On the Denver application process…
Denver NARIX is coming this summer, and applications are just around the corner. With that, we want to take a moment to give folks an update on our next application cycle and changes we’ve made to the application.
Did you know? The NARIX application has changed a lot in 10 years.
While NARIX has always had an application system, the form we use today has gone through many iterations. In the early days, NARIX required photo submissions to validate skill level– today, we trust folks to check their own skill level against our requirements. Instead, we use essay questions as the primary mechanism by which we qualify or disqualify attendees for attendance.
These essay questions change as we gather feedback, notice changes at the event, and also as we determine that our own cultural needs and norms change. For example, after the start of the “me too” movement many years ago, the application was updated to include the first version of our harm question, asking folks to reflect on how they have harmed and repaired with folks in their personal history. Recently after experiences of racial microaggressions at a NARIX event in 2024, the application was updated to include an antiracism question, which we have spoken about at length in our recent response to this added question.
So what’s changing for this one?
Most of our application form will stay unchanged, compared to our last application cycle, especially related to the logistics of registration and volunteering. We will be adding disability information to our demographic data question, to monitor and improve our own event’s efforts at disability inclusion. We’ll also be updating the anti-racism question (with recent feedback in mind), to include a wider range of identities, remove the two-part nature of the previous version, and to invite a wider range of possible answers (using the Situation-Behavior-Impact format that our harm question uses today). Unlike other years, we will also be providing our evaluation criteria below so applicants have a clearer idea of what we look for in answers. You can see all of that here.
Finally, we will be adding an appeals process for those who have their application denied. This will allow folks to have an opportunity to either better communicate their answer, or provide context we may be missing in our decision. It is important to note that just because you apply for an appeal does not mean you will be accepted once it has been concluded, but you may receive valuable information to increase your chances of getting in at a future event.
How will the application cycle work?
Applications will open this Thursday, on the morning of April 24th. They will be open for one week, until 11:59pm Pacific Time on May 1st. We will not cap applications, and will review as many as come in during the open time window. Each person will apply separately; if you have a partner you wish to attend with, please make sure that they apply as well!
After the May 1st deadline, the NARIX steerco will take 2 weeks to review applications. Applicants will get either a pass/fail on their essay questions, and failed essay questions will be given an opportunity to clarify, add context, or even try again. Please monitor your email, as you may receive a follow-up email at any time during this two week window.
Finally, everyone who passes the application process will be inserted into a random lottery for spots. As always, some spots will be reserved for critical event volunteers, for underrepresented folks in the applicant pool, for folks who have been waitlisted our last few events consecutively, and for Denver, we are trying out something new with a set number of guaranteed (random) spots for local attendees.
We will aim to get everyone’s acceptance or waitlist letters out by May 15th.
Thank you everyone for your continued support, and we can’t wait to see some of you in Denver!
