A Short Update & Our Gratitude

Hello the Peoples of Rising ConFusion. (And Beyond!)

My name is Lithie Dubois (she/her), and I am the 2022 Rising ConFusion ConChair. On Friday, Jan. 7th, 2022, I posted “The State of ConFusion – a Transparent Update from the ConChair.” It is now the morning of Tue. Jan 11th and I wanted to come and update everyone and express my awe and gratitude.

Time is short in the Con Planning world of Rising ConFusion. Currently the ConCom is racing against the clock to handle all we must. When I posted the Transparent Update, I am not certain what it was that I expected as an outcome, if I’m honest. The Transparent Update was intended to be an honest message from me, to our entire community, to explain that myself and my team will do our very best, but as a community we should all be aware that the current situation(s) point towards serious financial issues, and possibly the viability of ConFusion to live on past this year.

I did not expect my message to receive the attention it has. In an idiotic move on my part, I posted the Transparent Update, and stepped away to pack, so I could leave in the early morning hours on Saturday, and spend all day driving from my Kansas City, Missouri home, to my home in Bay City, Michigan. I also did not expect the freezing rain storm I drove into, or the serious time delays it caused. (Can we all collectively shake our heads at Lithie for THAT move? Lithie is!) I owe our community my apology for not being on hand immediately for the questions, discussions and emails. I screwed that up and I am sorry.

As the ConChair, I have to say, the support has been overwhelming. Truly. When I checked on things in the early morning hours of Sunday, I was speechless and I cried. Your support, it impacted us. Every sharing of my message, every kind word spoken, tweeted, typed out, every generous donation, or membership purchase, every reaction on social media posts, every question – it all impacted us – like tiny, invisible hugs saying “You are not alone. We are not alone.”

Thank you! From the depths of my heart, thank you so much!

We have been receiving generous donations. Some of you chose to purchase a membership even though you can’t attend in person. Some donated, Some did both. In fact, as I type this, our community is still responding with their donations. Because of the time shortage, and duties still yet to be performed, I am unable to compile a report for you At This Time. I ask for your patience.

After the Rising ConFusion 2022 physical event, I will sit down and create two reports. The first that I will share with the community is the donations (with personal info redacted), so that you, the community who raised funds to keep this con alive, will know what precisely you raised.

The second report will be a report of our actual attendance numbers, and expenses this year. This second report may take longer to provide, as I must await that infamously dreaded item: the final bill from the hotel.

Typically (to my knowledge), ConFusion doesn’t normally provide such reports. This year, I am. I choose to, in order to continue full transparency. I do not take lightly the efforts of the past few days from our community to save this con. Therefore I feel I owe you these reports. To do such, will take some time. Please accept my apology for being unable to do it immediately. I will do it though.

To those in our community who dared to express criticisms after reading my Transparent Message. – Thank you, Thank you, Thank YOU! I have read them, and I often found myself agreeing on some level with them. It may not be very ConChair to say, but I can admit that in the beginning of planning, I had hubris. I did believe we could do this safely and without serious issue (as the ones we face now.) It is the classic case of “if I knew then what I know now.” paired with that ever present hope and excitement that ConChairs and ConCom’s draw strength from. I appreciate every piece of criticism. They hold value, so thank you.

After the event, and after reports are shared, I’m going to post a final letter to the community. I hope to leave a record of things we faced. Issues we didn’t see coming, – how or why we should have, and basic gems of knowledge that hindsight as provided. Rising ConFusion is not alone in this battle. Our fellow conventions suffer, some can and do cancel or roll this years event to a future year. It’s painful – to event organizers and to event members or attendees. To every ConChair and ConCom going through these times – I salute you.

Thank you, each and every single one of you. When I named this upcoming event, I never, ever envisioned that the name would become so very poignant; Rising ConFusion. I feel so very honored to be the ConChair who actually got to view ConFusion Rising in a way it never had before.

Thank YOU! Truly!!!

Lithie Dubois – she/her
Rising ConFusion ConChair
chair@confusionsf.org