GeekGirlCon celebrates and honors the legacies of underrepresented groups in science, technology, comics, arts, literature, game play, and game design. We do this by connecting geeks worldwide and creating an intersectional community that fosters the continued growth of women and other underrepresented groups in geek culture. GeekGirlCon provides a safe space to spark conversations around social justice while encouraging unabashed geekiness.
GeekGirlCon acknowledges that the land on which we gather is the occupied, unceded territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Duwamish, Suquamish, Snoqualmie, Snohomish, Lummi, Skagit, and Swinomish. Acknowledgment is a small gesture that becomes more meaningful when coupled with authentic relationships and informed actions. GeekGirlCon pledges to open all public events and gatherings with a statement acknowledging the traditional Indigenous stewardship of the lands on which we gather. We pledge to move beyond words into initiatives and programs that fully embody a sustained commitment to Indigenous rights and equity. There are 29 federally recognized tribes throughout Washington. In addition to recognizing the sovereignty of these nations, GeekGirlCon would also like to recognize the Duwamish, Wanapum, and Chinook people. Despite their traditional and continuing presence in this region, these nations are still not recognized by the United States government. (More information at Duwamish: duwamishtribe.org, Wanapum: wanapum.org, Chinook: chinooknation.org).
DAY-OF BASICS
Location
Arch at 800 Pike Street
800 Pike St
Seattle, WA 98101
(This is the new name for the space formerly known as Washington State Conference Center in Seattle—the same venue GeekGirlCon has always used!
Skip the line and pick up your badge early on Friday from 4-7 p.m. at the convention center! We’ll be just inside the main doors.
If you’re picking up your badge on Saturday, doors open at 9 a.m. and check-in is on the first floor.
You must keep your badge visible at all times during the con.
Vaccines and Masks are Required
Everyone who comes into GeekGirlCon ‘22 is required to be fully vaccinated. Vaccine status will be confirmed at the front doors before you get in line for check-in.
Everyone is required to wear a mask that covers their mouth and nose whenever they’re inside the convention center unless they’re in a designated eating area.
Further information about COVID safety at GeekGirlCon ‘22 can be found on our website here.
Safety Stuff
Please take a minute to look through our Code of Conduct. This includes our Harassment Policy and Cosplay Policy (weapon and prop stuff). It also includes information on how to report harassment during the event.
If you need any help during the con, head to the Info Booth or flag down a Reaction Team volunteer. Reaction Team folks will be wearing blue Agent t-shirts and Wonder Woman crowns.
The EMT office is located next door to the Info Booth (Level 1) across from Introvert Alley.
Don’t take photos of people without their consent! This, of course, includes cosplayers. If you don’t want your photo taken, you can pick up a “Do Not Photograph” sticker from the Registration or Info Booth.
GeekGirlCon is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged property. Additionally, GeekGirlCon is not responsible for injuries sustained over the course of the convention.
We reserve the right to ask anyone to leave the convention if they violate these policies. Have fun, be safe, and be respectful.
Accessibility
GeekGirlCon will reserve Accessibility and Interpreting seating areas in every presentation space. Attendees who decide to not sit in the Accessibility seating areas are welcome to ask Agents to make their desired area accessible for them and any mobility devices. Attendees with disabilities may request early entrance into panels, events, and activities to allow ease of entrance and additional seating variety. The Expo Hall will open at 9:30 a.m. for those with Accessibility stickers on their badges. If you would like to utilize early entrance or Accessible and Interpreting seating areas, please request either an Accessible or Interpreting sticker from the Registration Desk or Info Booth (Level 1).
More information about accessibility stuff at GeekGirlCon ‘22 can be found here. During the event, accessibility information can also be found at the Info Booth (Level 1). You can also ask for assistance or information from staff and volunteers, who will be wearing blue Agent t-shirts during the event.
Schedule (Panels, Workshops, and Other Events)
Here’s the schedule!Printed copies of the schedule will also be available at the Registration and Info Booths.
Floor Maps
Here’s where you can findfloor maps of the space. The schedule tells you the name of the room the event is in, so use that information to cross-reference here to figure out which level it is on (e.g. the room Kamala is on Level 1). These will also show you where bathrooms (including all-genders ones) and other important spots are located throughout the convention center.
Data & WI-FI
Reliable cell-phone and Wi-Fi service is not guaranteed at the convention center, so it is highly recommended that you set a time and place to meet back up with friends and family before you scatter throughout the venue. You can also take screenshots of the schedule and other parts of this guide to reference in case the webpages won’t load!
Engage with Us Online Using #BackAtGGC22
Lots of GeekGirlCon’s community-building happens online during the event. To share your cosplay, photos, and live-posts with the larger GeekGirlCon family, be sure to tag them with #BackAtGGC22!
A huge thank you to the Five(ish) Fangirls Podcast for chatting with our very own Jennifer Urrabazo about GeekGirlCon! They discuss the mission of GGC, Doctor Who, spider season in the PNW, and more. Give it a listen!
You asked and we listened, we’re pleased to introduce a discounted teen pass to GGC ’22!
We’ve also added new supporter/donor tiers this year for those of you interested in helping GeekGirlCon survive past the pandemic years. As always, we couldn’t do this without you all!
Like so much of the world, GeekGirlCon has been functioning on a skeleton crew for the past couple of years. In that time, despite all of tragedy surrounding us in so many different ways, we manageing to put on two whole epic digital events: GeekGirlCONLINE ’20 and GeekGirlCONLINE ’21. The backlog of that digital programming can always be found on our Youtube channel for whenever you’re hankering for some geeky content.
Though we’re unbelievably proud of our team and community for coming through and making in happen safely online, we’re beyond excited to announce that GeekGirlCon will be back and in-person on November 5, 2022 as a one-day event. You heard that right: GeekGirlCon ’22 will be a real-life IN-PERSON, ONE-DAY event on November 5, 2022 in Seattle.
We take protecting our community and staff seriously. To help us gather in-person safely, attendees of GeekGirlCon ’22 will be required to submit proof of vaccination and wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth during the event. To help us protect each other, we highly encourage our community members to further:
Have your badge mailed (instead of picking up in-person the day of)
Leave 6 feet of space between yourself and those outside of your party
Take a rapid test the day of the convention if one is available
Stay home if you feel sick!
We will definitely keep y’all posted as we further work out what meeting in person this year will mean, so please keep an eye here and on our social channels.
GEEKGIRLCON NEEDS YOU!
Lastly, we wanted to point out that we have a bunch of open positions on our year-round staff. The pandemic has been tough on us all, and GeekGirlCon’s staff is much smaller than it has been previous years. We need you to help us make GeekGirlCon ’22 possible! In particular, we’re seeking a Volunteer Manager, Registration Manager, Exhibitor Services Manager, and Cosplay Contest Coordinator. Please email us if you’re interested in those roles or any of the roles listed here.
I’ve never been a huge fan of audiobooks, always preferring the act of reading to that of listening. In fact, up until the last couple of years, audiobooks were relegated to long road trips and flights. However, more recently I have found that while I may not always have as much time as I would like to sit down and read a book, it is still possible to get my fill of books by opting for the hands-free audio version and multi-tasking while walking the dog, cleaning the house, or sitting on the couch trying to crochet a cactus (a pandemic project).
To me, there are three factors to consider when choosing an audiobook. First off, we obviously need a good story. However, not all books that make for good reading make for equally good listening. Non-fiction audiobooks can sometimes be a challenge for me, as I find myself getting burned out on the subject matter halfway through. That said, a good memoir seems to be a safe bet. Similarly, the length of an audiobook is important. In general, I feel that many books could benefit from a solid edit, and this is something that often becomes even more noticeable when a book is read aloud (exhibit A, the 48-hour audio version of the Ulysses S. Grant biography, ‘Grant’). Given my shortened attention span, I prefer books that are in the 15 hours or less range to prevent myself from overcommitting. Lastly, and most importantly, is the narrator. Nothing ruins an audiobook like a narrator who reads too slowly or worse, tries to distinguish characters with terrible and often offensive accents. However, find yourself a book with an engaging narrator, and it’s hard to take the headphones off.
Starting your holiday shopping early this year? Looking for the perfect gift for someone? Look no further than the GeekGirlCONLINE ‘21 Virtual Expo Hall!
The Virtual Expo Hall will open next weekend, November 13, and remain open until the end of the year. The Virtual Expo Hall is full of unique, geeky gifts as far as the virtual eye can see. You can find art, fashion, comics, decor, books, games, housewares, and toys, in addition to gifts from LGBTQ+-owned and POC-owned businesses. If you can’t find what you’re looking for browsing through the different categories, there is also an “All” category where you can see all exhibitors and browse gifts that didn’t fit into a specific category. There is truly something for everyone among the offerings of our 120+ exhibitors.
GeekGirlCONLINE ‘21 WILL BE HERE IN LESS THAN A MONTH! If you haven’t already, mark your calendars for November 13 and 14!
All of our programming this year is free to stream on Twitch. Click through here for FAQs about this year’s event.
In case you haven’t seen already, we’ve recently announced our full programming schedule. We’ve got a packed schedule—from the DNA of strawberries to BIPOC artists in animation, there’s truly something for everyone this year. Read on for full details about each event.
The first time I read A Wrinkle in Time, it was part of a 4th grade reading assignment, where each student had to choose a book that all the other students would then take turns reading. I’ll be honest. A Wrinkle in Time, chosen by the only kid in class who could spell Czechoslovakia (which was both still a country at that time and quite the feat of spelling), fell somewhere between the books Soup on Wheels and Freckle Juice, both of which resonated with my 9-year-old bookish self a bit more than A Wrinkle in Time.
With its more complex character development and themes of love and individuality that seemed beyond my years or at least beyond Soup on Wheels, that initial reading didn’t leave me feeling all that inspired. That said, I fortunately returned to the book just a few short years later and have since read it at least half a dozen times. With each new reading, more of the book’s magic and wisdom is revealed to me, largely through its oh-so-relatable 13-year-old protagonist and my personal geek girl hero, the plucky Meg Murry.
On the weekend of November 13 and 14, we’re bringing you this year’s celebration of all things geeky in the form of GeekGirlCONLINE ‘21. This is a free, digital event streamed on GeekGirlCon’s Twitch channel. Follow and turn on notifications now!
Programming content for this year’s event is being curated by our glorious Programming Team. Some of the sessions will be pre-recorded, but most will be live. We’ll be announcing the schedule in early August, so stay tuned.
Below we’ve answered some FAQs about GeekGirlCONLINE ‘21. If you have more questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to geekgirlconline@geekgirlcon.com.
Happy World UFO Day! Today is an opportunity for people to gather together and watch the skies for unidentified flying objects or ‘unidentified aerial phenomena’ as they are now more commonly called. So what is the history of UFOs and the likelihood that these phenomena are actually evidence of extraterrestrial life?
Allegedly there have been sightings of unexplained aerial phenomena since ancient times, although the number and nature of reports have significantly increased since the second world war. The so-called ‘Modern UFO era’ was established with a sighting near Mount Rainier in 1947 that popularised the name ‘flying saucers’ and began an obsession with flying saucers that lasted a decade. The term ‘Unidentified Flying Objects’ was adopted to better describe more common later sightings of different shapes such as cigars and triangles.
