Init announcement post on new visual identity

content/about-us/faq/general.en.md

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ items:
       RLadies+ is a worldwide organization whose mission is to promote gender diversity in the R community. We support minority genders — including cis/trans women, trans men, non-binary, genderqueer, and agender individuals — to reach their programming potential. With 200+ chapters across 60+ countries and over 100,000 members, we are one of the largest communities in the R ecosystem.
   - q: "Why the name change from R-Ladies to RLadies+?"
     a: |
-      Our community told us that not everyone felt seen in the name "R-Ladies." After a [public discussion on GitHub](https://github.com/rladies/rladies.github.io/issues) running from April to November 2024, the Global Leadership Team decided on RLadies+. The `+` signals broader inclusivity while preserving our well-established identity. The new visual identity was created in collaboration with [Science Graphic Design](https://sciencegraphicdesign.com/).
+      Our community told us that not everyone felt seen in the name "R-Ladies." After a [public discussion on GitHub](https://github.com/rladies/community/issues/10) running from April to November 2024, the Global Leadership Team decided on RLadies+. The `+` signals broader inclusivity while preserving our well-established identity. The new visual identity was created in collaboration with [Science Graphic Design](https://sciencegraphicdesign.com/). See the [Rebrand FAQ](/about-us/faq/#rebrand) for common questions about the transition.
   - q: "Who can participate in RLadies+?"
     a: |
       Anyone who identifies as a woman or gender minority and is interested in R is welcome. Our community includes newcomers learning their first lines of code, experienced package developers, conference speakers, educators, and industry professionals. Allies of all genders are welcome to attend events, though leadership roles and certain programs are reserved for minority genders.
@@ -19,5 +19,5 @@ items:
       While R is at our core, our community embraces the broader data science ecosystem. Many chapters host events covering Python, SQL, Git, statistics, and other tools alongside R. You do not need to be an experienced R user to join — beginners are very welcome.
   - q: "Is RLadies+ a registered organization?"
     a: |
-      RLadies+ operates as a project under [The R Consortium](https://www.r-consortium.org/), a Linux Foundation project. Donations to RLadies+ are tax-deductible in the United States through the R Consortium's 501(c)(6) status.
+      Yes. RLadies+ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit registered as R-Ladies Global in the state of California, United States. Donations to RLadies+ are tax-deductible in the United States.
 ---

content/about-us/faq/rebrand.en.md

@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+---
+build:
+  render: never
+title: "Rebrand"
+icon: "fa-wand-magic-sparkles"
+weight: 6
+items:
+  - q: "Why did R-Ladies rebrand to RLadies+?"
+    a: |
+      Our community told us that the name "R-Ladies" didn't reflect everyone we serve. RLadies+ has always supported all underrepresented genders — cis and trans women, trans men, non-binary, genderqueer, and agender individuals — but the old name made some of those people feel unseen. The `+` makes the implicit explicit. Read the full story in our [rebrand announcement](/news/rebrand-launch/).
+
+  - q: "How do I write the name?"
+    a: |
+      The official name is **RLadies+** — one word, capital R, capital L, with a `+` at the end. Avoid "R-Ladies+", "R Ladies Plus", or "RLadies Plus" — always use **RLadies+** with the `+` symbol. For your chapter, it's **RLadies+ [City]**, e.g. RLadies+ Berlin.
+
+  - q: "How do I pronounce it (in English)?"
+    a: |
+      "R Ladies plus" — three words, just as it reads.
+
+  - q: "Does the + mean new people are welcome that weren't before?"
+    a: |
+      No. The mission has not changed — RLadies+ has always been for all underrepresented genders. The `+` makes that commitment visible in the name. No group is newly included or excluded.
+
+  - q: "What do I call myself as a member?"
+    a: |
+      You're an **RLadies+ member**, or simply part of the **RLadies+ community**. Whatever feels right to you — there's no single required label.
+
+  - q: "I'm a chapter organiser. What do I need to update?"
+    a: |
+      We've prepared a branding package so you don't have to design anything yourself. Here's a checklist:
+
+      - **Meetup / event platform** — update your group name and logo
+      - **Social media accounts** — update display name and profile image (you don't need to change your handle if the platform makes that difficult)
+      - **Slide decks and event banners** — switch to the new templates from the [branding materials](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UV940p-KN9FWoHt4yrZnrc2oAczGw9QB)
+      - **Website or landing page** — swap in the new logo and update the name
+
+      See the [RLadies+ Guide](https://guide.rladies.org/branding) branding section for detailed instructions.
+
+  - q: "When do I need to update my chapter's branding?"
+    a: |
+      We're aiming for **end of 2026** as the target for all chapters to have transitioned. This is not a hard cutoff — we know every chapter runs on volunteer time. Start when you're ready; the branding package is available now. If you need help, reach out on the Organizer Slack.
+
+
+  - q: "What about my chapter's social media handles?"
+    a: |
+      Update your **display name** to include the `+`. Changing the actual handle (e.g. @RLadiesBerlin) is optional. We are aware the many platforms don’t support characters like ‘+’ in usernames, and changing it can cause past mentions or links to your account to stop working. If you can change it easily, great; if not, the display name is what matters most.
+
+  - q: "What if adopting the new branding is not safe for my chapter?"
+    a: |
+      Safety comes first, always. Chapters in countries where LGBTQ+ rights are criminalized or under threat are **not expected** to adopt the new branding if doing so would put community members at risk. Local organizers know their context best, and the Global Leadership Team fully supports that judgment. You can continue using the previous branding. We only ask that chapters organizers [communicate this situation to the Leadership Team](mailto:leadersip@rladies.org)
+
+  - q: "Are old materials (stickers, slides, recordings) still valid?"
+    a: |
+      Yes. Existing materials don't need to be recalled or deleted. Conference talk recordings, printed stickers, and old slide decks are part of our history. Going forward, use the new branding for new materials.
+
+  - q: "Does the rebrand affect donations or nonprofit status?"
+    a: |
+      No. RLadies+ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit registered as R-Ladies. The legal nonprofit name remains R-Ladies for now — we are exploring what it takes to update it. This does not affect your chapter, donations, or tax-deductible status.
+
+  - q: "Where can I get the new logos and templates?"
+    a: |
+      Everything is available in the [branding materials Google Drive](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UV940p-KN9FWoHt4yrZnrc2oAczGw9QB). For R users, the [spellbind](https://rladies.org/spellbind/) package provides brand colours, the [glamour](https://github.com/rladies/glamour) Quarto extension provides presentation and document templates, and the [cloak](https://github.com/rladies/cloak) package provides a pkgdown theme.
+---

content/news/2026/03-29_rebrand-launch/index.en.md

@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+---
+title: "Welcome to RLadies+"
+author:
+  - name: "Global Leadership Team"
+description: "RLadies+ has officially launched its new visual identity. In this post, we share what changed, why it matters, and what it means for chapter organizers"
+date: "2026-03-29"
+categories:
+  - community
+slug: "rebrand-launch"
+---
+
+## Motivation
+
+R-Ladies has always existed to support minority genders in the R community — cis and trans women, trans men, non-binary, genderqueer, and agender folks, and more.
+That's been our mission since the beginning.
+But we heard from community members that the name made them feel unseen and not included.
+
+We listened and started working to fix that problem. We can't accomplish our mission if the people the organization was explicitly built to serve don't feel like they belong. 
+
+
+
+## Process: how the community shaped this decision
+
+This wasn't a top-down decision.
+We took our time, and we brought the community into the conversation at every stage.
+In March of 2025, we [announced the rebranding from R-Ladies to RLadies+](https://rladies.org/about-us/news/2025/announcement/). 
+
+The + in RLadies+ is a small change to the name that allows us to maintain the well-known brand we built over 10 years of RLadies Global's existence, while making the implicit explicit. 
+
+In a worldwide context where DEI initiatives and trans rights are under active attack, we believe it's more important than ever to be clear about who we are and who we serve.
+### The discussion (April–November 2024)
+
+In April 2024, the Global Leadership Team opened a [public discussion on GitHub](https://github.com/rladies/community/issues/10), inviting everyone to weigh in on a proposed rebrand from R-Ladies to R-Ladies+.
+The issue stayed open through November 2024. Seven months of structured conversation, facilitated by moderators from our global community to keep things productive, inclusive, and in line with our Code of Conduct.
+
+The discussion was rich.
+There was broad consensus that the name needed to change, but not everyone agreed on how.
+Some community members proposed entirely new names.
+Others preferred keeping something close to the original.
+The Leadership Team considered two paths: RLadies+ or a complete name change.
+
+We landed on RLadies+ for several practical reasons:
+
+- **No consensus on an alternative.** Many proposed names didn't translate well across languages. As a global organization with 200+ chapters in 60+ countries, a name needs to work everywhere.
+- **Recognition matters.** R-Ladies has been building community and name recognition for over a decade. A complete rebrand risked fragmenting that identity, especially with today's fractured social media landscape.
+- **We're volunteer-run.** A full name change across 200+ chapters, each with their own web presence and local infrastructure, would require resources we simply don't have.
+- **The + does real work.** It signals broader inclusivity while keeping the identity our chapters and members have built together.
+
+The decision was unanimous on the Board of Directors meeting, and was [announced in March 2025](/news/announcement/).
+
+### The design process (2025–2026)
+
+Once we made the decision, the next step was to start the process of creating the visual identity of RLadies+
+We put out a [Call for Proposals](/news/cfp/) and commissioned [Science Graphic Design](https://www.sciencegraphicdesign.com/) to develop a full visual identity — logo, brand manual, templates, and imagery.
+
+The design process began, and we actively sought feedback throughout. 
+We set up a feedback form and reached out to all our chapters, chapter organizers, and community members who had engaged in the GitHub discussion.
+We also directly contacted community members with diverse gender expressions to make sure the new branding felt right to the people it's meant to represent.
+
+That feedback shaped the final result: a new visual identity designed with the community for the community.
+
+## What does this mean on a day-to-day basis for chapter organizers?
+
+For most community members, things will feel familiar — with a few visible changes.
+
+**The name and branding are updated.**
+You'll see RLadies+ across our website, social media, slide templates, event graphics, and communications.
+The new visual identity is designed to signal inclusivity more clearly than before.
+
+**Chapters move at their own pace.**
+We're a volunteer and decentralized organization, and we respect and understand that.
+Chapter organizers are encouraged to adopt the new name and visual identity when they're ready, with end of 2026 as the target.
+We've provided a [full branding package](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UV940p-KN9FWoHt4yrZnrc2oAczGw9QB) — logos, templates, social media assets, manuals — so the transition doesn't mean extra design work.
+
+**Safety comes first.**
+We recognize that chapters in countries where LGBTQ+ rights are criminalized may not be able to fully adopt the new branding for safety reasons.
+Local organizers know their context best, and we trust them to make the right call for their community. 
+Those chapters are encouraged to reach out to the Leadership Team to discuss how to move forward.
+
+**Programs and infrastructure carry on.**
+The mentoring program, Rotating Curation on Bluesky, abstract review, community Slack, blog — all of it continues as before, now under the RLadies+ banner.
+
+**The mission hasn't changed — the name just caught up.**
+We still do what we've always done: encourage, inspire, and empower people of underrepresented genders in the R community.
+The + doesn't change our direction.
+It makes our direction visible.
+
+<!--
+TODO: Add link to the video of the Science Graphic Design presentation once available.
+-->
+
+## Resources
+
+The new branding, with all the files and documents, is available in our - [Branding Google Drive](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UV940p-KN9FWoHt4yrZnrc2oAczGw9QB?usp=sharing) and referenced on our [organizational guidance](https://guide.rladies.org/organization/tech/brand/)
+
+
+### R-packages and templates
+
+Additionally, we have setup a series of witch-themed repositories and R packages to help implement RLadies+ branding with R. 
+
+- [Glamour — Quarto extension](https://github.com/rladies/glamour)
+- [Spellbind — R package with brand colours](https://rladies.org/spellbind/) ([source](https://github.com/rladies/spellbind))
+- [Cloak — pkgdown theme](https://github.com/rladies/cloak)
+
+## What’s next
+
+This process has been a long one, but every step we took was necessary to ensure that our new identity wasn’t decided by just a few people who happened to hold the power to make decisions at that moment. 
+
+Now the process continues; we’ve reached the stage where our new name and visual identity will reach every corner where RLadies+ is present.  
+We know it’s a lot of work, and that along the way, questions will arise and opportunities will emerge to improve what we’ve built so far.  
+
+We are deeply grateful to everyone who participated in this process: to those who brought the issue to our attention, to those who engaged in the discussion with honesty and genuine interest, to those who moderated it, to those who provided feedback at every stage of the process, and to those who will be using this new brand.