Welcome to the Merge Forward family! Whether you're an ally or a member of an underrepresented group, if you support and believe in our mission, you are part of the Merge Forward community! And as a community member, we rely on your support to help make underrepresented members more visible in cloud native. Visibility is a key part of our strategy because it helps break down preconceptions and unconscious biases. In this kit, we share resources and tips to help you do exactly that.
Marketing resources
#MergeForward
*If you prepared an MF talk, consider adding your deck to this folder so others can repurpose it.
For speakers and presenters
Consider using the MF slide template for your talks, even if the topic isn't related to MF. That way, you show everyone that you are part of the MF community.
Add your MF membership as a data bio point in the intro.
Include the MF call-out slide at the end of your presentation, and invite the audience to join and learn more.
For content creators
Seeing exciting progress within MF? Write a blog post to share community wins and why MF is important to you. Here's an example.
When writing, don't forget to link to the MF community page and other resources to drive traffic and increase awareness.
Do you have a podcast, host streams, or do regular video content? Consider inviting MF members as guests.*
* MF has a large and diverse community. Some members may need special accommodations. If you'd like to invite an MF member as a guest but are unsure of what that implies, feel free to ask within the corresponding channel or DM someone from that community. We want MF to be a safe place to ask these types of questions. Only if we learn from each other will our community become more welcoming for everyone.
Amplify MF member posts
When you see a post from an underrepresented speaker or writer, retweet it, share it, and add a supportive comment. This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to help.
Celebrate our wins
Let's brag about all the great accomplishments of our peers from underrepresented groups. We have so many outstanding community members. Let's make sure others know, too!
If you are part of an underrepresented group and spoke at a conference, published an article, received an award, or achieved any professional milestone, we want to celebrate you. This is not the moment to be shy. Celebrating your wins helps the entire community by making underrepresented groups more visible. Every win counts!
Here's how
Create a social post about your achievement on your preferred platform, and include a picture of yourself if you can!
Mention the Merge Forward social accounts (coming soon).
Include the #MergeForward hashtag.
Share your post in the #merge-forward and relevant community channels so the rest of us can amplify.
Let's make sure the world sees the incredible talent in our community!
Content Templates
Need some inspiration for your next post? Copy, paste, and customize these templates!
I'm excited to share that I just got a new role/spoke at [Conference]/published my first article! [add some specifics about your talk, article, job]. Thanks to the support from my #MergeForward peers.
I'm proud to be part of the #MergeForward community, empowering different voices in the cloud native community. Check out their mission and join us! [link to website/kit]
[More TBD]