Speaker Tips & Tricks

This guide is for anyone presenting, facilitating, or moderating sessions at the 2025 #F2i Summit. This toolkit was created by FINE to help you have the most successful session possible.

Logistics

• Help us stay on schedule throughout the Summit: create a time-sensitive agenda & time-keeping plan. Practice!

• Check & know your room set up. Please plan to bring your own device (laptop, tablet, etc.) with any slide decks/visuals loaded on it. We will provide:

• 50-60 chairs set up theater style

• Monitor, soundbar, mic (mic details still to be confirmed)

• Device to monitor connection type: HDMI or USB-C 

• Support our evaluation efforts - more info to come

Help us keep our footprint low by minimizing anything that may go into landfill (see our sustainability plan for more info); help us make a positive impact within our community & in Portland by supporting sponsors, shopping/eating locally, making a new Maine friend, etc.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

FINE is using a resource called Decentering Whiteness and Creating Inclusive and Equitable Conferences to guide our summit organizing.  As a speaker, you have a unique responsibility to create a safe, inclusive, equitable space for yourself and those attending your session. 

• Encourage self care and community care amongst attendees. Foster an environment that allows for bio-breaks, parental needs, health care needs, etc. And make sure to take care of your needs: bring water, have a comfortable place to speak from, etc.

• Create space for reflection and community-building. Liberating Structures provides various engagement ideas.

• Offer space for attendees to share their pronouns and honor them throughout the session. Avoid gendered language.

• Consider how to best include participants who have specific physical (including visual and hearing) needs: (e.g., use large fonts/visual slides, describe visuals shared). You can use Whova to ask for needs and share slides in advance.

• Acknowledge the power of language. The style guide created by the Wabanaki Alliance AND this food justice language guide from Slow Food USA offer helpful recommendations.

• Understand and acknowledge the unique forms of privilege you bring to your session. Know that they influence the way you see the world and be open to feedback and opportunities to see something from someone else’s perspective. 

• Create space for attendees to provide feedback, challenge your assumptions, and share experiences. Prioritize hearing from those most impacted by the work. 

• Give credit where credit is due. Acknowledge contributions of organizations and individuals by name. Consider the opportunities you have to acknowledge and engage the experience and wisdom of our elders, and to acknowledge and engage the contributions of our youth.

• Offer resources and examples of building multicultural relationships based on trust, understanding, shared leadership, and shared commitments (when possible).

• Observe the full community agreements found here. 

If you would like support in achieving these goals, FINE staff is here to help. Contact: Tania Taranovski, tania@farmtoinstitution.org or Britt Florio, Brittany@farmtoinstitution.org.

Let people know about your session - see our Media Toolkit for easy outreach suggestions!

Help!

Questions about your session’s content?

• Tania Taranovski, Director of Programs, tania@farmtoinstitution.org

Whova or technical questions?

• Sarah Lyman, Director of Communications, sarah@farmtoinstitution.org