GETTING HERE / WHEN YOU ARRIVE
The Hilton Riverside (Two Poydras St) and New Orleans Convention Center (900 Convention Center Blvd) are about 25 minutes away from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY). The Amtrak station is a mile from the hotel. Uber and Lyft are both available at MSY.
Once at the convention center, if you’re an attendee or speaker who has pre-registered, please proceed to any check-in kiosk and scan the QR code on the ticket that was emailed to you or from the conference app. (You will also be able to search for your registration.) Take the printed label to any attendee registration desk to receive your badge.
To register onsite, first visit our website to purchase a registration, then proceed to a check-in kiosk. If you requested a media pass, go to Media Check-in. If you have any problems, please ask a volunteer to assist you.
Shuttles
Two wheelchair accessible, 30-passenger mini-buses will circulate between the convention center and the Hilton. The shuttle service will drop passengers off at the convention center’s Transportation Center on Convention Center Boulevard, across from Hall G.
Shuttle service hours of operation:
- Thursday, 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Saturday, 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Need Assistance?
If you need assistance at any time throughout the conference, look for a volunteer in an orange shirt or text the staff at (415) 737-6389..
KEY SPACES
Registration is right outside the Town Square (exhibits) in Hall I. Our general session room and breakout rooms are on the floors right above registration.
Wellness/Quiet Room
Room 284/285 is our Wellness/Quiet Room. Special programming will be held in this room (check the schedule for times). When programming is not happening, feel free to use this space for a quiet moment as needed.
Nursing Room
If you need a private space to nurse a child or pump, there is a Mother’s Room just outside of Hall H close to our registration desk.
Accessible Seating in Session Rooms
In all breakout rooms, we ask that attendees leave seating at the front open for those who need to sit closer to the presenters to see or hear. In the general session rooms, look for dedicated spaces labeled “Accessible Seating.” We also ask other attendees to leave these spaces clear for folks that need accommodations. (Folks using accessible seating are, of course, welcome to have a friend sit in these areas with them.)
Mobility Scooters
Captioning
All keynotes and featured panels, plus 36 other panels, will be live-streamed via our virtual platform, which offers both a mobile app and web-based platform with built-in captioning in more than 30 languages. Captions will automatically display for those watching live through the app and those watching an archived recording.
In both the web platform and mobile app, captions automatically display the language that attendees set in their app profile settings (click here for info on how to change your settings). There is an up to 30-second delay on captions.
If you are attending in person and are in a session room of a panel that is being streamed and need captions, you may open the stream on your device to access closed captioning. We just ask that you mute your audio as not to disturb your fellow attendees.
Our keynote sessions will have live captioning on the stage screens.
All panel and training rooms also have amplified sound, and all speakers have been asked to use microphones and repeat any audience questions that may not be picked up enough on mic.
Food and Water
It is going to be HOT in New Orleans, and the best thing you can do to combat heat emergencies is to stay hydrated. There will be water filling stations throughout the convention center, so we encourage you to bring a water bottle with you to fill up as needed.
There will be some food breaks during the conference (and lunch will be available on Friday). Unfortunately, the reality of large events at a convention center means that food selection is often limited and we cannot meet individual dietary needs. While we try to offer vegetarian options and gluten-free choices where possible, they may not always be available. For those with food sensitivities or allergies, please ask the catering staff for information about ingredients or foods involved in the preparation.
COVID Precautions
While we do not require everyone to wear a mask at all times, we recognize that large gatherings are still unsafe for many and the best way to keep each other safe is by wearing a mask when in indoor meeting rooms.
However, we kindly request that everyone carry a mask at all times (a limited number of masks are available at registration). If you’re speaking with someone wearing a mask, please put yours on as well as a default. If someone asks you to put on a mask, whether it is an individual with whom you are conversing or a presenter of a session, respect their request and mask up without delay.
Even and especially if you are not someone who typically opts to wear a mask, we appreciate your respect for our policy and your help in implementing a compassionate and collective approach to hosting a large-scale gathering during an ongoing health crisis.
If you are feeling unwell and experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please stay home or in your hotel room and take a test as soon as possible. If you must stay home due to testing positive, your ticket can be transferred to someone else this year or credited to next year’s event. If you are at the convention and don’t feel well or need assistance, text us at (415) 737-6389. We’ll be happy to drop off a test and some supplies to your room.
Remember: Masking is an act of community care. It shows that the person wearing the mask is considering the needs of others, especially the high-risk people who have been most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and who have undergone the most isolation and trauma. Netroots Nation may strengthen our requirements if the situation warrants it.
Accessibility Tips for Presenters
If you’re a presenter, here are some things to consider to make your sessions and handouts (if using) accessible:
- Identify yourself by name before speaking. Not only is this helpful for persons with visual and auditory disabilities to identify who is speaking, it also helps captioners.
- Speak clearly and slowly at a medium volume.
- Read out loud any important details and repeat back or read out loud any questions posed.
- Use text that is high-contrast and in a large, legible font, such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Avoid italics and specialty or decorative fonts. Use an online color contrast checker.
- Using slides? Describe images used in the presentation and read relevant text from the screen for people who have difficulty reading or seeing text and visual images.
Community Guidelines
Our Community Guidelines offer tips on how to be inclusive of all attendees, including those with disabilities. A few important things to remember:
- Identify yourself by name before speaking. Not only is this helpful for persons with visual and auditory disabilities to identify who is speaking, it also helps captioners.
- Speak clearly and slowly at a medium volume.
- “Handicapped” has a negative connotation. Instead use “person with a disability.”
- If you are using slides during your session, consider using a color contrast checker to check to ensure your background and text colors are readable.