Podcast Summary: New Books Network
Episode: How to Organize Inclusive Events and Conferences
Date: January 1, 2026
Host: Dr. Christina Gessler
Guest: Dr. Alex Ketchum
Episode Overview
This insightful episode features Dr. Alex Ketchum, associate professor at McGill University and author of How to Organize Inclusive Events and Conferences. Hosted by Dr. Christina Gessler, the conversation centers on practical strategies and philosophies behind creating truly inclusive academic and public events. The discussion draws from Dr. Ketchum’s extensive event-organizing experience, offering granular advice on accessibility, sustainability, team-building, budgeting, and outreach. The episode also highlights the impact of Dr. Ketchum’s booklets, which provide hands-on guidance for both newcomers and veterans in event planning.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Dr. Alex Ketchum’s Journey into Organizing Events
- Early Experience: Grew up enjoying event organization, from dance committees in high school to farm festivals in undergrad.
- Academic Connection: Leveraged events as platforms for public scholarship, building bridges between research and communities.
- Events as Knowledge Mobilization:
“Not everyone's going to read an academic journal article, but a lot of people might go to a talk at a bookstore or a community space.” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [03:42]
2. Recognizing Gaps in Inclusivity
- Observation: Awareness of both visible (physical access) and invisible (timing, childcare, language) barriers.
- Learning from Activists: Engaging with disability scholars and activists for deeper understanding.
- Continuous Feedback:
“Being receptive to feedback from people who want to participate or who have participated is really important so that you make sure that you’re actually serving the audiences that you’re trying to.” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [06:13]
3. Feedback Loops and Adaptation
- Methods: Collecting post-event feedback in person and online; adapting based on input regarding timing, format, accessibility tools, and language needs.
- Imperfect Solutions:
“No solution is perfect. There’s always going to be feedback later, and it’s something that we can use to grow on, to keep scaling.” – Dr. Christina Gessler [09:31]
4. Why Write the Booklets?
- Avoiding Reinventing the Wheel: Compiling learnings to save others time and empower wider audiences.
- Making Resources Accessible: Partnering with affordable publishers and creating complementary free resources.
- Wide Appeal:
“I just wanted to make these resources more readily available for folks.” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [12:55]
5. Defining Key Concepts: Accessibility & Design Justice
- Accessibility: Focus on the social model of disability – society disables, not the body; plus, considering class, parenting, gender, and the organizers' own well-being.
- Design Justice:
“Thinking beyond ideas of universal accessibility and thinking about how design impacts basically accessibility and social justice.” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [16:26]
6. Sustainability as an Ethic of Care
- Beyond Environmentalism: Sustainable events mean supporting organizers, ensuring knowledge transfer, and planning for events’ longevity or graceful endings.
- Key Quote:
“Sustainability is also thinking about when to wrap up projects as well and kind of how the project will end and doing that as thoughtfully as possible.” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [19:55]
7. Brainstorming and Initial Planning
- Expand Audience Imagination: Challenge assumptions about who might benefit; consult community partners for broader reach.
- Who, What, When, Where, How:
“Try to think beyond your first assumption of who would be interested in the events...you might actually be creating barriers in designing your events with a certain intended audience.” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [09:13]
8. In-Person Event Logistics: The Granular Checklist
- Venue Selection: Consider access (ramps, elevators), bathrooms (all-gender, accessible), lighting, scent-free policies, and low-stimulus spaces.
- Practical Arrangements:
“Ask the venue these questions: ‘Hey, is there a step to get into the room? How wide are the door frames?’” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [24:19]
- Flexibility: Mix up times and days, provide hybrid options, and assign teamwork to support hybrid events.
9. Budgeting & Venue Pros/Cons
- Advised Mindset: Start with a “zero budget” scenario; use free/low-cost spaces thoughtfully.
- Transparency with Speakers: State honorarium offers upfront, prioritize fair pay (e.g., $800 CA standard in Ketchum’s series).
“Asking people to come and perform or speak or present or share their music or art without paying for it and expecting them to be able to do that is a class issue, 100%.” – Dr. Christina Gessler [34:03]
10. Funding, Honorariums, and Class
- Exposure ≠ Payment:
“Exposure does not pay the rent.” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [40:13]
- Practical Funding: Use grants (e.g., Canadian Connection Grant), seek in-kind donations, approach departments and community groups.
- Start Small: Gain experience before pursuing large grants.
11. Additional Planning Considerations
- Compensating Volunteers and Team Members
- Practical Items: Always bring essentials like pens, tape, extension cords.
- Event Accessibility: Interpretation services, captions, accessible materials, clear info about childcare, alcohol, or food.
12. Publicizing Inclusive Events
- Multi-Channel Approach: Use physical flyers, email lists, diverse social media, and word-of-mouth through partners.
- Early and Varied Outreach:
“You can’t just do a single form of outreach anymore...ask [partners] to share it in their networks. That will actually be key for reaching more people.” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [49:32]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Feedback:
“You always have to adapt. You can have your standard set guidelines...but it's also useful to continually check in with people you want to reach.” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [07:42] -
On Inclusion and Accessibility:
“Part of that is stuff that folks who are able-bodied might just take for granted.” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [23:46] -
On Sustainability:
“If you want it to be a recurring type of event, how can you make sure that you’re building up a team where people are supported, that you can have knowledge transfer?” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [18:49] -
On Class and Compensation:
“I find it uncomfortable, but I'll still ask about it...knowing what the honorarium is can help me make an informed decision.” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [35:14] -
On Burnout:
“What can make this sustainable? What won’t lead to burnout in trying to organize events?” – Dr. Alex Ketchum [15:18]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Dr. Ketchum’s event org background: [02:35]
- Recognizing exclusivity in events: [04:32]
- Practical feedback & adaptation: [06:13]
- Motivation to write the guidebooks: [10:24]
- Defining accessibility and design justice: [14:08]
- Event sustainability: [18:19]
- Inclusive brainstorming: [21:08]
- Event logistics and accessibility details: [23:00]
- Venue selection and scent-free spaces: [26:09]
- Teamwork and delegating: [30:14]
- Budget strategies and venue pros/cons: [31:01]
- Discussing honoraria/class issues: [34:03]
- Starting small with grants: [37:51]
- On 'exposure' as pay: [40:13]
- Ticketing as a potential barrier: [43:31]
- Outreach and publicity: [47:47]
- Encouragement to organizers: [50:59]
- Empowerment and mistakes: [52:27]
Concluding Reflections
Dr. Ketchum’s Hope for Listeners:
She emphasizes excitement and empowerment, not exhaustion:
“...start with something small, try it out, see if you like it. You don't have to commit to 100 events. Maybe commit to one, a one or two hour event and go from there.” [51:10]
Final Takeaway:
Dr. Ketchum encourages new organizers to give themselves grace, view mistakes as learning, and embrace the possibility of meaningful, well-organized, inclusive events. [52:27]
Recommended Follow-Up:
- Dr. Ketchum’s resources: How to Organize Inclusive Events and Conferences & How to Organize Inclusive Events (booklets and online materials).
- Visit Queer Food Conference and Design Justice Network for further reading and inspiration.