CONvergence 2022: Your Reality May Vary is going feel a little like coming home, no matter what timeline you hail from. We can’t wait to see everyone this weekend!

Picking Up Your Badge

Your first stop at CONvergence 2022 will probably be picking up your badge.

• This year Badge Pick-up will be located on the 2nd Floor in the Greenway Promenade, just at the top of the escalators! Head over to the Badge Pick-up page for hours of operation.
• Masks will be required while waiting in line for Vaccine checking and Badge Pick-up.
• YOU MUST HAVE PROOF OF UP TO DATE VACCINATION WITH YOU to pick up your badge. You will also need to present that proof if you lose your badge and need to replace it! A CDC card (or a photo of a CDC card on your phone) is best, but any official electronic or printed documentation that you have been vaccinated will be accepted. If you have questions about your individual proof of vaccination, please contact the Board of Directors. Masks will be required at CONvergence including while waiting in line for badge pick-up.

For more information about what you will need to pick up CONvergence membership badges, head to the Badge Pick-up page.

Wait To Post Photos of Your Badge Online

When you get your CONvergence 2022 membership‬ badge, please DO NOT post a close-up photo of it online or share a close-up photo of it with your friends until AFTER the convention is over. If you see your friends doing this, please ask them to take their badge photo(s) down until Sunday. Convention badge counterfeiting is real and this is something you can do to help prevent it at CONvergence!

Vaccination and Mask Requirements

CONvergence 2022 attendees will be required to show proof they are fully vaccinated and up to date with COVID-19 vaccination prior to entry. We will be defining “fully vaccinated” and “up to date” following the chart provided by the CDC at the time of CONvergence 2022. A CDC card (or a photo of a CDC card on your phone) is best, but any official electronic or printed documentation that you have been vaccinated will be accepted.

Attendees over 3 years of age will be required to wear a mask covering their nose and mouth in all public areas unless they are actively eating or drinking. If you have questions about what sorts of masks are acceptable, we direct you to the CDC guidelines for face covering.

Be Aware of Changes for 2022

CONvergence 2022: Your Reality May Vary will see a return of many things that were unable to happen at CONvergence 2021! However, we are still in a pandemic, and the convention is still affected by the financial hit and the reduction in staff that the pandemic brought with it. Additionally, it is very normal for things to change from year-to-year at CONvergence due to a whole myriad of factors. It’s a great idea to review this before you leave for the convention, so you will know what to expect!

• You must provide proof up to date COVID-19 vaccination to attend CONvergence 2022 in-person.
• All attendees over 3 years of age must wear a face mask over the nose and mouth while in CONvergence convention spaces. (If you have questions about what sorts of masks are acceptable, we direct you to the CDC guidelines.)
• Because children can now be vaccinated, CONvergence is excited to welcome back young fans!
• There is no membership cap for CONvergence 2022. Not registered yet? No problem. You can register right now and pick up your badge.
• The Sensory Break Room is returning for 2022 with reduced hours and will be provided by the Autism Society of Minnesota.
• The Parenting Room is back for 2022.
• ASL interpreters are once again available by-request. Please make your request by Thursday, August 11.
• Theater Nippon Anime Room is back for 2022.
• LAN Gaming continues to be on hiatus for 2022, but 2D Con has brought their arcade to CONvergence 2022! Head to Greenway HIJ on the 2nd floor of the Hyatt Regency to check out the great video game selection from 2D Con!
• CoF₂E₂ Free Coffee Shop remains on hiatus for 2022. (If you are interested in helping make CoF₂E₂ happen at CONvergence 2023, please contact hospitality@convergenceevents.org. Previous experience in the caffeine-related industries is preferred, but not required!
• Dances or Raves have returned for 2022.
• Space Lounge is back in-person for 2022.
• ConSuite will have some more familiar offerings including rice, PB&J, and soda.
• There will be no official food trucks during CONvergence 2022. Instead, check the Food and Shopping page for pop-up food offerings that will be available around the Hyatt Regency!
• Cinema Rex will once again feature snacks and comfy couches in 2022.
• To continue encouraging physical distancing, elevators will again not have volunteers stationed inside them in 2022.
• The Blood Drive is back for 2022.
• Costume Wars are again on hiatus for 2022. (Costume Wars needs staff! If you are interested in helping make Costume Wars happen at CONvergence 2023, please contact masquerade@convergence-con.org!)
• Masquerade will once again be judged in 2022.
• Art Show will again not be accepting walk-in submissions in 2022, and Quick Sales will not be required to remain in the gallery until the close of the show on Saturday. However, Art Show awards will return for 2022!
• Your favorite annual MainStage events will return in 2022. Check the CONvergence 2022 Schedule for specifics.
• The Photo Booth will again not have official CONvergence photographers scheduled to be available at specific times in 2022.
• The Grove has returned to the space between Nicollet Mall and the parking ramp attached to the Hyatt for 2022. You can expect tables, chairs, water, and hospitality as always!
• The GPS Charity Auction is once again using a hybrid format for CONvergence 2022. Bidding for most items will be done online, and you can pick up your items either at CONvergence 2022 or at the community center on the weekend following CONvergence 2022.
• The list of Safe Spaces has been updated for 2022.
• Volunteers Den is regretfully still on hiatus for 2022. (Volunteers Den is looking for Heads and staff to help take care of the volunteers who keep CONvergence going. If you are interested in helping make Volunteers Den happen at CONvergence 2023, please contact hospitality@convergenceevents.org.)
• There are new Volunteer Thank-You Gifts for 2022!
• CVG-TV will stream live CONvergence 2022 events to Channel 66 in the Hyatt Regency, as well as continuing to stream to Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch throughout the convention.
• CONvergence’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion department has created an anonymous feedback form and will have an Open Listening Session on Friday at 12:30pm during CONvergence 2022.
• Due to circumstances outside of CONvergence’s control, the restrooms on the first and second floors will not be all-gender in 2022. You can still find all-gender restrooms on floors 4, 5, and 6.
• Lastly, it is a very good idea to look over the CONvergence Member Conduct Policies before you arrive at the convention, as they are revised every year.

Recommended Apps

Deaf and Hard of Hearing members who usually rely on speech reading may not be able to understand you through your face mask. A great option is to write down what you want to say, or use a speech-to-text app to automatically transcribe what you say. Here are a few apps to check out!

• LiveTranscribe (Android)
• Ava (Android and iPhone)
• Wushi (iPhone)
• Speech to Text (Android)
• Voice to Text (Android)
• Cardzilla (Android and iPhone) is also a great app for typing what you want to say!

Please Volunteer!

While you are planning your CONvergence 2022 and all the fun things you want do during the con, don’t forget to schedule some time to volunteer at CONvergence. The entire convention is run by volunteers just like you, and it needs your help to keep everything running! There are lots of volunteer opportunities that you can sign up for online at CONvergence Volunteers SignUpGenius.

First time using SignUp Genius? Head over to the Signing Up for Volunteer Shifts page for video and text tutorials!

Sign Up For Volunteer Shifts

CONvergence is offering double volunteer hours for all shifts Sunday-Wednesday. You can exchange volunteer hours you earn for Volunteer Thank-You Gifts such as a CONvergence volunteer T-shirt, bike repair kit, zipped portfolio, travel bag, and more.

If you find yourself with down time during the convention and want to volunteer without having scheduled a shift, no problem! Just pop in to SignUpGenius and grab a shift from anywhere! Or, head over to the Volunteers Room (Lake Harriet Room on the fourth floor) and the volunteers there will connect you with a great way to help your fellow CONvergence members.

Treat Everyone With Respect

CONvergence is serious about providing a safe environment for all members, and we enforce our Harassment Policy very seriously. Here are a few things to keep in mind to make sure you don’t harsh anyone’s squee.

• Ask permission before you take a photo of another CONvergence member. (Not only is this polite, but it almost always results in a much better photo!)
• Costumes are not consent to be hugged, touched, groped, grabbed, or sexually advanced upon. But this is also true for fancy dress, kilts, swimwear, or even just jeans and a t-shirt. It does not matter what gender a person is or what they are or aren’t wearing; harassment is harassment. If someone tells you they do not want to talk to you or do not want you to touch them, respect that and leave them alone.
• A good rule of thumb is to just explicitly ask for permission before touching any person in any way. Examples include:
  • “May I put my arm around you for a photo?”
  • “May I hug you?”
  • “That fabric on your costume is so interesting. May I feel the texture?”
• Volunteers are doing a job and it is important to recognize that. If someone is volunteering, it is definitely not an appropriate time to make sexual advances or try to touch them. Just let them do their job.
• If you’re not sure which pronouns to use for a new friend at CONvergence, check for a pronoun sticker on their membership badge. If they don’t have a sticker, it’s always OK to just ask. You do this by saying, “What pronouns do you use?” It really is just that simple! If you don’t have a good opportunity to find out a person’s preferred pronouns, you’re generally safe using the gender-neutral pronoun, “they”.
• Restroom policing is very uncool. People know which restroom they belong in. Trust them to do their business in the place most comfortable for them and leave it at that.

If You See Something, Say Something

Part of being a community is taking responsibility for protecting that community. We’ve all got to look out for each other, and it really is quite simple!

• If you spot someone who looks like they are in distress, ask them if they would like you to contact Operations or First Advisors for them.
• If you witness someone being harassed, do not stay silent. Speak up and defuse the situation. If that doesn’t help, please report the harassment.
• If you witness someone breaking the rules outlined in the CONvergence Policies, try to educate them. It’s possible they are just ignorant of the policy. If that doesn’t help, contact Operations via The Bridge.
• If you spot someone whose prop weapon has not yet been Peace Bonded, suggest that they head to The Bridge for “The Talk”. They get a badge ribbon for doing it!

And contacting Operations at The Bridge is easier than ever with their text number: 651.800.1.OPS (651-800-1677)

Getting From Floor to Floor

At the Hyatt, CONvergence takes over the first six floors of the hotel. To get from floor to floor, you have to know what goes where. Here is a quick overview!

There are two banks of elevators and one set of escalators. There will also be one set of stairs open to floors with convention spaces. If you are able, please use either escalators or stairs to access floors 1–6.

• The Conference Elevators (two elevators near the escalators) serve convention spaces on floors 1–6.
  • The 6th floor can only be reached via the Conference Elevators or the Open Stairwell.
• The Guest Elevators (five elevators near the front desk, and in various locations on upper floors) serve guest rooms on all floors, with indirect access to convention spaces on floors 1–5
• The Escalators (centrally located) serve convention spaces on floors 1-5
  • When boarding the escalators, please leave a gap of 1-2 steps between riders.
  • Cosplayers or members with long articles of clothing should take care to avoid becoming entangled in the equipment.
  • When exiting escalators, step off promptly, and immediately move clear of the escalator exit area. Do not stop to talk or look around. Other passengers may be behind you.
• The Open Stairwell (near the escalators and conference elevators, on the Nicollet Mall side of the hotel) provides access to all floors, but not the lobby; it exits onto the street.
  • The 6th floor can only be reached via the Conference Elevators or the Open Stairwell.

Note that other stairwells will provide egress to the ground floor but will not allow access to intermediary floors.

Remember the 6-2-1 Rule

The 6-2-1 Rule is:

• 6 hours of sleep per night
• 2 meals per day
• 1 shower per day

Practice self care while at CONvergence, and try to remind your friends to do the same. Also, remember to wash your hands often to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and con crud! If you’d like regular reminders to self-care, try following Professor Max on Twitter. He’ll be tweeting self care tips all weekend.

Be aware of Members with Disabilities

There are many CONvergence members with both visible and invisible disabilities. Here are a few simple things you can do to help make their CONvergence 2022 as awesome as yours!

• Keep paths clear. Don’t stand in the middle of a hallway or doorway. Always ask yourself, is there room for a wheelchair to get through? If not, make some. If everyone does this, it makes a big difference!
• Never assume ability. Many, many disabilities are “invisible”. This means that you can’t tell a person has the disability just by looking at them. It’s a good idea to never assume a person you don’t know is able-bodied. Don’t criticize them for their elevator, escalator, or chair use; they know their limitations much better than you do!
• Bathroom policing is never ok! You cannot determine a person’s disability or gender just by looking at them.
• Treat mobility aids as extensions of a person’s body. Never touch a person’s wheelchair, scooter, walker, crutches, or cane without their permission.
• Use a speech-to-text app to help you communicate with Deaf and Hard of Hearing members. There is a list of apps earlier in this post!

If you want more information about accessibility at CONvergence, check out the Accessibility & Inclusion page.

Have Props? Make sure to have “The Talk”

If you have a prop of any kind—even a fictional weapon—please bring it to The Bridge to be peace bound. An Operations volunteer will have “The Talk” with you, and you’ll walk out with a snazzy badge ribbon! Even if your prop weapon is just plastic and foam, getting it peace bound is a great signal to everyone around you that your weapon is safe. Your prop will not be damaged in the peace binding process!

Check out the CONvergence Props policies by clicking here.

Lost & Found

Did you know CONvergence has an at-con Lost and Found? If you find something or if you lose something during CONvergence 2022, head over to The Bridge!

Have Fun!

CONvergence 2022 will feel more familiar, and it is our hope that we can provide the CONvergence experience as much as is possible while remaining responsible and safe! CONvergence IS IMMINENT!