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Beyond OSS by Veronica Lopez As software engineers, we're constantly encouraged to contribute to Open Source as a means of learning and giving back to our communities. However, this vision can alienate newcomers from different backgrounds. To fight this back, in this talk I'll explain why this happens, and I will share different ideas that can lead us to foster real diversity in our communities and workplaces.
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In her talk "Beyond OSS" at GoRuCo 2017, Verónica López explores the importance of inclusivity in the open-source community, particularly for individuals from diverse backgrounds. She emphasizes that while contributing to open source is often promoted as a means to start a career, many newcomers face barriers that prevent them from engaging effectively. **Key Points Discussed:** - **Responsibility of Inclusion:** As a Latina software engineer, López discusses the critical responsibility of fostering a truly inclusive environment beyond just inviting diverse individuals. - **Defining Diversity:** She stresses that diversity should encompass different perspectives, not just visible traits such as race or gender. This understanding is essential for fostering a holistic approach to inclusion in tech. - **Cookie-Cutter Culture:** López critiques the tendency of some communities to invite diverse individuals only to mold them into an existing culture, rather than appreciating their unique backgrounds and contributions. - **Barriers to Entry:** She highlights the challenges newcomers face, including harsh environments, unclear documentation, and biases that affect how they are perceived based on their background or experience. - **Misconceptions:** Addressing misconceptions, López encourages community members to listen and empathize with diverse contributors instead of making assumptions about their skills or motivations. - **Alternative Contributions:** She suggests recognizing various forms of contributions beyond coding, such as writing articles, giving talks, and mentoring, which can enrich communities. - **Mentorship and Support:** López advocates for the availability of experienced mentors and inclusive conflict resolution practices to ensure new contributors feel safe and supported. - **Creating Inclusive Opportunities:** She shares her experience organizing meetups where contributors can engage with different projects based on their skill level and encourages outreach for help in finding diverse speakers for conferences. **Conclusion and Takeaways:** López concludes by reiterating the need for the tech industry to broaden its definition of contributions to include advocacy and community support, not just technical skills. Recognizing these diverse efforts is critical for fostering a welcoming and productive environment in open-source communities. Her call to action emphasizes the value of actively listening to different voices and acknowledging that every effort contributes to the rich tapestry of the tech community.
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