Developer Relations needs to be put into perspective for people outside the team or community. When your Developer Relations department comes under fire, how do we switch from advocating for our community to advocating for ourselves? When DevRel is new, how do you build on activities to show the importance of having a dedicated team working with the communities your organization is involved with?

These past few weeks have brought us to what we hope will be an inflection point with regard to systemic racism in the United States. We’re now asking the question: How can we work as a community in DevRel to ensure we not only address this critical moment, but actively work toward eradicating systemic racism in our industry?

SJ, Jason, and PJ sit down to discuss their recent conversation with Marjorie and Wesley. What started as a simple conversation about online communities turned into an opportunity to learn from experts at a time when our entire industry seems to have been turned on its head. They then pivot into what makes something ephemeral versus what sticks with you and has a lasting impact on your career as well as those around you.

Connecting with our communities online is more important than ever right now. However, this isn’t something ALL DevRel teams are accustomed to. In some cases, much of the online efforts have been relegated to “community management” or support. Marjorie Anderson and Wesley Faulkner join us to talk about online communities, sharing tips, tricks, and best practices from their combined 20 years of experience.

Join Mary, Jason, and PJ as they reflect on their conversation with Karen and Elizabeth. They share some of their personal experiences that have shaped their opinions of marketing departments in the past and talk through the new concepts that were introduced in this episode.