2023:Program/Community Initiatives/YW3UWY-AfroCROWD Lunch Meetup

Title: AfroCROWD Lunch Meetup

Speakers:

Sherry Antoine

Sherry is representing AfroCROWD as its Executive Director and Wiki Caribbean as its Lead Organizer AfroCROWD.org: Sherry Antoine is an outreach strategist and speaker committed to addressing gender and diversity gaps. She is the executive director of AfroCROWD, an outreach initiative and Wikimedia user group seeking to champion the African Diaspora on Wikimedia projects and increase awareness of Wikimedia and the free knowledge, culture and software movements among people of African descent. She is the lead organizer of the Wikimedians of the Caribbean Wikimedia user group, dedicated to the Caribbean and its Diaspora. Sherry holds a master’s degree in public administration from the American University School of Public Affairs in international management and has researched and written on digital trends in emerging nations. Wikimedians of the Caribbean (aka Wiki Caribbean or Wiki Cari): Is a Wikimedia User Group formed in October 2018 and formalized in April 2019 holding events every year since. Our leadership team comprises highly-involved Wikipedians who have led workshops and trainings, participated on panels and delivered sessions. Our lead organizer directs another user group, AfroCROWD, was the founding New York City co-chair of the Diaspora Women’s Network, and is a public speaker who has spoken at the United Nations as has our communications lead and our lead wiki advisor. Our membership lead develops training workshops for Wiki Education and each has presented at prior conferences in the Wikimedia Movement. Pic: Jordan McRae, CC BY-SA 4.0

Pretalx link

Etherpad link

Room: Room 311

Start time: Sat, 19 Aug 2023 12:45:00 +0800

End time: Sat, 19 Aug 2023 13:45:00 +0800

Type: No (pretalx) session type id specified

Track: Community Initiatives

Submission state: confirmed

Duration: 60 minutes

Do not record: true

Presentation language: en

Abstract & description

Abstract

AfroCROWD is an initiative that aims to increase the participation and representation of people of African descent in the Wikimedia movement. AfroCROWD hosts monthly edit-a-thons, workshops, and talks to create and improve content about Black culture and history on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects. In this lunch meetup, we invite all Wikimedians who are interested in learning more about AfroCROWD, sharing their experiences and challenges, and networking with other editors and affiliates who work on topics related to the African diaspora. We hope to foster a friendly and supportive environment where we can exchange ideas, resources, and best practices for increasing the diversity and quality of African-related content on Wikimedia platforms.

Description

The AfroCROWD Lunch meetup will be a 60-minute informal session that will take place during the lunch break in Wikimania. We will provide a brief introduction of AfroCROWD, its goals, and activities, as well as some examples of successful collaborations and partnerships with other Wikimedia affiliates and organizations. We will then invite the participants to introduce themselves, share their interests and projects related to the African diaspora, and discuss any challenges or opportunities they face in their work. We will also encourage the participants to network with each other, exchange contacts, and explore potential collaborations or support for their initiatives.

The main objectives of this session are:

▫ To raise awareness and visibility of AfroCROWD within the Wikimedia movement ▫ To create a space for dialogue and networking among Wikimedians who are interested in or working on topics related the African diaspora ▫ To showcase some of the achievements and challenges of AfroCROWD and its partners ▫ To inspire and motivate more Wikimedians to join or support AfroCROWD’s efforts to increase the diversity and quality of African-related content on Wikimedia platforms

We hope that this session will contribute on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion; building strong and resilient communities; ensuring safety and security; increasing innovation and experimentation; and strengthening partnerships. We also hope that this session will foster a culture of collaboration, respect, and mutual support among Wikimedians from different backgrounds, regions, and perspectives.

Further details

Qn. How does your session relate to the event themes: Diversity, Collaboration Future?

Diversity: Our session celebrates and promotes the diversity of the Wikimedia movement, by highlighting the contributions and perspectives of people of African descent, who are often underrepresented or marginalized in the online knowledge ecosystem. We aim to increase the participation and representation of this group, as well as to create and improve content that reflects their culture and history. We also welcome and respect Wikimedians from different backgrounds, regions, and perspectives, who share our interest and passion for the African diaspora.

Collaboration: Our session fosters a culture of collaboration among Wikimedians, by creating a space for dialogue and networking. We invite the participants to share their experiences and challenges, exchange ideas and resources, and explore potential partnerships or support for their initiatives. We also showcase some of the successful collaborations and partnerships that AfroCROWD has established with other Wikimedia affiliates and organizations.

Future: Our session envisions a future where the Wikimedia movement is more diverse, inclusive, and equitable, by addressing some of the gaps and barriers that prevent people of African descent from fully engaging in the movement. We also inspire and motivate more Wikimedians to join or support AfroCROWD’s efforts to increase the diversity and quality of African-related content on Wikimedia platforms, which will enrich the online knowledge ecosystem and benefit the global society.

Qn. What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?

Everyone can participate in this session

Qn. What is the most appropriate format for this session?

Onsite in Singapore
Remote online participation, livestreamed
Remote from a satellite event
Hybrid with some participants in Singapore and others dialing in remotely
Pre-recorded and available on demand