We are calling on all members of the OpenStreetMap community to share your ideas and session proposals for State of the Map US 2019. Whether you are brand new to OSM or have been a core contributor since the beginning, we want to hear from you! With State of the Map US coming to Minneapolis on September 5-8 this year, we especially welcome proposals from local and regional groups! We are looking for proposals in these categories:

• Mapping all the things (rail! trees! shops! trails! boundaries! imports!)
• Cartography
• OSM at your school
• The cool tool you built for OSM
• Government data for OSM
• Your local OSM group’s adventures
• The state of the map in [FILL IN YOUR STATE]
• Corporate contributions to OSM
• OSM out in the field

If your proposal doesn't fit neatly in there, no worries! Please submit it anyway and surprise us.

As in previous years, you can propose a traditional 20 minute talk or 5 minute lightning talk session. But this year, we want to put more emphasis on sessions that don’t quite fit that mold. Do you want to host a workshop to share your mapping or technical expertise with fellow mappers? Are you interested in discussing an OpenStreetMap related topic in depth with like-minded folks? Do you want to do an outdoor event? Let us know! Six years of past programs are online if you’re looking for inspiration: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013.

If you have never proposed a topic for a conference before, please don’t think it’s not for you. Every year, about half of the sessions at State of the Map US are by first-timers. The typical person attending State of the Map is passionate about maps and surely interested in your story! And we will be offering help if you want to but can’t afford to attend, especially if you propose a session.

Most of all, we want to hear what you would like to learn about at this year’s SOTM US! You can email us at sotmus@openstreetmap.us, chat in the #sotmus channel on Slack, or attend one of the SOTM US live sessions we will be announcing soon here on this blog and via twitter.

Note that by submitting a session you acknowledge and accept the following:

• You will cover your own travel expenses and conference registration.
  
• Your session may be recorded on video and published on the internet.
• You have read and will abide by the conference code of conduct.