My Notes from the Organizers’ Orbit

Organizing events is something I truly enjoy.

The kind of slightly obsessive joy where I’m asking myself at 2 AM:

“Should the announcement post have a rocket emoji or a sparkle? Or maybe… both?” 🤔

It’s that behind-the-scenes familiar chaos:

• Spending more time scheduling the meeting than the actual meeting time itself. The classic five-people-across-the-globe conflict
• Debating if the poster background should lean more teal or more purple
• Scheduling a social media post for 6 PM, only to realize it’s 6 PM in the wrong time zone
• Triple-checking if the Zoom link has the right passcode because I still don’t trust it
• Rewriting the same update message three times because “ping” energy is different from “gentle reminder” energy
• Panicking because the speaker who was going to present today had to drop last minute. Yes, we got this! Have a backup ready, already

That’s the kind of chaos I sign up for, willingly. Every. Single. Time. 💜

There’s something valuable about stitching everything together — the people, the prep, the insights — that keeps me driving towards organizing better events.

Reflections from Djangonaut Space - The Organizer View

…and the rituals I’ve weaved into my event-organizing muscle memory for future aspects ✨

Being a Session Organizer for Djangonaut Space, from Session 3 to Session 4, and now stepping into Session 5, has been equal parts spreadsheet updates, cosmic discussions, and community building.

Some days, it meant drafting 7 variations of the same announcement to get the tone just right. Other days, it was about holding space, making sure every session felt less like a Zoom meeting and more like a safe, welcoming orbit.

What started as volunteering turned into something I’d look forward to shaping again. With each session, I picked up patterns (like constellations) that stuck. The kind you don’t notice at first, but once you do, they help you navigate everything better. When to nudge gently vs. boldly, how to communicate across time zones (not just by clock but also by nature), and how the smallest details (like a personalized DM or a thoughtfully placed emoji) can ripple out and make people feel seen.

Here, I have listed a few pointers from a communications lens, which are not really grand lessons, but how little things add up. So most of what you’ll read below isn’t about productivity tools or tactics. These are the human-side learnings I picked up from organizing an online 8-week-long open-source mentorship program (almost 16 weeks for organizers) that spanned time zones, energy levels, and comfort zones.

Some of it might feel obvious.

Some of it might feel oddly specific.

But all of it — Reflects about building experiences that matter.

🎶 Tune Into The Frequency

The golden rule? Treat others the way you want to be treated.

The platinum upgrade? Treat others the way they want to be treated.

When working in a community, everyone is volunteering their free time, and everyone’s communication style is a little different:

• Some folks love regular check-ins; others prefer space to breathe
• One person might be comfortable with async chats; another might need a calendar block to focus
• Some respond best to detailed context; others appreciate quick, clear bullet points

The key is: Don’t assume. Ask and Adapt.

It’s not about over-communicating; it’s about communicating in tune.

⏰ Global Program ≠ Global Clock

Coordinating mentors, mentees, and facilitators across continents sounds exciting until you try to schedule a single call that fits all.

• Use tools like time.is or World Time Buddy and share the link whenever discussing time
• Conduct polls for folks to find the common slot
• Send calendar invites in local time
• Provide async and recording support, if feasible
• Oh, always account for daylight saving time. Lessons Learnt

For example, this blog was published at this time

🙋‍♀️ Consent Is Non-Negotiable

A photo, a name-tag, a shared recording, each comes with its own comfort level. It’s easy to overlook, especially in digital-first spaces. Make sure to have fool-proof clarity and consents on things like:

• Are you okay being recorded or photographed?
• Can we share your name/photo on socials?
• Do you want to be mentioned in public shoutouts?

Just because someone is comfortable in a private Zoom doesn’t mean they want to be on YouTube ❗

It’s a small gesture, but a huge trust builder. Make it part of your onboarding and respect when people say no.

🗣️ Art (& Heart) of Communication

Being communicative doesn’t mean taking up space just to vocalize your thoughts, but it also means understanding the perspective of others, and it’s also not just about what you say but how, when, and where.

• In a global, async space, assume your messages might be read late, skimmed, or misunderstood
• Write with clarity and consideration:
  • Use TL;DRs (too long; didn’t read) for long posts
  • Keep announcements structured:
    • ✅ Good: 📅 Session X | Topic: Cosmic Celebrations | Friday, Aug 1 | 5 PM UTC
    • ⚠️ Bad: Please be reminded that we have our X mentorship session this Friday.
• Don’t just broadcast. A little curiosity goes a long way in making conversations feel human:
  • Ask thoughtful follow-up questions in threads
  • Encourage responses with open-ended prompts

Yes, communication fatigue is real. Scheduled nudges and message templates save mental bandwidth and allocate more neurons to work on creative things.

📶 Emojis are Signals, Not Decor

Emojis aren’t just for aesthetics; they help add rhythm, tone, and clarity.

• Use them to visually structure announcements (think section breaks like 📌, ✅, 📢)
• React with purpose — a 🫶 or 🚀 can show encouragement, acknowledgment, or momentum
• Avoid overloading or mixing tone (🚨 + 😄 = confusing vibes)

They act as subconscious cues and help the brain process intent faster, especially when reading the message quickly, similar to any normal day-to-day conversation.

🔗 Accessibility Is a Feature

• Social posts with visuals? Always include alt text
• In live sessions, make sure text is legible, links are shared clearly, and everyone can follow the conversation

Making things accessible isn’t an afterthought; it’s part of the design.

🤝 Inclusion Must Be Active

You can’t just “open the door”. You have to personally invite people in.

Passive inclusion says, “Anyone can join.”

Active inclusion says, “Hey, I think you’d be great for this. Want to join us?”

• Extend direct, thoughtful invites to everyone
• Make onboarding simple, accessible, and welcoming
• Celebrate different learning styles and paces

Inclusion isn’t just about who joins — it’s about who feels safe enough to stay. When organizers reach out directly with opportunities that align with their skills and passions, the motivation to contribute follows naturally.

🕹️ Don’t Control the Outcome

Your job as an organizer isn’t to script the entire story. It’s to set the stage and let people bring their own voice.

• Allow everyone to shape or co-shape the journey
• Assign friendly chat moderators to keep the space warm and interactive
• Don’t push connections — facilitate, don’t force. People connect more meaningfully when they choose how.

📈 Structure Brings Sustainability

Too many events = overwhelm.

Too little structure = confusion.

You don’t need a rigid plan, but you do need guiding rails. Otherwise, people feel lost. The following things help:

• A reusable workbook with weekly focus areas
• Pre-decided roles for each session
• Meeting notes with clear action items
• Shared checklists, session timelines, and trackers

Document everything — every Future Organizer including You will thank you.

⏳ One-Speed-Fits-All? NO

Not every week will feel productive and that’s okay.

We are human. We get tired. We fall behind sometimes.

To provide reassurance:

• Normalize sharing blockers and struggles
• Introduce “Win of the Week” threads
• Hold space for vulnerability and slow progress
• Share opportunities and celebrate contributions

One of the proudest moments as an organizer is when someone says:

“I didn’t think I could do this. But this space helped me believe I could.”

✍🏻 Feedback, But Make It Constructive

Feedback is how we grow but only if it’s handled with care.

• Ask first: “Would you like some feedback on this?”
• Use a balanced phrase:
  • 🌟 What worked well
  • 🛠 Suggestions to try
• Encourage co-reviews: reviewing each other’s PRs, posts, or submissions fosters shared accountability

And remember, silence isn’t always agreement; check in helps.

🔁 Retrospection Is Recurring

Keep iterating. The best rituals are built one lesson at a time.

• Take notes after sessions — what clicked, what flopped, what could be smoother?
• Apply quick fixes (like link-sharing hiccups) and track long-term improvements (like onboarding clarity or timezone overlaps)

🍀 Cultivating Growth

You’re not just managing sessions. You’re helping participants grow, evolve, and take leadership roles in the future.

• Share openings, CFPs, good-first-issues, and pathways for better involvement with the larger community
• A win is when someone from your cohort organizes their event or submits their first PR, inspired by their time here
• That ripple effect? That’s the real impact.

---

Djangonaut Space has never been about timelines or tasks; it’s always been about the community and contributions. Each message, meeting, and moment has been a quiet step toward something bigger: helping someone feel seen, supported, and encouraged to take their next step; whether that’s making a contribution, asking a question, or someday, running their own event.

💌 To every Fellow Organizer, Navigator, Captain, Djangonaut, Stars, Astronomers: thank you for the trust, the time, and the shared commitment to making this space welcoming.

And sometimes, yes, it’s about picking between a rocket emoji and a sparkle. ✨

See you in Session 5! 🚀

---

Thanks Rachell Calhoun and Tim Schilling for the initial review and ofcourse supporting all along the way. 💜