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The Dirk Award

History

The Dirk Award dates back to the RoundUp meeting in Kansas City, USA in 2000. There, a small group of U.S. circuit riders decided, during a drunken night of debauchery, that it was time for the rider community to celebrate its accomplishments. The next day, a diligent staff person from Tech Rocks (the organizers of the RoundUp then) took it upon herself to scour the thrift stores of Kansas City to emerge with the strutting, beautifully golden Dirk who has been making rider history ever since.

The Dirk Award is named after its inaugural recipient, Dirk Slater, the rabble-rousing LINC Project Rider who received the award not only for his accomplishments as a rider but also to embarrass him for an impassioned speech he gave at the event. During this speech, which had everyone in tears and on the edge of their seats, Dirk implored the riders to organize themselves into a powerful and supportive community. He implored the crowd to acknowledge that circuit and eRiding was and is inspired by principles of social justice and community organizing that riders support with their technology services. The group thanked him with a little golden man.

The Purpose of The Dirk

After naming the trophy after him forever more, The Dirk Award is now given every year or so to acknowledge a rider who has shown extraordinary contributions to the community while also paying tribute to the principles of social justice and the role technology can play in empowering other communities and individuals.

The Dirk Award has been passed along each year with previous recipients forming the decision-making committee.

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