Newsletter #13: Be a Remote Speed Dating Host; Queer Salsa; and What U.S. Freelancers Are Doing for Healthcare in 2026
When I was traveling in South America with NOMATRIBE last year, I took some salsa classes and really enjoyed it! Dancing doesn't come naturally to me, so salsa forces me to move my body in different ways — and to get comfortable with all of the non-verbal communication that partner dancing requires.
Back in Melbourne, I've been taking salsa lessons at one of the city's biggest dance studios, which is (perhaps unsurprisingly) a bit heteronormative.
Although the instructors try their best to be inclusive, pointing out that anyone can be a "lead" or a "follow," they often default to terms like "guys" and "girls," and my non-binary partner found it difficult to set that aside and enjoy the lesson.
But, I was pleased to see that there are plenty of queer salsa classes out there — most of which offer free beginner classes, affordable intermediate lessons, and mixed-level social dances and special events.
Check out our list of the best queer salsa and bachata classes around the world so you can learn Latin dance in an inclusive, LGBTQ-friendly setting:
Saul
Be a Remote Speed Dating Host
Luvvly is a speed dating company that runs straight and queer speed dating events in Portland, Seattle, SF, NYC, and DC. I've been to a few of their events myself, and they're on our list of the best queer speed dating events around the world.
They're looking for a remote speed dating host who can "manage logistics during live event times via our app," primarily on Tues-Thurs and Sundays (afternoons/evenings). To be clear, you'll work remotely, but the actual speed dating events happen in person and there is no host on-site.
The job is part‑time, with a pay range of "$2,750–$3,500/month for ~20–30 hours/week (roughly $25–$35/hr equivalent), depending on experience and schedule." Check out the application or learn more about it here:
What Freelancers and Solopreneurs Are Doing for Healthcare
We know it's been a tough year for freelancers in the U.S., which is why we wanted to share this post by Lex at Revenue Rulebreaker and Rey from Amplify Respect.
It's a deep dive into the pros and cons of health savings plans (HSAs), cost sharing plans, private practice subscriptions, and even medical tourism.
If you've been wondering what to do about healthcare in 2026, check it out here:
Rey Katz
Upcoming Events & Conferences
This month, Microcosm Publishing is releasing a new book by Dr. Alex Ketchum called How to Organize Inclusive Events and Conferences. It covers "a broad variety of identities and experiences such as economic hardship, childcare needs, racial and ethnic identities, disabilities, neurodivergence, and more," and will be helpful to organizers "[w]hether you're hosting an academic symposium, an activist meeting, a feminist zinefest, or a comics con."
It's available in stores on February 3, 2026, and shipping direct from Microcosm as of January 6, 2026. You can learn more and order it now:
We're already looking ahead to several events and conferences this year. In February, we'll be at DDD Melbourne, "an inclusive non-profit conference for the software community" that gets a lot of things right, including a strong code of conduct and free childcare for participants.
This single-day conference costs $89 AUD, and includes food and coffee. They also have DDD conferences in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide. Learn more here:
OZ Dev Inc.
In May, I'll be heading to Portland, OR, for Write the Docs, a conference all about writing clear and accurate technical documentation. It includes a hike, writing day, lightning talks, unconference, and more — and is a great way to learn more about technical writing and other types of writing you can do as a freelancer.
Tickets start at $50-100 for students to $350 for professionals, and there's a free Slack community you can join to connect with other participants:
Write the Docs
Finally, the Emerging Writers' Festival will take place from 10-18 September, 2026 in Melbourne, AU — and they're hiring for two roles: an Operations Manager and an Associate Producer, both fixed-term contracts ending in October:
As always, thanks again for reading. Just hit reply with any questions or feedback!
Saul @ the RQ Team
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