Valley Forge NASFiC Bid Appoints Diversity and Inclusion Officer

Mike VanHelder, chair of the Valley Forge in 2017 NASFiC Bid, has announced the appointment of Billy Hung as a Diversity and Inclusion Officer.

VanHelder wrote on SMOFs:

I asked Billy to join our NASFiC bid specifically because I am acutely aware that despite the genuine commitment that we as a bid committee have to increasing diversity and including all sorts of people in our convention, we have blind spots, and we probably aren’t even aware of most of them. Billy’s job is mainly to keep an eye on what we’re doing and, if (and, if I’m going to be realistic, when) we mess up, he stops us. Think of him as a hall monitor except instead of running in the hallways, unconscious bigotry.

Billy Hung

Billy Hung

Bill Hung describes his background in sf fandom in this paragraph on the bid’s website:

Raised on the pulp Hong Kong SF of the 70s and nourished by both the trashy and classic wuxia, Billy found his way to western fantasy in 7th grade via AD&D game worlds. Marrying a husband who is a Trek fan and a lover of cheesy B-grade monster flicks… means Billy was destined to never leave SF/F fandom, and that suits him just fine. Billy has attended dozens of conventions, some of which were even about SF/F! In his professional life, Billy has been involved in inclusion and diversity issues in one way or another since his undergraduate days. He has organized speaker panels on LBGTQ issues, served on diversity committees, trained teachers on universal design and classroom inclusiveness issues, and served on advisory board for student disability issues.

Supporters of a rival 2017 bid commented here at File 770 yesterday that 2015 ConQuesT chair Kristina Hiner is a member of the Valley Forge bid committee, a connection which may have influenced the timing of this announcement.

37 thoughts on “Valley Forge NASFiC Bid Appoints Diversity and Inclusion Officer

  1. Most of this sounds great. But then I come across this line

    Think of him as a hall monitor except instead of running in the hallways, unconscious bigotry.

    And I’m bothered. Hall monitors where I come from aren’t liked or taken seriously. It feels a bit like the token POC to prove we are good white people who get we screw up and realized our concom was all white.

    It kind of reminds me of the one non-white person on the 2015 ComQuesT diversity panels. Only now there asking one guy to do all the heavy lifting for the entire concom. Be our conscience they ask the POC.

    Maybe I’m reading it wrong. I’ll be curious to see how the various outspoken POC react to this announcement.

  2. For the record, the decision to ask Billy to join our committee in this capacity was made before Mark Oshiro’s blog post about his experiences at ConQuest. We did consider Mark’s post in the context of when to make the announcement, but it was more “will people think this announcement is a response to that, and should we reschedule?”. The conclusion was that people probably would think that, but it wasn’t enough of a reason to delay the announcement.

  3. @Lois Tilton: I know, right? How is she still on any committee, anywhere?

    Hiring this token (he’s PoC AND gay AND disabled — they only had to hire one person!) looks bad to me, but being white and straight, I’ll wait to see what others say.

    Maybe he’s awesome enough to actually get things done.

    There are a number of people in fandom I’d like to see dealt with wuxia-style. 🙂

  4. I think it’s great that Bill Hung is offering his help to the convention bid.

    This is a good step in the right direction in my opinion Inclusion of people from different backgrounds to help running a convention can only strengthen its approach to inclusiveness and diversity.

    I feel the hall monitor description is unfortunate but it’s an acknowledgment of blind spots from the current committee so it gets a semi-yay from me.

  5. lurkertype: @Lois Tilton: I know, right? How is she still on any committee, anywhere?

    Given that she hasn’t had the grace and maturity to post a public apology to Oshiro, I don’t see why anyone would have any confidence that she’s recognized any inappropriate behavior on her own part or taken steps to change her ways, or that she would behave differently as part of any other convention’s staff. I certainly don’t.

    Should she be banned from all concoms forever? No. Should she be removed from concoms until she’s demonstrated that she’s learned from her mistakes and changed her behavior? Yeah, definitely.

  6. @Michael VanHelder
    Sorry for misidentifying you. I’ve not been able to find a bio or definitive website for you based on the information on the bid site. My Googlefu failed. The 2 pictures I’ve found that I’m positive are you: green (bid site) or the avatar here which tells me nothing.

    Without anything to the contrary I made an assumption. I’m used to bios mentioning POC backgrounds when it might be a relevant fact. Reading your SMOF statement it sounds like you are white. Again I’d expect if you were POC you’d include that saying something like:
    “Billy’s joining us so we have several POC voices to help us from sliding into unconscious bias (or bigotry). His focus will be primarily that while other POC on the bid team have other primary priorities so unconscious bias is secondary”

    I’m sorry I didn’t know your background better and your words led me astray.

  7. For the record, the decision to ask Billy to join our committee in this capacity was made before Mark Oshiro’s blog post about his experiences at ConQuest

    I don’t think any of us are questioning his being added as because of the Mark Oshiro post.

    The points I was trying to make was:
    1. It looked like an all white board adding a single POC (you’ve stated I’m wrong and your POC also) which looked an awful lot like a number of other points of failure at a number of cons including the one Mark Oshiro was at – this point is invalid with your additional information

    2. Kristina Hiner is on your bid and she has known about the Mark Oshiro issues for 9 months – one expects she had some say/participated in the conversations about bringing Billly on – we question whether she should be involved at bid/concom levels until she shows she truly understands what parts of the disaster were her fault and makes apologies to all the people hurt by the fallout

  8. And to backtrack based on a post Mark Oshiro put up on FB since I last checked:

    Yesterday, Kristina Hiner sent me an apology. I am keeping it private because I see no reason to publish it. It is a *very* good apology, and I accepted it, too. I am very thankful for her response, and more so than anyone else, she was the only person I really *wanted* an apology from. I have also informed her that at this point, I actually don’t need each of the complaints followed up on at this point. It seems redundant to me. Everyone knows about the post now, and I don’t need an apology from anyone else. I just wanted someone to inform these people that their behavior was unwelcoming, rude, or hostile. I’ve now done that, so I think the board and ConQuesT can devote time and energy to future conventions instead of last year’s.

    I partially withdraw my objections to Kristina Hiner. I fully withdraw if she’s apologized to all the people named who were not aware of the incident reports.

  9. Every single person commenting here who pole-vaulted over Billy Hung’s qualifications in order to make this appointment about his race and sexual orientation needs to sit down and have a long think about their life choices.

    In his professional life, Billy has been involved in inclusion and diversity issues in one way or another since his undergraduate days. He has organized speaker panels on LBGTQ issues, served on diversity committees, trained teachers on universal design and classroom inclusiveness issues, and served on advisory board for student disability issues.

    In suggesting that he was hired for optics instead of his actual for real qualifications you’re perpetuating the idea that the ONLY reason marginalized people get hired for any thing is quotas, diversity-cookies, back-pattings, instead of their actual ability to do the work required of them.

    Also, @Tasha, I kind of hate to pick on you when you’ve already backtracked so much, but “I’m sorry your words led me astray” is a pretty infuriating fauxpology considering you’re literally saying a PoC speaking standard English misled you into thinking he was white.

    /OutspokenPoC

  10. If a person is the head of a convention that invites a guest to honor him then systematically disrespects him, if that person, herself, humiliates that guest in public at the very event which ought to honor him, then I see no place for that person in another convention. I wouldn’t attend a convention where that person had any official position – not that I would attend a convention at all.

    If Mark Oshiro is happy to accept her apology, well and good for him, but her behavior is public knowledge now, and others have to make their own choices.

  11. Lois Tilton: If Mark Oshiro is happy to accept her apology, well and good for him, but her behavior is public knowledge now, and others have to make their own choices.

    I think it’s good that Hiner has apologized personally and privately to Oshiro, and that it was a well-enough-done apology that he was willing to accept it and move on.

    But in some respects, this is like the apology from Lou Antonelli to David Gerrold (which ended up being insincere and recanted shortly afterward, anyway): it was good that the apology was made, and good on Gerrold for being willing to accept it — but Gerrold was not the only one affected by CUL’s actions. All of the attendees at Sasquan had their personal risk increased by what CUL did. Those attendees had the right to be upset that CUL did not apologize to them (in fact, he repeatedly denied that what he had done had caused harm to anyone else); those attendees had the right to expect Sasquan to enforce their conduct policy and ban him from the convention; and Sasquan was wrong to let Gerrold decide their response instead of enforcing their conduct policy and banning him from the convention, as they had originally decided to do.

    Anyone who is a potential attendee at a convention where Hiner is on the concom has the right to be concerned about her ability to perform her duties appropriately. Anyone in that group has the right to expect that she demonstrate in some way that she has actually learned from what happened at ConQuesT 46, and that she will perform her responsibities well in the future. And if she fails to provide any evidence that she has learned and changed, and concoms continue to allow her to serve them in some capacity, that group of potential attendees has the right to believe that the problems may not have been adequately addressed, and to choose not to attend those conventions.

     
    TL;DR: Unless Hiner provides some persuasive public indication that she has learned from this fiasco and made serious personal changes, I am pretty much going to be side-eyeing any convention which permits her to play a role (whether as Board Member *cough*KACSFFS*cough* or as concom member *cough*Valley Forge NASFIC*cough*).

    I can’t attend Worldcon 75, and I would almost certainly not be able to attend a NASFIC in Puerto Rico, but as long as Hiner is on the Valley Forge NASFIC concom, I’ll be voting for the San Juan NASFIC bid.

  12. JJ: TL;DR: Unless Hiner provides some persuasive public indication that she has learned from this fiasco and made serious personal changes, I am pretty much going to be side-eyeing any convention which permits her to play a role (whether as Board Member *cough*KACSFFS*cough* or as concom member *cough*Valley Forge NASFIC*cough*).

    Not that Hiner is going to run out and do what you would like, but let’s not leave you expectations unstated: what concrete things are you looking for?

  13. Mike Glyer: Not that Hiner is going to run out and do what you would like, but let’s not leave you expectations unstated: what concrete things are you looking for?

    And I have zero expectation, at this point, that she will; I’m sure that my opinion is of no import to her, anyway. The only thing I would find persuasive would be an extremely sincere public post of 1) Here’s how and why I failed; 2) These are the changes I’m making to my behaviour for the future.

    I would also expect her to not undertake a division-head level or higher role in a convention for at least the next couple of years, and instead spend that time demonstrating that she is capable of fulfilling a lower-level role in a competent manner.

    I mean, seriously — compared to what the consequences would have been for her for this sort of executive performance in the corporate world, those would be pretty minor consequences.

  14. @Amal El-Mohtar

    Every single person commenting here who pole-vaulted over Billy Hung’s qualifications in order to make this appointment about his race and sexual orientation needs to sit down and have a long think about their life choices.

    I admit I should have included how wonderful I think Billy Hung will do based on his credentials. I’m at fault for setting the tone of this thread. I apologize to Billy Hung and everyone else I hurt with my inconsiderate words. I apologize to the group for setting us down the wrong path. I’ve failed to do right in my goal for all people to be treated equally and with respect. I need to remember the forest and the trees before speaking and writing. I’m sorry. Thank you for pointing this out.

    Michael VanHelder I have wronged you in numerous ways today:
    1. Didn’t take you and the boards announcement seriously and treated it and all of you poorly which is wrong as a starting point
    2. I mistook you for white and then made a non-apology which is inexcusable
    3. I was snarky and rude which is inexcusable
    4. I should have asked questions rather than posted in attack mode
    5. I may have done this on other threads here
    In the future I will try to wait to post or respond until I’m sure I’m doing so in a respectful manner.
    I am so sorry.
    Please forgive me

    Amal El-Mohtar
    Thank you for pointing out my mistakes. I sincerely hope you won’t need to do so in the future. Continue being an outspoken POC.

  15. Once again with Rule # 1 in Fandom: No matter how hard you try to do the right thing (and while doing it unpaid, too!), somebody will BITCH!!!!

  16. KBK: Once again with Rule # 1 in Fandom: No matter how hard you try to do the right thing (and while doing it unpaid, too!), somebody will BITCH!!!!

    Yes, it’s funny how people will bitch when you don’t live up to the promises you’ve made.

  17. KBK: Once again with Rule # 1 in Fandom: No matter how hard you try to do the right thing (and while doing it unpaid, too!), somebody will BITCH!!!!

    Some people don’t let that stop them from doing the right thing.

    Are you doing the right thing?

  18. I’m surprised at the negative reaction to this announcement. Appointing someone to concentrate on an organization’s objective seems like a pretty solid plan for making sure the organization actually makes progress toward that objective, and Mr. Hung seems well-qualified.

    I honestly can’t recall ever encountering a hall monitor in real life so maybe I’m just not getting where people were turned off by that phrase…

  19. Erin T: I honestly can’t recall ever encountering a hall monitor in real life so maybe I’m just not getting where people were turned off by that phrase.

    It’s a pejorative. Hall monitors (in the U.S., at least) are people who have been put into a position of power — often over their peers — and it is quite common to hear stories of abuse of this power and bullying.

    The concept of the Hall monitor has entered into popular culture in the US, and is frequently used as plot device or script elements in children’s entertainment.

    In this context, hall monitors are frequently portrayed as being similar to police officers or security guards, and their requests to see students’ hall passes are commonly used as allegory to requests for ID by the police.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall_monitor#Popular_culture

    more examples of negative context at the link

  20. Once again with Rule # 1 in Fandom: No matter how hard you try to do the right thing (and while doing it unpaid, too!), somebody will BITCH!!!!

    I thought that rule was: No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

  21. Gosh, where to start. First of all, @Tasha, apology accepted.

    Actually, also, @Tasha thank you for the object lesson. Your assumption about our bid com’s ethnic diversity is an illustration of why we need more viewpoints present in the organizational phase of our bid – no matter how well meaning, we sometimes slip into assumptions and presumptions without ever noticing the shift. It’s this sort of error that we specifically brought Billy aboard to try to avoid. And let’s be clear — Billy’s qualifications are why we asked him to join us. His multiple minority status (incidentally, I don’t believe he has any apparent disabilities as another commenter suggested) certainly impacted his life journey and how conversant he is on the relevant topics, but that is the extent of their influence on our decision. More importantly, we never intended for him to be the one doing all the diversity work. He will help, of course, but the bid com was aware of and concerned about diversity and inclusion issues even before we had a titular officer for it.

    As for the issue of whether Kristina ought to be on any bid com, we support her current role on this bid and are happy with what she has contributed thus far to the process. We don’t see mistakes as always requiring punitive action, but rather as opportunities to improve. In this case, our vice-chair and I have fully debriefed Kristina and we think that our bid is the stronger for the valuable insight we gained. If new issues surface then obviously we will re-evaluate our position.

  22. And, as a side note, while I would never presume to dictate to others on how and where to voice their disagreement, I noticed that the disagreement over Kristina’s past action seems to have usurped the original complaint about tokenizing minority issues. While the original critique was misguided and made based on incorrect assumptions, I see that it was well intended, even constructive criticism. That is now eclipsed by criticism of Kristina (and hall monitors). Actually, this could be another good object lesson, a demonstration of how people can unintentionally derail legitimate minority discussion by focusing on issues not directly related to the topic at hand.

  23. I am thrilled to see someone with some background in Universal Design. Many of the applications of Universal Design, particularly in academic settings are relevant to running a good convention.

    I think both NASFiC bids have done an impressive job of considering that access for people with disabilities is something to build in from the beginning.

    I do like it when it’s really hard to choose the best bid.

  24. While the brouhaha over Ms. Hiner’s inclusion on the bid committee seems to have derailed things, I’d like to congratulate the Valley Forge committee for recruiting somebody to help with issues of diverse inclusion so early in the process.

  25. @Amal El-Mohtar
    Again thank you.

    @Michael VanHelder
    Thank you. You make a number of good points. This discussion got off on the wrong foot which was my fault. And then was completely derailed.

    For a group of people claiming to care about rights and diversity this thread has not been one of our shining moments.

    More importantly, we never intended for him to be the one doing all the diversity work. He will help, of course, but the bid com was aware of and concerned about diversity and inclusion issues even before we had a titular officer for it.

    I hope over the coming months that can be the message.

    I absolutely love the idea of having people on the bid committee and concom to specifically address issues such as diversity and accessibility. And those positions must be staffed by people who are representative. I know you just have Diversity. I’m always tacking on more. Armchair critic. Forgive me?

    As a trailblazer your going to be scrutinized. I’m sure you know this. Having someone on the committee whose con recently failed in so many ways is going to increase your scrutiny. I’m sure you know this. We are in a time of transition and it’s hard for everyone. Social media makes everyone want things now. Its easy to put out a draft before it’s ready. Or to wait too long before making a statement while trying to get the statement perfect.

    Life as public figures is hard. Remembering we are all public figures now sucks as really how can any of us be perfect all the time. I should have remembered this before commenting the 1st time. I’m sorry.

    I’m sorry I made your day harder than it needed to be. I’m glad we managed to have some good conversation in the end. Try to have some fun while doing shit tons of work to create the best bid for the best convention you can.

  26. Mike VanHelder: Actually, this could be another good object lesson, a demonstration of how people can unintentionally derail legitimate minority discussion by focusing on issues not directly related to the topic at hand.

    Mike, posts on this site often start out being one thing and then digressing to a wide range of other topics. Anything people wish to discuss here is a valid discussion — unless Mike Glyer steps in as moderator and says otherwise. If there are people here who wish to continue discussing the topic of minority representation, they are able to do so. What you are calling “the topic at hand” is whatever the commenters here want it to be, not what you think it should be.

    I am sorry that you find discussion of Hiner’s credentials (or lack thereof) uncomfortable; however, that is also a legitimate discussion. Although you say “while I would never presume to dictate to others on how and where to voice their disagreement”, it looks to me as if your comment above is exactly that — a policing attempt to shut that discussion down in this thread, and I find that a bit disturbing.

    You and the rest of the Valley Forge NASFIC bid committee are happy to have her playing a major role. Yay, good for you. I’ll still be voting for the San Juan NASFIC bid as long as she’s playing a major role on your committee, since I have seen nothing to give me any confidence that she has learned from this experience and is making changes to improve her performance.

    That’s not “punitive action”, it’s a reasonable expectation that someone who has thus far only demonstrated that they are not able to successfully fulfil a high level of responsibility step back and first spend time demonstrating that they are capable of improving and working their way back up to that level.

  27. Seems to me that the real subject at hand is the membership of this committee and how it plans to accomodate the needs of all the convention’s guests and attendees.

  28. I’m pretty committed to San Juan already, but good luck to everyone, I guess.

  29. As JJ said, there’s no such thing as “on topic” here on File 770. Mike only scolds us for bad behavior, not wandering off on tangents. That extensive discussion about “General Hospital” on a recent Pixel Scroll shows it.

    A number of people are going to look askance at Valley Forge for having Hiner on board. They’re perfectly within their rights to do so, no matter that Oshiro is an immensely forgiving guy. And “hall monitor” is both off-putting and (it sounds) incorrect. I doubt Billy’s going to be pulling a petty power trip. He deserves a better description.

    Valley Forge has the automatic benefit of being somewhere people can drive to, so you’ve got that going for you. I’d rather go to San Juan (money allowing), because different. A con on a Caribbean island (no passport) sounds pretty neat to me. “Caribbean island” sounds neater than “suburb of Philadelphia”. 🙂

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