Merge Forward Meeting - September 2026

Welcome everyone to this uh September sessions of merge forward. As usual uh reminder uh remind that is a CNCF meeting. So the code of conduct uh is uh all you all need to abide to the CNCF code of conduct. So in short uh be respectful and kind to each other. So let's have a look if we have any new faces today. Um because usually we let the new person uh to introduce themsel to let others to know who they are. Um then someone can you raise your virtual hand if you are new on the chat. >> Rashadant have you been in this meeting? >> Hello I'm audible. >> Good. Yeah. >> Would you like to introduce yourself? >> Yeah, I I was in previous meeting and >> Oh, okay. >> I'm sorry. [laughter] >> You were on vacation. >> Okay. So, it seems I don't see new faces and no name no new names on the list. So, let's go ahead on the agenda. So as every uh session now uh we would like to uh give you an overview of what uh the project are running currently. So uh everything is available on Slack. If you go on Slack and see the ongoing projects you see all the list and on the agenda you have a link to every project. So uh the first one is presents on upcoming events. I see some people uh speaking about they will attend such event on the chat but as well you can put your names uh in uh the agenda we put there to know that if there are someone else as well joining the sessions to say hi together to to connect and then if you have the opportunity to um promote merch forward or to do activities theirs and you need support for that um feel free as to to contact us on Slack channel. Be very rewarding to to get some to have someone from Mer there. Then uh for the partnership program so how to connect to KCD uh clonative days or uh events uh where uh clonative speaker or clonative community meets. So we have Diana and Iris that's coordinating this. So if you want to connect to KCD or clative event to Mer forward uh contact um D or Iris for that and they will help you to to do some partnership if we if we want or some speaking about M or have a boo or have a cur everything is possible for that then another project the body program so it's ongoing So Katherine and I are managing uh colle this pro project. So we have the first cohort that is ongoing. We have some mention mentors that working together uh either on um helping them to fill their C of paper for for speaking or of career advice or supporting [clears throat] the the mentee to be more active in the code or non-code contribution. So the next court will coming coming next year and we'll have some we have some announcement later. Uh for the cubecon activities we have a dedicated uh topic there. So uh won't go too much on that right now. Uh the next two doc forward and travel hub needs volunteers to duck forward is an initiative to try to put more documentations on contribute.io. We we have few there. So we need to reorganize and put more there uh uh more information on this website. So if you know someone or you would like to help if you have some knowledge on how to organize documentation feel free to contact us for that. and Travel Hub is in an idea but not yet started really to get um a match tools or matching um solutions that let people that would like to travel together to CubeCon or whatever events to travel together and see how they can as well meet before VCON. And um so as well for merch forward uh event uh we have these sessions to see if you have other topics to to work on. We we need volunteers for everything. So feel free to contact if you have some time to to help forward. So next [snorts] uh let's move on because Katherine has few times before boarding to speak about next group um and activities we will be there. So Katherine >> um yeah so uh the community sessions will uh notifications will go out on Friday. So that's exciting. So please if you submitted one and you got feedback let us know on the chat so we know there we can celebrate with you or yeah just know have an update. Uh and then I just wanted to ask I know it's still like not well we're almost like two and a half months out right? Uh so is there anyone on this call who knows that they will be there for sure? Jay, I think you are there for sure. Okay, Colleen. >> Yeah. Oh, and Logan as well. And then who want? So, how many were in this? Okay. Like uh Colleen, uh >> Jay, Logan, me. That's okay. Four. And who wants to go? And it's pending on uh travel funding. Do we have anyone who is like wants Okay. one. Okay. So, five in theory. Um, yeah. So, if you're applying to travel funding, I just wanted to emphasize again like please mention your work at Merch Forward and that you will like if you're interested in supporting Merch Forward at CubeCon. Uh, that is a big argument for getting uh support uh much more than just I want to attend the sessions. Um, so just to keep in mind if you want help with your application, uh, to kind of like see like how how can you kind of search it or like say it. Uh, so let me know and I'm happy to help with the merge forward part. Um, and then please add your names um to the cubecon slcanva if you haven't already. The link is in the agenda because we want to be tracking already. Then please add everyone like uh Mass even if you're if you're not sure if you want to help please add your name and then so we know who is kind of planning to attend um and then we can start planning soon. Um and uh then then I wanted to talk about the escape room party event which will so the event page will go live on September 11th. So that's in two weeks. Um and uh yes. So I just want to make sure that we want to do this again. So again, this is like a party event uh hosted by my company and um Taylor uh-Zero is sponsoring as well this time. So we have like one main sponsor with uh along with buoyant and then a supporting sponsor zero. Um, and so Merch Forward would be a co-host again, but a non-paying co-host, right? We're paying in a different kind. Uh, last time I kind of like was like, "Yeah, let's do this." And I felt like I was pushing it a little bit, but I want to have like before. So, we're ready to go live. We're ready. I have a room reserved for Merch Ford, a dedicated room. Uh, but there are a few things that we need to do and I want to have like very clear kind of like everyone kind of saying like, "Yes, we should do this or I don't care or whatever, right? Um, so what does it mean for Merch Forward to participate? So our payment, right, like everyone is paying. It's a very expensive event. Our payment is basically helping to promote the event whether you're going or not going, just creating a little excitement about the event. So that's our payment, right? And what do we get? We get a dedicated room. Uh, we need to come up with an interactive game. Uh, so or was leading it last time and it was really cool. I think like 60 people participated and so the game has to be something about inclusivity kind of like something that has Merch forward in yeah that has something to do with Merch forward and so people can learn about Merch forward. So we need to that and you don't have to be there even if you don't aren't there you can still contribute to the game and then maybe next time you'll be there. Uh and then we need to have people on site. Okay, for that you will have to be there. um to uh help uh be there to help with the game and then also enjoy the party. Uh for those who have been there, uh you've seen it's it's it's kind of cool. We had some issues with the actual game, but we're we're actually testing the um the game this time. We're this this week uh we're we're testing the escape room. Uh so we should be very very much better prepared this time. Um, okay. So, with that, can I get like a thumb a virtual thumbs up because that's easier from anyone who's like like yes, let's do this. Okay, I'll take a hard tube. Okay, two, three, four, five. Okay, so I'll Awesome. So, I will also put like a little poll on Slack uh cuz again, um it does require some commitment, right? And I don't want to kind of like feel like I'm pushing it. I just want to make sure that we all want this too. Um so, but that sounds good. I just want to have uh like buy in from some other people as well. Uh okay. And I think that was all, but I actually forgot uh to mention so CFP for Barcelona is open as you probably know. I know that's incredibly painful because we haven't even gone through because that's ugly [laughter] happen. It's like I hate it. I hate it as much as you all hate it and we always complain about it. It is what it is. Um so think about talks. Also think about like especially the people who have been new or bought into cloud native due to this group. Um think about the people you've met. Maybe you can partner up with someone um for a talk if you're not like super uh a super expert in in an area. Um but think about it now. Don't wait for the last minute and like we cannot just hope that someone invites you. we really have to kind of actively kind of seek it. Uh either have your own ideas or try to reach out to people you've collaborated before or if you've met before um and ask them if if uh if they would be up for um yeah just co-presenting. >> Yes, they the CFP close the 11th of October. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's Yeah, it's I don't know. I'm always very annoyed. It's [laughter] but it is what it is. It's always the same. So um with that I will pass it to uh Stefan for your blind and vision impaired update. >> Yes. So we will now pass by every uh groups to get an update for every groups. So unfortunately the blind visually impaired groups uh we don't have too much uh active contributor right now. So the late last meeting no one show up in no. So let's see if we can have more intention with this group. But it takes many times to create that group. So let's see uh if you know someone that is blind or visually impaired work on clonative um community feel free to inform her or him that this group exist. And yeah, Stefan, you know that already. So, I'm really excited. I got connected with a blind person. I don't know what his role is at GitHub. He is very active uh speaking in accessibility and like uh Ed Summers, I think. Uh very excited. I'm meeting with him next week and I'm hoping that he likes what we're doing and kind of maybe has ideas, wants to join or something. I know cuz last time at all things open >> uh they had an accessibility track which I think is really cool. That's a conference with a whole track on accessibility and there were a bunch of blind people uh blind engineers there and I was like when I heard that I was like oh we're always looking for blind engineers. So it's like uh so I want to uh get in touch with him and see at least like he knows obviously knows more people who might benefit from that group. So I'm hope um hopeful optimistic that we might get some new people but we'll see the meeting is next week so wish wish me luck. Okay, let's see. Thank you. Then let's move on and hard hearing group sendip you have some updates. >> Uh hello everyone. Uh hope you can join me. >> Yes. Yes. >> Uh okay because I have a parallel Zoom meeting going on. My office meeting is going on in the Zoom client and I have joined you from the Zoom browser. Sorry from the Chrome browser. Uh so for the deaf and the heart of hearing uh we have two sessions submitted for the community hub. One is the sign language crash course that has been submitted by J. Jackson and the second one is the session that I submitted that is an interactive session led by the deaf and the heart of hearing community and it also involve the blind and the visually impaired community and probably neurodyiverse community as well. So the aim is to get a few communities together and make it an interactive session that sanitizes attendees and audience. And the last that I have is that uh I'm one of the co-organizers of KD gust which happens in the western part of India and I'll be reaching out to Dina and Dina and Irish tomorrow to start the partnership so that we can have much forward as a community partner. Thank you. >> Thank you J. Jay. >> Yeah. >> Jay thinking. >> Hi Jay. You need to look at me. [laughter] >> Hi J. >> He's typing now. >> Jay J. J. Do you want >> Hi. Sorry. I'm here with >> Do you want to say anything about the sign language crash course that you submitted? >> Oh yeah. Yeah. It's submitted. Yes, that's correct. Um, but I'm not sure what's going on. I haven't had any response from them, so I don't know who who to contact about it. Um, they did receive it, it seems. Um, I don't know if it's been approved or not. >> Uh, we'll get to know by Friday. We'll get to know by Friday if it is accepted or not. >> Oh, Friday. Okay. But shouldn't be accepted. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Okay. Something else incentive to share or I can pass to Milad. >> Okay. Thank you. >> There's two videos um I'm thinking um from Amsterdam. There's two of those videos that I made in Amsterdam that um I've given to Katherine and also um the Merge Forward uh party and I have um I'm editing that. But um one thing I missed is that um the Merge Forward community situation where we had um we need to add some music to it to that video. So um I'll be doing that soon. And um I think that's my summary in a nutshell. >> If I can add something to that. >> Um so I think uh Milan will need help with uh the editing with the music because we do have interviews. So it has to have like music and then like when you when you have like people speaking kind of like like softening the music and so on. So that's something that obviously Sandy Sandy Milad can do. So if there is anyone who can help him with that part of the editing. Okay. >> Oh, I've already I've got the two new videos um in the background. I've already um you know made that quieter. So I don't know if it works for you, but you can sure let me know um if you you know I know you're going to be busy in the air. Um, but if if you have time in the next day or two to check those videos and make sure they'll work, I I think they're ready. >> Maybe Colleen can can help then. I mean, because she is like I mean, she's like our social media video queens. I would love for her to kind of do that. And then also because I have a few other uh merch board things on my plate. Um, so yeah, if that needs tweaking or whatever because of course like as you know like everything has to be clear and so on. So yeah, I mean uh I'll forward them to Colleen then or you can send it to >> I help with the last one so it's not a big deal and I use Cap Cut if that's okay. Um >> yeah, I think they're almost ready so it's like Yeah. So whatever needs to be done like Yeah. So you you'll figure it out. So we'll we'll want to have those uh live hopefully. >> Okay. >> Sure. Thank you. >> Wait, Sandy, do you want to say something? >> You have the virtual hands raised. >> I just saw that my question Rob is also around. Hi Rob. Do you want to say anything? >> Hi Rob. Hi. Hi Ra. Oh, I'm good. >> You want to say something? [clears throat] >> No, I'm good. Thank you. I see you. >> Okay. Okay. Okay. Thank you. >> I'm good. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So, let's move on to the next book. So, deep uh it's J I guess that has an update to to do. So, please. >> Cool. Thank you. Hey, good to see everyone. Um not a big list from me. Uh but Ashton and I had a meeting with uh Septs Deep Roots members u who's been letting out some cool stuff with some mentees in Nigeria around a bit of a blog series doing things around security and whole bunch of nontechnical stuff and has some ideas about how we could collabs. The bear group is stands for belonging, empowerment, allyship and representation. Um but yeah, they've been doing some cool stuff, getting some mentees involved in, um building up a bit of a presence there. So, um we're just slowly bouncing some ideas about how we can open that up to Deep Roots members as well. If anyone's seen the channel, Ashan's just done a bit of a plug for that. And it's just an idea to yeah, get wider members being able to share some of their expertise and experience on stuff. So, we're still seeing how that's going to look. Um but yes, S's got some pretty clear ideas about how I can pull it all together. So, watch the space over the next month or so. >> Um, and in addition to that, we're just um still chipping away at some brand identity stuff. Shout out to Curtis and Ashwin, who couldn't join here, but have pulled together some draft logos and things just to build a bit of presence that way. So, we're going to make a decision on those soon. I know there's a couple more concepts and things to come through. And our rooted voices um series has been delayed, just tying up with um everyone's leave and everything. So hoping to push that out for the end of this month now. So still going back and forth with Abel around timing, but very looking for very much looking forward to getting that rolling too. So that for anyone who isn't um remember that's our interview webinar thing that we've got been having in the works for a little while now. So yeah, that's our focus. But other than that, nothing else from me. Did Colleen or Curtis have anything they want to share while while you guys are here? Nope. Cool. So, so thank you for sharing the updates. So, now friends of Di [clears throat] or Logan, I don't know who is it would like to to share the updates. >> Uh, no, no real updates. Uh, we're continuing to meet on Slack with a huddle. >> Okay. Um and then I submitted community hub session for uh Salt Lake City. >> Okay. And I see on the note that you work on the document just in case you want to be a bit more inclusive. So I will have a look on on it. Is this something ongoing or is something already already reviewed or do you know? Um we we talked about it in our last huddle. So it's just some ongoing >> Okay. >> work. >> Great. >> So thank you for sharing the updates and someone else from would like to share something. I don't see her on the list. No, it's [clears throat] not here. So let's move on the next groups. But I see Diana is not there. as well for diversity. So no dates speech diversity and stinging. We don't have any only here. Nope. So uh the next group woman in clative do we have someone here? Nope. And now so the the last group so moving together. So it's uh newest newest group on N forward. So the group will be created soon on the platform we use right now for this meeting. So they already met during summer. So James and Mara will be colle of this group and the goal of this group is from moving together. So the people have some uh issue to to move. So with wheelchair or uh the the I don't know the name in in English the the things that you have to to use to work and the group are very eager to to to grow and we will do some uh communications on social network to say the group is new. So feel free to join if you are allies or people who like to to work with moving together and will be officially announced during the community hub sessions incom. So no James not here and Mara not no so we we finish with the the agenda. So if someone uh would like to speak about something and now we have open discussions. So please raise your virtual hands and then I can pass your uh microphone to to speak about what you want to share. I get a message by someone. So miss you got the travel funding. Congrats. >> Yeah, thanks so much. It's it's new for me. I mean I I checked my my email box and then I saw this this message. I I I thought hopefully positive email and then it was approved. Great. Great, great news because if for those that were not here last month, unfortunately all the the talk we submit for KCON wasn't accepted. So we are expecting better uh news for the queen this Friday and [clears throat] speaking about um speak speaker. So remember as um Katherine said CubeCon Europe uh is in March but the CFP closed the 11th of October. So we can gather who would like to to speak and which talk we can manage to to be uh presented. Most of the time we have sent some crazy idea sometimes. Okay. Someone would like to share something on anything regarding ME forward the current project or initiative you would like to see uh starting or someone that would like to help but don't know how. >> No, I'm just curious if anyone else got um travel funding approved yet. Anyone else heard anything? What someone see on the chat? >> I don't think so. So, it's probably starting they they are starting now because they they were busy with the ambassador selections. So, it took long time to to have a new CF ambassadors there. So we we have now DA that is diversity colleague has been accepted as CF ambassador. So >> congrats to her. >> So Pashan's got his hand up too. >> Oh yes Pashan. So what this Thank you for sharing Jan. Uh >> yes yes yes >> actually uh I'm looking to contribute more in the moist forward and I want to ask how I can increase my participation more in the mo for community and can you explain more about the menty program? >> So uh the menty mentor program is running right now. So uh the next cohort will be next year. So it will be officially announced uh during um coupon and before coupon will uh [clears throat] need some reviewer because we have multiple mentor mentees that will uh apply and we need to select and then match them and it takes a long time for us to do so. So we will recruit some reviewers um in starting mid of October and then the session mentoring session will start in some somewhere beginning of next year because um communication selections matching text times and [clears throat] in the mean in the middle of the process of uh evaluation we will have uh the end here break. So it's why we prepare to start some somehow next next year. So we will explain more on this uh later. So feel free to to see what we will communicate on Slack and there as well for the next uh meeting. And if you want to participate to a project, so uh you have the list of ongoing projects. Uh I put on the agenda or you don't have access to agenda or you can have the list on slack. If you go on slack channel on on merch forward slack. If you go on top welcome merge forward there is something name where is it merge forward project and every project that are ongoing. There is a direct link on the agenda for each and the one that we'll need more people to work on because it's something that will coming soon so is CubeCon activities uh even if you don't uh join CubeCon uh with Atlanta uh city uh you you can as well participate to um to the preparation. to join um the Slack channel to say I would like to to to help there or we have as well uh some new initiative that is not started yet like do forward or hub that can be there as well um to be supported but the more um important one right now is CubeCon activities to to prepare so organize the kiosk organize the community up session as we will know which session will be accepted. We need to see if everyone will be there because we we create we apply with CFP with people we don't know yet at the time we we applied if they will attend or not coupon. So we need to find someone to replace if one of the speaker won't be won't attend something something like that for instance for instance and then we if you look at uh the con activities from last sessions you can see which activities uh was were there. So let me check uh coupon activities. So we have all the activities that are there for um coupon North America this year and if [clears throat] you scroll a bit and there is an archive that explain what we we did the agenda of the meeting etc. So we can have a look what expected for these activities. So right now we obsession the kiosk the cube party as uh Katherine said. So the 11th of September the the communication will start. So you can amplify on the social network and or share to your network as well and what so intro something that could be managed on top of it. So feel free as well to to share. >> Okay. So for the menty program uh can I already fil the application uh >> so the application is will will open after kipcon North America so somewhere in mid November December. >> Okay. So and also uh when I check the slack channel and read all the docs there but uh I didn't find any repo or something where I can I can contribute or can you uh connect uh uh tell me anyone I can approach and ask if I need to ask something. So the the main let me find out it's contribute.tncf.io. So this is a website where we have content for now the community this practices where is it I'm always lost in this enable practice here accessibility so here so I copy paste the link to chat so here we already have some documentation that are there is exactly the project forward the goal of so behind every CNCF webit you have uh GitHub projects there so if you click edit this page you will go through exactly this GitHub project so this project is that one so copy paste is on GitHub CNCF and on the CNCF organization contribute dash site. So let me copy paste this site and here it's a static web page or with markdown. I don't know which uh tool they use to produce this but you have to write write your document in markdown and then you you have this available afterwards on the contribute.nc web page on accessibility best practices. So if you have a look on for this project we already created a document. So for every project if you go to the slack channel the mer forward slot channel and go to the canvas for this. So forward, look forward. We have the [clears throat] brainstorming document. We start with and let me share the link to that. We already start to discuss on this here. So this document is something we we started uh somewhere last year. if I remember well and the goal is to reorganize a bit the documentation there are there on the contribute website to be more visible and if someone is looking for something about um accessibility and regarding if it's organizer an organizer or someone that would like to to get support or to belong links to they can find documentation. So I let you go through uh all this document to to show where what are the pain points right now for for the people that try to find documentation and then um improve. So first discuss on the documents with people that would like to join you for this and then do a first commit on the project to get updates. Okay. Does it answer your question? >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I will go through all these link and documents. >> Yes. So for every project is like that. So if someone would like to contribute to any any other user project. So the entry point is this the canvas on merge forward channel and then you have a link for the current resources all the meeting we'll have for this because here this meeting is a monthly meeting for the global mer initiative but for every every project we have a dedicated um meetings we most of the time doing with the huddle in slack and We to let people that cannot join this meeting. We have meeting notes to let everyone knows where where the project is going and if he needs some help, we can amplify the request for help on the merge forward slab channel as well if necessary. >> Okay, thanks Stephan. You're >> welcome. Someone else with question or a topic to discuss and I don't see any more virtual raised hands. So we can close the meeting now except if someone has a last word to say. So we have notes. So thank you everyone for joining the sessions and thank you for people that will watch. >> I have a question. Okay. Okay. >> Um September 1st today. >> Um how are we feeling? Kids gone back to school. Everybody feeling good? Feeling like you have more time now that kids are back in school? [laughter] >> Yay. [laughter] want an answer to say some feedback to to share how about that? >> Yeah, my kid is in his 30s, so he needs just go back to work. [laughter] [gasps] He's done. So, what else? >> I think we're good. >> Okay. So, Thank you again for everyone for joining and people that will watch the record. >> Colleen, I'll get in touch with you says. >> Oh, great. Uh, do via Slack. That'd be awesome. Thank you. Bye, everybody. >> Bye-bye. See you next time. >> Thank you. >> Yes. Stay connected on M forward Slack channel. Bye-bye. A nice one.