Tall People ERG?

I’m not talking about an actual ERG here… although I have seen one that was a body-positivity ERG, which is interesting, right?

That said, there are still real learnings to pull from these non-traditional community leaders. I love celebrating folks “out in the wild” who run community, because it’s so interesting to see how humans naturally seek connection. We don’t need corporate structures or budgets or formal roles — we just gravitate toward people who get us.

And the proof is in the pudding when it comes to the Tall Tour.

Enter: Tyler Bergantino, who is the “ERG Leader” of the Tall Tour. He hosts meetups for tall people (and he makes it clear that all sizes are welcome. So… allyship!)

Apparently he’s been a big deal for a while, but I only recently discovered him — which makes sense, because I would technically be an ally to the tall community. (Ally = someone who does not identify as tall, and at 5’4.5”, that is definitely me.)

But this whole thing cracked me up, and it also perfectly illustrates something I talk about often: as humans, we need community.

It’s been a rough year for the ERG space. A long year. A “my brain is swirling at any given moment” year. But I find this surprising comfort in watching ERGs in the wild — like the Tall Tour — because it shows us in real time that we crave being around people who share our interests, experiences, or pain points.

It even gets funny when you look at the parallels. I joked about being an ally to the tall community, but some people were really upset at the last Tall Tour stop because short people showed up. And honestly? That cracked me up even more. Because the same issues ERG leaders face around ally participation or discomfort with outsiders in the space… it shows up everywhere. Even in tall-person meetups.

Anyway — here’s a bit of joy to close out this long year. Just know this: community is forever. People want to be around other people. It’s not because COVID ended, it’s not because we’re bored, it’s because we’re human. And seeing that play out in real time is kind of beautiful.

Sharing some clear takeaways in case it’s helpful.

1. Connection is the number one reason why people join ERGs. I’ve mentioned this before. That said, connection needs to be a core part of your ERG. It cannot just be you educating members and not creating spaces for people to connect. Because as humans, we want to connect.

2. The concept of allyship confusion is something that goes beyond just ERGs. The idea of saying, “Why can’t we have our space? Just this one space?” is a human thing, especially for a community that shares similar experiences and pain points. If anything, it indicates that you have a strong niche when people feel like there’s an us-versus-them dynamic. That said, many large communities around the world still allow allies despite that tension.

3. People will travel for belonging. Some people came all the way from Miami to go to the latest Tall Tour stop in Charlotte. If that’s not an indicator of strong pull based solely on one identity quality, I don’t know what is.

If the Tall Tour can make this happen over one shared characteristic, I feel confident you can too. And if you are tall? Just know… there is a community for you.

In Case You Need A Laugh This Morning…