Like other organizations in our field that convene people in a physical space, Data & Society is concerned by the effects of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). In addition to safety concerns, Data & Society wants to act with proactive respect and care for all in our network; communities, families, and individuals.

Data & Society will therefore pause all public-inclusive events (i.e. Databites, SGSs, Workshops, Wednesdays, etc.) in our physical office as of today, Monday, March 9 until the end of March. We will update our full community on the next steps for future programming on March 20.

Events currently scheduled for physical convening in our office will either be canceled, postponed, or re-imagined and may be held remotely in a decentralized format. Next steps, if you were planning to visit us soon:

• If you RSVPed for a March 2020 event at our office and our Events team has not yet reached you, please contact [email protected].
• If you would like to change or check in about your plans to visit us, please contact [email protected].
• If you are not a member of staff but frequent the office space, and would like to receive more detailed day-to-day protocols, please contact [email protected].

To be clear, we are temporarily pausing public programming out of an abundance of precaution rather than any known issue that is specific to the space. While we wait for additional verified public health information, we will continue to follow CDC guidelines and recommendations for the United States in shaping plans for events later this spring. Inside the organization, we continue to safeguard our staff’s health and well-being by supporting remote working arrangements, by following CDC guidelines for work-related travel, and by updating and communicating internal protocols and precautions to our teams daily.

We hope to preserve and reimagine our unique connection and learning programs while acting with prudence and compassion for all those affected. If you see a way we can be doing this better, please reach out.

With best wishes,
Janet Haven, Executive Director