Dear Bikey Ones,

This year's Bike!Bike! conference in San Francisco is right around the corner!  As one of the folks dealing with workshops and registration, I am sending this long email to let you know how exciting this event is going to be. . . oh yeah, and we still need your help to make it even better!

We have an exciting list of workshops on the schedule, but we would still like to offer even more options.

Here is a list of workshop topics which already have been proposed:

- Becoming incorporated/tax stuff (Ed France, Bici Centro, Santa Barbara)
- Free Hub Membership Tracker (Alon, Bike Kitchen, San Francisco)
- University Bike Co-ops Forum (Ildiko, CCSF, Daniel, UCSC Bike Co-op, Davis Bike Church, etc.)
- Productive Paperwork (Casey, Fargo Moorhead Community Bike Project)
- Working with the City to get space (Nathan, Austin Yellow Bikes)
- Mobile bike shops (Sachi, Austin Yellow Bikes)
- Starting a Community Bike Shop (RaRa, Portland Bike Farm)
- How do you organize your space? (everyone bring a picture of their shop - "this is what we do with fenders", etc.)
- Tour of Box Dog Bikes/For-Profit Co-ops (Dan, Box Dog Bikes)
- Volunteer Retention Forum (Ed of SB, etc.)
- Starting a Bike Share Program (Lynda from Queens)
- Cut the Red Tape: Navigating the "Shared Governance" System in Colleges (Ryan, Cabrillo Bike Coop)
- Bike Trailer Building (Aron, East Bay)
- Chloroplast pannier building (Sachi, Austin Yellow Bikes)
- Lowbagger bike touring (Quentin, Bike Church Santa Cruz)
- Planning a Bike Tour: SF to Santa Cruz (Josh, SC Bike Church)
- Wheel building (Ellie, Bike Church Santa Cruz, and Daniel, UCSC Bike Co-op)
- Frame construction/repair (Josh, Bike Church Santa Cruz)
- Youth-based earn-a-bike programs (Community Cycles, Boulder)
- Bicycle Touring for Social Change/Fostering Sustainable Communities (Nora Dye and "Within Reach" folks)
- Understanding bicycle-focused international development work: Case studies in Nepal and Namibia (Mario, SF Bike Kitchen/Wrench Nepal)
- International Bike Projects: Tanzinia (David, Neighborhood Works, Philly)
- Adult Education (Ed France, Bici Centro, Santa Barbara)
- Youth programming funding (Free Ride, Pittsburg)
- Youth forum (John from Sacramento, Jami from Pittsburg, Justin from Chicago, etc.)
- Envisioning the Future of Bicycle-based Urbanism (Jonathan, Davis Bike Church)
- Up the Punks: counter-cultural roots in the era of "green capitalism" (Kyle, Bicas/Bike Church)
- Forming a Community Bike Coalition (Daniel, New Haven Bike Collective)
- Non-Violent Communication (Ani, the Kickstand, Gainsville)
- How To Set-Up Ladies/Trans Shop time (Alissa, Bike Saviours, Tempe Arizona)
- Round Table discussion on gender issues in shops/projects (Chole from Bike Church Philly and Kanako from Bike n' Bike, Olympia)
- Forum on project demographics - Who are We Serving (Ami from SF Bike Kitchen, Emilyn from Bike Church Santa Cruz, etc.)
- Being a guy ally/supporting women/trans/queer folk (Ian and Quentin from Bike Church Santa Cruz, etc.)

And here is our wish list of topics we'd still like to see covered:

- co-op and collective structures- grant funding how to's and pros/cons
- cutting threads/taps and dies
- bike fit
- welding/choppers
- lights/generators
- basic bike systems - bearings, wheels, cables, etc.
- how to set up classes/classes vs. open shop time
- political advocacy - getting bike lanes, working with local gov't, etc
- safe routes to schools programs
- working with schools, bike shops in schools
- panel on racism in projects
- working with a language barrier
- how to be a white ally
- how diverse is our staff/volunteers, how to attract diverse staff/volunteers

-your great and novel workshop idea you see missing, there are so many possibilities. . .

We also are very interested in finding folks interested in helping with existing forums/workshops on:

youth in bike shops
race and racism
shop demographics/who are we serving?
volunteer retention
how to be a guy ally

If you would be interested in facilitating or collaborating on any of these topics, please do let us know!

Here's who to contact:

Emilyn, Ian and Ann (emilynrose@yahoo.com, ian.paleale@gmail.com, annaltstatt@gmail.com)

Thanks and I look forward to seeing everyone soon!

Ann Altstatt
The Bicycle Church Tool Cooperative
Santa Cruz, CA