others within HQ staff wore pins to events and on streams. The work of the student org really has precipitated a cultural shift, and I’m so thrilled to be able to help continue the change. 
I mean, I wasn’t publicly out until 2018, when I felt like I needed to be a visible presence at events, especially in Indiana. I wanted to be an example of a (at least moderately) successful gay man, who could still do FIRST at high levels. As an AndyMark employee and head referee, I have a platform and a visible role to do that.”

Q: Obviously, you’re known for founding the RSA. Care to tell people what it is and how it came to be?
A: “My co-founder Tom Wexler convinced me to start the Rainbow STEM Alliance so that the LGBTQ+ of FIRST pins could be sustainably created in the future. The first year or two, they were done with Go Fund Me campaigns where friends and family would give me gifts to put towards the pin costs. The Rainbow STEM Alliance allowed us to grow the program and now we have scholarships, pronoun pins, and a lot more in the works!”

Q: There are many queer students who have come to view you as a role model. Would you say that you have a responsibility toward the younger members of our community? If so, what would you say it is?
A: “Oh jeez. It’s still weird to me that anyone would look up to me. (But again, it’s part of why I live an out life now, because I know there are people who do, and I just want to be a visible presence.) Otherwise, I’m just a guy trying to do a small part to make the world suck a little less. 
That being said, I definitely have a responsibility to do my best to learn and grow as the community does. I am not perfect. I make mistakes too. The biggest thing for me is to own those mistakes, and learn from them. There is still so much about queer culture as a whole I don’t know. I don’t have the lived experiences of trans and non binary folks. I don’t identify as ace or aero [sic]. So I try to learn from those around me who do.”

Q: There are also many who are unfortunately unable to be open about themselves due to a variety of factors ranging from community, to family, even to personal reservations. If they are reading this article, do you have anything to say to them? If so, what?
A: “Stay with us. Find your chosen family. Come out at your own time, in your own way. Find a therapist you can talk with openly and honestly! Everyone’s coming out is as unique as they are. I started coming out in my 20’s but wasn’t publicly out until my 30’s. I’ve known since my early teens. Don’t feel like you have to come out. Don’t let people force you out.”

Q: Wrapping this up on the lighter side, are you looking forward to anything in particular this month or for this upcoming FIRST season?
A: “I love pride month. While pride events always give me some anxiety, the feeling of belonging is incredible. The ability to just exist in a space with other queer people brings me a comfort I can’t explain. 
Also, in August I am helping out with the first LGBTQ+ off season event, called The Rainbow Rumble! It’s going to be incredible (and everyone should sign your teams up for it!)
As for the FIRST seasons? I always love the start of a new season! Especially seeing the reactions flood in the first weeks or the water game guesses the weeks leading up to kickoffs. 20+ years in, and it still doesn’t get old. The anticipation and joy of a new season just gets me every time!”


    We would like to thank Mr. Kentfield for his time and consideration to make this interview happen.  Much of what is said is sure to resonate with you whether you’re queer or an ally participating in FIRST in any capacity.  We appreciate everything he does for our organization and FIRST as a whole, and I appreciate you for reading this article.
​

Eva
​Moderator and Representative, LGBTQ+ of FIRST
]]><![CDATA[Trans Day of Visibility]]>Thu, 31 Mar 2022 22:22:20 GMThttps://lgbtqoffirst.weebly.com/blog/trans-day-of-visibility          So, it’s trans day of visibility. Obviously, there are a number of dates year-round that celebrate the queer community in some capacity; so many that some wonder why. I’d like to share a story to help people understand.
          I was 16 years old, and only recently struggling with my identity. For the first time in a while, I was excited to “know” who I was, and ready to share it with someone. At my counselor’s office after school, I excitedly share the news:
          “I figured it out! I’m not a guy!”
          My excitement was not matched, as she gave me a look of shock and confusion. I don’t want to make this entirely about myself, so I’ll give the gist. The following weeks of therapy were extremely invasive and uncomfortable, to the point I simply refused to speak at times and leave after 5 minutes. We stopped shortly after as I pretended to be “better”. Much more harm than good was done in that period of time.
          My point is that people don’t understand trans people at the level they really should. Trans Day of Visibility is a day meant to promote that understanding. It’s for trans people to speak and have their voices heard.
          It’s important to acknowledge that for most trans people, their identity is not a choice. Gender Dysphoria (the condition that many trans people suffer from) is a painful neurological condition where one’s gender does not match their biological sex. It can only really be alleviated by gender affirming actions aesthetically, medically, socially, or in a variety of other ways. Even then, dysphoria is extremely limiting in many aspects of one’s life and never truly goes away. To make matters worse, trans people often face external barriers.
          These can manifest as “simpler” issues, such as the inability to find a bathroom they can use or gender affirming clothing that fits their body type. It can also appear as broader issues such as access to affirming care, employment opportunities, name changes, etc. The issues also extend into the abstract when social isolation, dissociation, and the ever-present feelings of not belonging are discussed. In addition, it’s not uncommon to face harassment, threats, or even violence for being trans just about anywhere in the world.
          As trans people face a cold and unkind world and likely will for years to come, change is happening. Where you are, it might not be legislative. It might not even be noticeable to most people, but it’s vital to creating a better future. At my most recent competition, my old marketing mentor didn’t know I was going by a new name and pronouns. When she accidentally greeted me with my deadname, my whole team (hailing from an extremely bigoted part of rural Indiana) all stepped in to correct her at once.
          You could look at the news and see all the legislation being passed to hurt trans people, but make no mistake, the humanity of most decent people will prevail as it always has throughout history. Looking at all this change, subtle as it may be, it gives me hope. While FIRST has a long way to go, the action they’ve taken and the environment they’ve created gives me hope. Seeing more people feeling ready to come out in spite of everything gives me hope.                 Not everyone can be visible today. Even within FIRST, many trans people are not able to live as who they truly are for a variety of factors. To them, I wish to say that we’re here, and we’re with you, no matter what team, nation, or culture you come from. It’s apparent in the pins, the pride flags, and representatives now being almost omnipresent at all FIRST events. I would like to thank you for reading this, and wish you a happy Trans Day of Visibility.

- Eva True [Indiana]
]]><![CDATA[Pride Month 2021]]>Sun, 06 Jun 2021 20:33:58 GMThttps://lgbtqoffirst.weebly.com/blog/pride-month-2021Happy Pride Month! We hope you’ve all found ways to celebrate safely during COVID. If you’d like to celebrate with us, we’ve got big plans this month! Here are some ways you can get hyped with us!

  • Community Blog Posts: This month, we’ll be featuring work from the community on our blog covering LGBTQ+ topics in FIRST. If you’re interested, email us at contact@lgbtqoffirst.org with your idea or draft. We look forward to reading them!

  • Community Highlights: If you’d like to be featured on our blog in a more casual way, we’ll be featuring members of our community on our blog. We’ve provided a questionnaire here where you can share some of your experiences, thoughts, and insights.

  • Social Media Shoutouts: If that’s still a bit much, but would like to just say hello to the community, we’ll also be doing social media highlights where you can briefly introduce yourself. We have another form here, if you’re interested!

  • Team Highlights: Is your team a Partner Team, or would like to share some insight on LGBTQ+ topics on a team? We’ll also be featuring FIRST teams and their experiences; if you’re interested, your team can fill out this form!

We look forward to hearing from you all!

LGBTQ+ of FIRST

]]><![CDATA[LGBTQ+ of FIRST August 2020 Update]]>Sun, 23 Aug 2020 19:40:31 GMThttps://lgbtqoffirst.weebly.com/blog/lgbtq-of-first-august-2020-updateGood Afternoon! The LGBTQ+ of FIRST would like to issue the following update as to the current state and the future of our organization.

It is with no surprise that with the current COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently the cancellation of all FIRST Robotics events that our organization is currently stagnant. With no competition outreach, pin distribution, partner team held events, official meetups, or world championship conferences, it has been quite difficult to increase the scope of our organization. However, this is no excuse for the radio silence and missed opportunities like for example, pride month social media events and blog posts done in previous years, an official acknowledgement of the Black Lives Matter protests across the world, and mental health advice to deal with the current pandemic. It is also with poor timing that this time period normally marks the change of management of our organization’s Administrators, of which all but one have retired.

It would be a failure of our duties to hand off the organization we love in its current state to the next round of Admins, so we would like to take this time to make some long overdue changes to our structure, cement some previously relaxed policies, and be more transparent on certain issues. Most of these are minute formalities of previously in place structures, but there are some changes that we would like to be transparent about.

I. Updated Partner Team Tiers

Our current partner team system is centered around material distribution and hosting outreach events. The following is an excerpt from our old Partner Team Guidelines:

  • Gold
    • Highest level of involvement
    • Team commits to hosting at least one LGBTQ+ of FIRST event each season
    • All responsibilities of lower levels
  • Silver
    • Intermediate level of involvement
    • Team commits to assisting with at least one LGBTQ+ of FIRST event each season
    • All responsibilities of lower levels
  • Bronze
    • Team commits to promoting LGBTQ+ of FIRST at competitions and other events by handing out informational flyers, displaying promotional materials in their pit area, and answering questions about LGBTQ+ of FIRST
    • Team, and all members of said team, commit to acting as supporters for LGBTQ+ of FIRST at all times

The following is what we would like to see become our new Partner Team tier structure:

  • Bronze
    • Team commits to promoting LGBTQ+ of FIRST at competitions and other events by handing out pins, displaying promotional materials in their pit area, and answering questions about LGBTQ+ of FIRST
    • Team, and all members of said team, commit to acting as supporters for LGBTQ+ of FIRST at all times
  • Silver
    • All responsibilities of lower levels
    • Team commits to either or optionally both of the following:
      • Hosting at least one official LGBTQ+ of FIRST meetup per season at a regional, district, or district championship competition, or at a public community center.
      • Printing out professionally made and approved LGBTQ+ of FIRST brochures, business cards, or other future materials.
  • Gold
    • All responsibilities of lower levels
    • Team commits to host at least one original LGBTQ+ of FIRST themed presentation or event (meetups not included) approved by the LGBTQ+ of FIRST Admins per season. Examples include: roundtable discussions, presentations, seminars, community service events, and others.

The most notable changes are the substitution of the silver tier’s “assisting with an event” requirement for the option of either producing materials or hosting a meetup and the specification for gold tier events to original presentations or events. There are a few reasons for these changes:

  1. Teams that don't have the ability to host their own event, but also don't have any nearby partner teams to assist host an event may be discouraged from applying for the silver tier.
  2. Teams where it even is geographically feasible may find it easier to just apply for gold tier and host their own event.
  3. To make the original events more “special” and a proof of going above and beyond the usual meetup event.
  4. To provide an incentive for teams with either the means or the financial resources to produce promotional material to apply for silver or gold tiers.
  5. To provide an alternative for teams without the resources to produce promotional material to host a local meetup and still qualify for the silver tier.

We hope that these changes will provide many opportunities for partner teams to help the organization, but we also recognize that existing partner teams may be unhappy with their new responsibilities since they are not what they originally committed to. This is why in our address to partner teams we will provide an opportunity to change tiers and provide feedback on these changes. If you are a Partner Team, be on the lookout for that email.

II. Moderator Role

The LGBTQ+ of FIRST Discord has always been a large part of the organization, but it always has and always will be just one of our many community outreach programs. The Admin team’s responsibilities are the maintenance of the organization and the upkeep of our brand, but the Discord server moderation has always been lumped in with that as well. The organization has always been tied to Discord, so this is understandable, but the Admin role should be about more than just being a Discord mod.

There has also recently been a lot of tension regarding the trustworthiness of Staff and their ability to understand the Discord server population. Because of these reasons, the Admins have created a new Moderator staff role solely devoted to the upkeep of the Discord server. We are thinking a group of 8-10 individuals who are online frequently, are active members of the server, know the community well, and know how to keep things civil.

Moderators will act much like the Admins do in the server, but their jurisdiction ends at server moderation decisions and civil upkeep. Representatives and Ambassadors may also hold the title of Moderator, but Moderators themselves will not have jurisdiction over organization decisions. We’ve noticed server members often fluctuate in frequency of activity (which is not a bad thing!), so the Admins will enforce the activity requirement for Moderators more strictly. Because of this, Moderators may come and go, but because of their status as active members of the community, the idea is that the current Moderators will always be trusted individuals who can resolve server conflicts. Admins will continue to be the main governing body of the LGBTQ+ of FIRST and still have moderating powers.

Because of this new dedicated Mod role, Representatives will no longer be expected to moderate the server, but they should still report misconduct if they see it, just as any other server member should. Ambassadors were never expected to moderate, but the same will go for them; it is up to the Moderators and Admins to make disciplinary response decisions.

If you are interested in applying for the Moderator position, you may do so here.

III. Updated Staff Structure

The role of Administrators will mainly stay the same in that they will still be the main governing body of the LGBTQ+ of FIRST. There will, however, be stricter guidelines on Admin participation and clearer communication with inactive Administrators. Administrators will still be responsible for actively participating in organization projects and contributing to the betterment of the organization.

The role of Representative will also see stricter guidelines on participation, but not change much from its original purpose. An already existing responsibility of Representatives is active engagement in organization projects, however this requirement has not been enforced for some time. We would like to make the Representative role more distinguished from the Ambassador role, so we will be requiring a higher level of participation. These are outlined in the Representative Application as well as the LGBTQ+ of FIRST Handbook.

In addition, Representatives were recently informally asked to help with moderation, but with the addition of the new Moderator role, this is not necessary, and in fact is discouraged. If Representatives would like to see change with regards to server moderation strategies, they are encouraged to apply as Moderator here.

Ambassadors will still be the main representative body of the LGBTQ+ of FIRST at competitions and events. As for Discord moderation, we appreciate the initiative for Ambassadors to moderate. However, because the Moderator and Admin positions are more heavily vetted, we ask that Ambassadors report conflicts in the server to Moderators and Admins directly. They are also encouraged to apply as Moderator, if they would like to contribute this way.

Similarly to our update of the Partner Team Guidelines, we acknowledge that everybody may not agree with these changes and did not sign up for some of these responsibilities, so we will offer similar opportunities to provide feedback and change staff positions, if needed.

IV. Updated Representative Application Cycle

With the increased responsibilities of Representatives and a heavier focus on contributing to organization projects, we would like to provide more of an opportunity for those interested to contribute to the organization to do so. In the past, the Representative application window has coincided with the Admin application window. Starting now, we will be opening up Representative applications year round. If you are interested in applying, you can do so here.

V. Black Lives Matter Protests and Healthy Server Discussion

The following goes for all political discussion in the Discord server, but is most recently applicable to the Black Lives Matter protests and the recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks, and countless others. It is with recent crackdowns on political discussion in our Discord server that we feel the need to rethink the way we handle moderating political discussion.

Political discussion is notoriously difficult to moderate on Discord servers, especially with our small Admin team, but given that we will be welcoming new Moderators to the staff team, it is only right we allow more political discussion in our server. Our plan is to create a politics channel to provide a safe, quarantined environment for people to express their opinions while maintaining the healthy atmosphere of the rest of the server. The politics channel is only open Fridays from 8PM - 1AM and Sundays 12PM - 4PM and has a 60 second slowmode. Admins and Moderators will be responsible for moderating these discussions

The African American community and other minority communities have been silenced in America through systemic racism and oppression and with the mission our organization has and the mission of FIRST, it is not right to suppress discussion of these topics. It is our duty to provide a safe space for people of all backgrounds to gather and part of that includes providing the means to acknowledge the prejudices that these communities face. We would like to take this moment to apologize for any suppression of political discussion. Your voices deserve to be heard and we will stand by you in these difficult times.

VI. LGBTQ+ of FIRST Handbook

The goal of the LGBTQ+ of FIRST Handbook is to outline the guidelines, procedures, and timelines for this organization. It is our hope that this structure will increase efficiency and ensure the passing down of knowledge between Admin teams. It also includes a much needed project timeline and proposed deadlines for certain tasks and milestones. All of the changes to the organization in this email are reflected in the Handbook, but there may be some minute additions in the Handbook we forgot to mention here. Please let us know if this is the case and we can address the issue.

LGBTQ+ of FIRST Handbook

It is our hope that with these changes come improved efficiency, better allocation of resources, and better communication, but we understand if you may not agree with some of these changes. Please feel free to email us at contact@lgbtqoffirst.org with any feedback on these updates. We look forward to the next FIRST season and we hope you all stay safe during these unprecedented times.]]><![CDATA[Happy Trans Day of Visibility!]]>Tue, 31 Mar 2020 07:00:00 GMThttps://lgbtqoffirst.weebly.com/blog/happy-trans-day-of-visibilityHello everyone! First of all, happy Transgender Day of Visibility! I have not been a member of LGBTQ+ of FIRST for very long, but we are a very fun and accepting community. Today, being trans day of visibility, I and people everywhere are coming out and being visible. This day is wonderful because we are raising awareness and showing that there are strong, confident, and wonderful trans people all over the world in every skill and profession. I am so proud of every single one of you, closeted or out, questioning or positive, whoever you are. I am proud of you! You are strong! I would like to give a loud proud shoutout to all of the wonderful, smart transgender people of FIRST! You are all amazing people, you are very smart, and you are what makes FIRST, FIRST!

- Nia
Ambassador, LGBTQ+ of FIRST]]><![CDATA[LGBTQ+ of FIRST 2020 Pin Distribution]]>Sat, 19 Oct 2019 01:05:43 GMThttps://lgbtqoffirst.weebly.com/blog/lgbtq-of-first-2020-pin-distributionGood evening! It’s that time of year again; we’re ready to start sending out pins and we need your help! The Rainbow STEM Alliance has set up this GoFundMe so you can donate directly to them. Donations will go towards funding our logo pins, new pronoun pins, and other goals for their organization. Huge thanks to RSA for everything you do, you guys are the best!

In addition, we need all the promotion we can get, so we’ll be launching a campaign soon featuring stories about how the pins are important to you, a spotlight from RSA themselves, and more! On the note of stories, we want to hear from you! Feel free to share any significant moments you had involving LGBTQ+ of FIRST pins in this Google Form. These will be posted on the blog, so feel free to leave any names in your story blank or use pseudonyms.

Lastly, we would be extremely grateful if you feel safe sharing this fundraiser. Please don’t feel like you have to if it’s unsafe to do so, but we could use the help if you’re willing to shout us out on social media. Just make sure to link the GoFundMe above, we’d really appreciate it!

Huge thanks to everyone involved in making this happen! These pins are a symbol of our organization and values and we’re glad to have this opportunity for another year. We’ll keep you updated as we reach new milestones!

LGBTQ+ of FIRST Staff

]]>