What is RailsBridge?

RailsBridge puts on technology workshops as a free and fun way to get started or level up with Rails, Ruby, and other web technologies. Our events focus on increasing diversity in tech, so that people of all backgrounds can feel welcome and comfortable in our industry.

We teach people to code because we believe that the people making technology should accurately reflect the diversity of those using it. We want to push for all kinds of diversity in tech: gender, race, sexual orientation, ability, and class. We value acceptance, enthusiasm, and hard work. The RailsBridge community thrives on optimism and a love for making great things.

We Want You!

We have one immediate opening, and two more open board positions beginning June 1st. Start dates are flexible, but we’re hoping to have some overlap between outgoing and incoming board members, so new members might invited to join as soon as April.

You might enjoy working on the RailsBridge board if:

• You enjoy big-picture thinking, but also really like getting things done.
• You want to help increase communication between RailsBridge chapters and reduce volunteer burnout across the whole organization.
• You care about creating sustainable processes to keep the RailsBridge board effective beyond your tenure.

Although there are no financial expectations to join the board, we do ask that you meet the following criteria:

• You have organized or participated in at least 2 prior RailsBridge workshops
• You’re excited to understand and help improve our mission and strategies, policies and programs, strengths and needs.
• You can actively participate in the board and are able to chair or co-chair one committee.
• You can attend a minimum of three quarters of board meetings per year.

The board is currently made up of four women, but we are definitely happy to have new board members of any gender identity! We’re also looking for people with a wide variety of experiences and backgrounds, so even if you haven’t been involved with RailsBridge for years and years, we’d love to hear from you if you think you’d be able to make a positive impact.

RailsBridge Board

RailsBridge’s continued success depends on the personal commitment and active involvement of our board members who are advocates and enthusiastic communicators of the organization’s mission and vision. Our current board is made up of 4 people: Lillie Chilen, Sarah Mei, Rachel Myers, and Bianca Rodrigues.

What does the board do?

The current iteration of the RailsBridge board got started during the summer of 2014, and officially announced its existence in January 2015. Since then, we’ve worked on a wide variety of projects, including:

• Working with our parent organization, Bridge Foundry, to establish a better expense reimbursement process for organizers and volunteers;
• Establishing committees and recruiting volunteers to work on important cross-chapter functions, including Finance, Chapter Outreach, and Fundraising;
• Commissioning a new logo for RailsBridge;
• Creating the RailsBridge Advisory Board, so that a larger group of dedicated volunteers could advise the board;
• and importantly, figuring out how to work effectively as a distributed, busy team of volunteers.

How does the board work?

In addition to our monthly meetings, we have a monthly Slack check-in, where we discuss ongoing projects and make decisions. Asynchronously, we communicate primarily via a private Slack channel within the Bridge Foundry Slack org, and also through email.

We have an annual board retreat during the North American summer, where we reflect on our past efforts and make plans for RailsBridge for the next year.

Join us!

If you’re interested in joining the board, please fill out our Board Application form. If you know of someone who would be a good addition to the board, please share this post with them.

Lastly, please pass this post along to your RailsBridge community — we’d love to consider candidates beyond the current board’s networks! Thank you so much for your help in spreading the word.

 

 

During the last three months, the RailsBridge board, along with Meghan Schofield, a designer based in San Francisco, worked to create a new logo for our community. It was a super fun and engaging process, and here is the result:

Why did RailsBridge need a new logo?

For a long time, the organization didn’t have a representative image that conveyed the true spirit of our community: a warm, welcoming and inclusive space open to collaboration and fun while still learning and teaching. That’s why the board made re-branding a priority.

Meghan patiently guided us through the design process. She knew how to drive the conversation and decision making through all the stages of the creative process, from initial brainstorming to tweaking the final logo.

The goal of this rebranding was to express what RailsBridge means and offers to the community: inclusivity, collaboration, responsibility, friendliness, creativity, and fun. We hope this comes across to our broader community, and we’re excited to know what you think!

This is one of the first steps towards the realization of many other projects for 2016, which we are eager to accomplish. Without any doubt, this year will be an incredibly exciting year for RailsBridge.

RailsBridge Chapter Logos

Since most RailsBridge chapters don’t have their own logos, we’re excited that Meghan designed the logo as a system. This will allow each RailsBridge chapter to use the new logo, while still identifying themselves as a specific chapter.

If you run a RailsBridge chapter and want to start using the new logo, email us at hello@railsbridge.org or let us know in the RailsBridge organizer Slack channel! (If you’re not a member yet, email hello@railsbridge.org and we’ll add you.)

Swag!

Wouldn’t you love having a sticker, t-shirt, or hoodie with this new logo? We’re working on upping the RailsBridge swag game! Stay tuned — physical objects take a bit more manufacturing time than updating images and CSS, and we want to make sure you love it.

In the meantime, take a look at our redesigned website, Twitter, and Facebook pages. Pretty cool, huh?

Blast from the past

To close, here’s a look at the RailsBridge logo over the years, starting all the way back in 2009. We’ve come a long way!