Netroots Nation: Roll Call & A Suggestion for Organizers

Earlier today, Brainwrap put up a diary sadly announcing that s/he would be unable to use the registration that had been purchased for Netroots Nation, and wanted to sell it to someone at the discounted, earlybird price of $175. Within minutes, there was a taker and everything worked out very well.

That diary got me thinking about NN and how much I'm looking forward to it. yK last year was one of the best experiences I've had and I look forward to seeing everyone again and meeting new people I didn't meet last year. So here's a Roll Call diary. Are you coming to NN? Do you mean to, but haven't registered yet? Well, register now!

The convention is very expensive this year, however, even more so than last year, and that is very concerning. Currently the registration is $375, but it will go up to the full price of $450. Yowza! I've got a suggestion after the jump. Don't know how feasible it is, but maybe ... ?

There was an earlybird registration special. Only $175. And I'm glad I was able to register at that price. ($175 is kind of doable, although I know still a stretch for many). Anywho, the way the discounts are structured--cheaper the earlier you register--overlooks the fact that those least able to afford such an expenditure are also probably the least likely to be able to make plans so far in advance: students, the underemployed, the unemployed, freelancers, etc.

So, here's my suggestion. The organizers should develop criteria to accommodate those who are in the most contingent, precarious financial situations--precisely the kind of situations that make planning for something (and getting the biggest early bird discount) impossible. Let students, the recently graduated, the under and unemployed, register at the $175 fee if they can provide whatever reasonable documentation. I'm not great at figuring out those kind of details. I know that the organizers are trying to make the convention affordable by offering the great discount of the early bird registration, but those who really need financial consideration, may not have been able to plan ahead and take account of the early-birdness.

I know that there are fundraising drives to help send bloggers in need to the convention. But in addition to those efforts, it seems that keeping a low-fee registration option available for students, recent grads, the unemployed and underemployed, and low-income folks, would greatly add to the diversity of the convention.

Maybe there could only be a limited amount of these registrations. Still, I don't think that people who aren't in a stable enough financial situation to plan months and months ahead should be penalized for that.