ChickTech’s actions to monitor and respond to the COVID-19 outbreak

Last updated June 1, 2021. You can get the latest information about how ChickTech is responding to COVID-19 by bookmarking this page, subscribing to our email newsletter, or by following @chicktechorg on Twitter.

June 1, 2021 – ChickTech will continue to offer programming for youth and adults online-only until further notice for the safety of our program participants, volunteers, and community members. Program directives surrounding in-person events in 2022 will be announced in the new year, taking CDC guidelines and recommendations into account.

July 22, 2020 – ChickTech has decided to put all in-person events on hold until further notice for the safety of our program participants, volunteers, and community members. In-person events at all ChickTech locations (including high school workshops and ACT-W Conferences) will be held virtually for the remainder of 2020. Program directives surrounding in-person events in 2021 will be announced in the new year, taking CDC guidelines and recommendations into account.

May 13, 2020 – For the safety of our participants and community, we have decided to restructure our ACT-W Conferences for 2020. Rather than hosting regional in-person conferences, we will be combining conferences into one virtual event. We are excited to bring our regional communities together online on August 26-28, 2020 for our first ever virtual ACT-W Conference.

April 14, 2020 – ChickTech is continuing to work diligently to ensure the safety of our partners, ACT-W conference attendees, volunteers, and staff while continuing to provide a community of support for womxn and allies in technology. 

After careful consideration, we feel it’s in the best interest of those participating to reschedule our upcoming ACT-W Conferences. The new dates are: 

April 6, 2020 – To continue supporting youth and adults in tech, we have transitioned all ChickTech: High School and ACT-W Meetup events to a virtual space. We are dedicated to providing our community with online mentorship opportunities, tech workshops, career development, virtual career fairs and more. Click here to view our calendar of events and register!

March 17, 2020 – Read ChickTech Interim CEO Katie SanFilippo’s letter to the community regarding COVID-19. “Although the situation is changing daily, I am committed to providing a safe place for female-identifying, transgender, nonbinary individuals and allies to connect during these trying times.” Read More

We are in unprecedented times. With the ongoing spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), please know we share your concerns and would like to emphasize our commitment to the safety and well-being of our community.

We are closely monitoring national and regional COVID-19 reports in order to adjust plans for our upcoming programs and ACT-W (Advancing the Careers of Technical Womxn) conferences. We are committed to notifying you immediately if the status of upcoming programming changes.

We are working to ensure your safety while continuing our community of support for womxn and allies in technology by:

  • Moving local Meetup activities to virtual spaces;
  • Formulating ideas to keep at-home youth and students engaged in virtual learning opportunities;
  • Cancelling or postponing in-person youth events;
  • Postponing ACT-W Conferences affected by CDC recommendations to restrict gatherings of more than 50 people for the next 8 weeks, while monitoring the evolving situation for conferences scheduled in or after June 2020

For any events that are postponed, we will honor ticket purchases or sponsorships at future events or apply it to an ACT-W+ membership or sponsorship.

Our ACT-W Conferences are essential to the communities we serve and provide crucial funding for ChickTech’s programs, serving over 8,400 youth and adults per year, with a focus on underserved and underrepresented groups.

ACT-W is vital to our mission. We rely on the generous support of our sponsors and attendees to continue running as an organization. To continue to provide a safe space for our community to connect and learn, we are actively working on ways to connect virtually. Be on the lookout for these opportunities to participate, lead, or promote.

During these uncertain times, we hope you’ll continue to help us shape the future of technology by supporting ChickTech, engaging with each other, and staying up to date on what we’re doing to navigate this global issue.

Thank you for continued support, and know that we stand with you.