it wasn't just meetings

Here's my history with conferences for, oh, ten to fifteen years now:

• Fly in.
• Check into the hotel.
• Pick up badge.
• Attend meetings
• Drop by receptions.
• Have some good dinners.
• Attend meetings.
• Attend meetings.
• Pack.
• Fly home.

This conference certainly had plenty of meetings for me.  Oh my gosh, yes.  Hours upon hours.  I did pop by a reception or two.  I had some good dinners.  As I write this on Monday night, I have to pack soon and then fly home early on Tuesday.  Typical conference.

But wait, what is this?  I actually went to a few programs?  What?

On Saturday, it was the opening session with Nichelle Hayes in conversation with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Nic Stone.  Good conversation.  Nic Stone reminded me so much of a longtime colleague and friend, Tiffeni, it was uncanny.

On Sunday, it was our ALA President Lessa Kanani'Opua Pelayo-Lozada and President-Elect Emily Drabinski in conversation with four colleagues who had much to say about organizing as activists.  How did I not know about Elizabeth Martinez before now?

And then today we closed with President-Elect Drabinski in conversation with Ani Di Franco. 

This was after attending the Youth Media Awards, a delightful celebration of so many authors and illustrators and a librarian or two.  I loved the conversation, though - Emily is not the first LGBTQ+ ALA president, apparently, but is likely the first truly open one, and hearing her frame questions multiple times by referring to her own lesbian identity, I was getting choked up.  Wow, it's powerful seeing that someone from my community is in that role.