Logistics for Eli's Visits

Planning to host Eli? Here’s information to help you plan the logistics of his visit. Eli is enthusiastically available for remote work and  cautiously available for in-person work. If you’re interested in planning an in-person visit, Eli will want to discuss COVID-19 safety protocols.

Booking

To schedule an event(s) with Eli or ask him about his availability, contact him through his Contact page. He is often booked out 4-6 months.

Travel

Eli travels from Burlington, VT (BTV). He is currently traveling long distances by plane. For shorter distances (under 10 hours), he prefers the train.

Lodging

Eli is happy to consider community housing as a lodging option. For community housing to work, he needs a separate room, a bed, and relative quiet. When staying at a hotel, he is happier in mid-range, rather than high-end, accommodations. He appreciates an accessible shower, and an in-room refrigerator and microwave.

Food

Eli eats vegan and gluten-free. He has other additional dietary restrictions. When planning group meals, please consult with Eli about these restrictions and about COVID-19  precautions.

Costs

Eli requests a speaker’s fee plus expenses (travel, lodging, meals). Contact him about specific amounts based upon your particular needs. He is a community-based writer/activist without an academic affiliation. His rates for campus work reflect this reality.

At the same time, Eli doesn’t want money to be a barrier and is glad to negotiate. Often he is brought to campuses and conferences through wide co-sponsorship with all the offices, departments, and student groups concerned with gender, sexuality, race, disability, social justice, and diversity. There’s often significant interest in his work from Student Life, Social Work, Education, Queer/Trans Studies, Disability Studies, Women and Gender Studies, Health Humanities, and English (particularly Creative Writing).

Access

Consult with Eli about making his events accessible. Creating access is an on-going process, not a static checklist. That said, the following are important features of accessible in-person spaces/events:

  • live captioning (CART) (much better than auto-captions)
  • ASL interpretation
  • assistive listening devices
  • amplification/microphones
  • wheelchair accessible venues and stages
  • accessible and gender neutral restrooms nearby
  • accessible seating (including sturdy chairs without arms)
  • livestreaming to make robust remote access and participation possible
  • descriptions on publicity about what participants can expect access-wise

The following are important features of accessible remote spaces/events:

  • live captioning (CART) (much better than auto-captions)
  • ASL interpretation
  • designated people to tend to technical issues and monitor the chat
  • descriptions on publicity about what participants can expect access-wise

Eli understands that not all these features are possible at every event, and all of us need to center access in multiple ways. To this end, he will:

  • make available written copies of his talks/readings to audience members/participants, captioners, and interpreters
  • audio describe visual images in his presentations
  • facilitate access check-ins
  • pause to strengthen, adjust, or add access as needed
  • encourage breaks and self- and collective care
  • provide content notes/warnings

To create more on-site access for Eli personally, please consult with him about his access needs, including stairs, down time and transportation between events, and COVID-19 precautions.