Hello,
I'm happy to announce that Wikimedia is participating in Round 29 of the
Outreachy program https://www.outreachy.org/ [1] that runs from December
2024 through March 2025! The deadline to submit projects on the Outreachy
website is September 11, 2024 at 4pm UTC and the project list will be
finalized by September 18, 2024.
We are currently gathering a list of interesting project ideas. If you have
some ideas for coding or non-coding (design, documentation, translation,
outreach, research) projects, please share them on this task:
https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T372834 [2].
*About the Outreachy Program*
Outreachy is a paid, remote three-month internship program. Outreachy's
goal is to support people from groups underrepresented in tech. We help
newcomers to free software and open source make their first contributions
in Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), coding, and non-coding projects
with experienced mentors.
These internships run twice a year–from May to August and December to
March. Interns are paid a stipend of USD 7000 for the three months of work.
Outreachy internship projects may include programming, user experience,
documentation, illustration, graphical design, or data science. Interns
often find employment after their internship with Outreachy sponsors or in
jobs that use the skills they learned during their internship.
Outreachy is open to applicants around the world and the program is open to
both students and non-students; complete eligibility rules
<https://www.outreachy.org/docs/applicant/> [3]. Outreachy expressly
invites the following people to apply:
- Women (both cis and trans), trans men, non-binary people, and
genderqueer people.
- Anyone who faces under-representation, systematic bias, or
discrimination in the technology industry in their country of residence.
- Residents and nationals of the United States of America of any gender
who are Black/African American, Hispanic/Latin@, Native
American/American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific
Islander.
*Tips for mentors for proposing projects*
As a mentor, you will engage with potential candidates in the application
period during October and help them make small contributions to your
project. You will work more closely with the accepted candidates during the
internship period from December through March.
Each mentor will need to submit an intern project proposal:
https://www.outreachy.org/communities/cfp/wikimedia/ [4]. The project
proposal will then be reviewed and approved by the FOSS community
coordinators. Additional co-mentors for the intern project will be able to
sign up for the project after it has been approved by the community
coordinator.
*Guidelines for Crafting Project Proposals*
- Follow this task description template when you propose a project in
Phabricator:
https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/tag/outreach-programs-projects [5].
- Add *Outreachy (Round 29)* tag
- Project should require an experienced developer ~15 days and a
newcomer ~3 months to complete.
- Each project should have at least two mentors, with one of them
holding a technical background.
- Ideally, the project has no tight deadlines, a moderate learning
curve, and fewer dependencies on Wikimedia's core infrastructure. Projects
addressing the needs of a language community are most welcome.
- If you don't have an idea in mind and would like to pick one from an
existing list, check out these projects:
- https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/tag/outreach-programs-projects [6]
- To learn more about the roles and responsibilities of mentors, visit
our resources on MediaWiki.org:
- https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Outreachy/Mentors [7]
We look forward to your participation!
Cheers,
Deb
[1] https://www.outreachy.org/
[2] https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/T372834
[3] https://www.outreachy.org/docs/applicant/
[4] https://www.outreachy.org/communities/cfp/wikimedia/
[5] https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/tag/outreach-programs-projects
[6] https://phabricator.wikimedia.org/tag/outreach-programs-projects
[7] https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Outreachy/Mentors
--
deb tankersley (she/her)
senior technical program manager
Wikimedia Foundation
Hello everyone,
Hope this message finds you well. I wanted to share some updates regarding
the Language & Internationalization newsletter, the upcoming community
meeting, and the Language Support track at Wikimania.
*Language and Internationalization Newsletter*
The fourth edition of the Language & Internationalization newsletter
(August 2024) is available at this link: <
https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Language_and_Product_Localization/…
>.
This newsletter provides updates from the April–June 2024 quarter on new
feature development, improvements in various language-related technical
projects and support efforts, details about community meetings, and
contribution ideas for getting involved in projects.
To stay updated, you can subscribe to the newsletter on its wiki page: <
https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Language_and_Product_Localization/…
>.
*Language Community Meeting*
The next language community meeting is scheduled in a few weeks—on August
30th at 15:00 UTC. If you're interested in joining, you can sign up on this
wiki page: <
https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Language_and_Product_Localization/…
>.
This participant-driven meeting will focus on sharing language-specific
updates related to various projects, discussing technical issues related to
language wikis, and working together to find possible solutions. For
example, in the last meeting, topics included the Language Converter, the
state of language research, updates on the Incubator conversations, and
technical challenges around external links not working with special
characters on Bengali sites.
Do you have any ideas for topics to share technical updates or discuss
challenges? Please add agenda items to the document here: <
https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/language-community-meeting-aug-2024>.
*Language Support Track at Wikimania*
Attending the Wikimania Hackathon in person next week? There will be a
dedicated Language Support track focusing on addressing small,
language-specific technical requests across various Wikimedia projects to
support new and existing language communities. Join us to collaborate with
interested volunteers on technical tasks, organize technical sessions, and
run a support help desk. There will also be a session for remote attendees
on using Translatewiki.net for translating Wikimedia interface messages! <
https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2024:Program/Hackathon#Language_Support>
Cheers,
Srishti
*Srishti Sethi*
Senior Developer Advocate
Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/>
Hello, everyone –
We have our next LD4 Wikidata Affinity Group Session on Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at 9am PT / 12pm ET / 16:00 UTC / 6pm CEST (Time zone converter<https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1725379200>).
New Format!
We have decided to try a new programming format starting this fall. We’ll work with members of the community to highlight their projects and provide editing support by coordinating Project Series lasting two months. The general format will be to host one presentation and discussion oriented call followed by three Working Hour-style editing sessions in support of that project. All events will take place during our regular every-other Tuesday timeslot (12pm EST/9am PST/16:00 UTC/6pm CEST).
We are thrilled that Christa Strickler will be our first Project Series lead, with her joint project with the Wikidata Religion & Theology Community of Practice to contribute biographical data to Wikidata from the IRFA<https://irfa.paris/en/en-learn-about-a-missionary/> database using the Mix’n’Match tool. We are excited to learn more about this project, provide a forum for discussion and shared learning, and lend a hand while building new skills. Sessions for this series will be on September 3rd and 17th, and October 1st and 15th.
Here is the plan for the series sessions:
Session 1 (September 3)
Intro to community of practice and the project
Session 2 (September 17)
Working session using Mix‘n’Match<https://mix-n-match.toolforge.org/#/catalog/5301> to add Wikidata items
Session 3 (October 1)
Working session using a data model and the UseAsRef user script<https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/User:Bargioni/UseAsRef> to enhance items
Session 4 (October 15)
Working session to demonstrate an image search for item enhancement and celebrate with data visualizations of the work we’ve done
Instructions will assume rudimentary knowledge of Wikidata, but beginners and their questions are most welcome! Step-by-step instructions will be provided, so hopefully even those unfamiliar with Wikidata will be able to follow along.
The call details are below. Working sessions will not be recorded, but demos and how-to sections will be made available as recordings. To receive notifications about upcoming calls and session information you can subscribe to the <https://groups.google.com/d/forum/ld4-wikidata> ld4-wikidata Google Group<https://groups.google.com/d/forum/ld4-wikidata>.
Call Details:
Date and Time: Tuesday, 3 September, 2024 at 9am PT / 12pm ET / 16:00 UTC / 6pm CEST (Time zone converter<https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1725379200>)
Zoom link to join meeting:
https://notredame.zoom.us/j/94770301140?pwd=BfyyDEfFaG7o2LYRUoIq2e6aPWfBma.1
Meeting ID: 947 7030 1140
Passcode: 158361
Event Page:
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_LD4_Wikidata_Affinity_Gr…
The LD4 Wikidata Affinity Group is associated with the LD4 Community and investigates how libraries can contribute to and better integrate library metadata with Wikidata to improve access to library resources on the web. The Affinity Group calls provide an informal space to share information and learn more about Wikidata.
Communication:
Ld4-wikidata Google group: <https://groups.google.com/d/forum/ld4-wikidata> https://groups.google.com/d/forum/ld4-wikidata
#wikidata channel on LD4 Slack: <https://ld4.slack.com/> https://ld4.slack.com/
Series event page: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_LD4_Wikidata_Affinity_Gr…
Website: <https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_LD4_Wikidata_Affinity_Gr…> https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_LD4_Wikidata_Affinity_Gr…
On behalf of the LD4 Wikidata Affinity Group co-facilitators,
Hilary Thorsen
Resource Sharing Librarian
Stanford Libraries
thorsenh(a)stanford.edu
650-285-9429
Hello,
We are excited to announce the release of the "The Future of Wikidata
Events" report
<https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_future_of_Wikidata_Events_-_Res…>,
now available on Wikimedia Commons. This report provides valuable insights
into the current state and future possibilities of Wikidata events.
Context and Purpose
Over the past several months, we conducted an in-depth review of Wikidata
events, gathering feedback from community members, event organizers, and
stakeholders. Our goal was to understand the strengths and challenges of
these events and explore how they can better serve the Wikidata community
moving forward.
This report is the culmination of that research. It highlights key
findings, offers a comprehensive analysis of past events, and outlines
potential directions for the future. While specific changes are still being
determined, this report will serve as a foundation for future discussions
and decisions.
Highlights of the Report
-
Objective: Investigates the range of possibilities and alternatives to
the current formats, with emphasis on inclusivity, environmental
sustainability, accessibility, and accommodating the varied requirements of
different communities worldwide.
-
Community Feedback: Reflects a wide range of opinions and experiences
from community members worldwide, ensuring a balanced and inclusive
overview.
-
Strategic Opportunities: Identifies key opportunities for enhancing
community support, engagement, and retention through innovative event
formats.
What’s Next for Wikidata Events?
-
Adapting to Community Needs: We are committed to evolving our event
formats to better meet the needs of our diverse community, including
exploring both online and onsite models that foster deeper connections
while maintaining broad accessibility.
-
Upcoming Changes: While we are excited about the potential changes
highlighted in the report, specific changes are still being finalized.
Final recommendations and any resulting changes will be communicated later
this year.
-
Continuous Improvement: We will continue to seek feedback and work
collaboratively with the community to ensure our events remain inclusive
and impactful.
Your Feedback Matters
We encourage you to review the report and share your thoughts. Your
feedback will play a crucial role in shaping the future of Wikidata events.
Please don't hesitate to reach out with questions, discuss with each other,
or provide general feedback regarding the report at Wikidata
talk:Events#"The Future of Wikidata Events" Report Now Available on
Wikimedia Commons.
<https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata_talk:Events#%22The_Future_of_Wikidat…>
We believe this report is a significant step towards creating a more
inclusive and supportive environment for all members of the Wikidata
community. We look forward to working with you to shape the future of our
events together.
Cheers!
--
Mohammed S. Abdulai
*Community Communications Manager, Wikidata*
Wikimedia Deutschland e. V. | Tempelhofer Ufer 23-24 | 10963 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0) 30 577 116 2466
https://wikimedia.de
Grab a spot in my calendar for a chat: cal.com/masssly.
A lot is happening around Wikidata - Keep up to date!
<https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Status_updates> Current news and
exciting stories about Wikimedia, Wikipedia and Free Knowledge in our
newsletter (in German): Subscribe now <https://www.wikimedia.de/newsletter/>
.
Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in the
sum of all knowledge. Help us to achieve our vision!
https://spenden.wikimedia.de
Wikimedia Deutschland — Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e. V.
Eingetragen im Vereinsregister des Amtsgerichts Charlottenburg, VR 23855 B.
Als gemeinnützig anerkannt durch das Finanzamt für Körperschaften I Berlin,
Steuernummer 27/029/42207. Geschäftsführende Vorstände: Franziska Heine,
Dr. Christian Humborg
Hello all,
Every year, the month of October is dedicated to celebrating Wikidata’s
birthday, as our favorite Wikimedia project went live on October 29th,
2012. Since then, we’ve been celebrating together the achievements of the
community, bringing together active editors and newcomers, and taking this
opportunity to do outreach and bring more people onboard.
This year, for Wikidata’s 12th birthday, we would love to see many
decentralized community events taking place all around the world in October
and November.
Whether you are involved in a local chapter or user group, or in touch with
another organization that could organize an event, or simply interested in
connecting with other Wikidata editors, we invite you to start thinking
about organizing a Wikidata birthday event in the upcoming months!
On the Twelfth Birthday page
<https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Twelfth_Birthday>, you will find
more information about the birthday and how to organize an event.
Wikidata birthday decentralized events are organized by local groups within
the Wikidata community, onsite as well as online. They can take many forms
and can be adapted to the wishes, languages, favorite topics and interests
of the local group. It can be for example:
-
A meetup / get together with your local/regional community to share a
piece of birthday cake ;
-
An online editing campaign to improve Wikidata together on a specific
topic ;
-
A moment dedicated to celebrating Wikidata’s birthday during a Wikimedia
conference ;
-
A “translathon” to improve the labels of Wikidata in your language ;
-
A workshop in a library or university to get more people aware of
Wikidata ;
-
A livestream presentation to showcase interesting tools ;
-
…and many other things!
On the How to run an event page
<https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Twelfth_Birthday/Run_an_event>, you
will find many other examples of events, and you can take inspiration from
the past years and what other people have been organizing.
You will also find a communication kit with visuals that you can use to
communicate about your event, and instructions on how to add your event to
the global schedule.
If you are planning an event for Wikidata’s birthday, you may need some
financial support in order to run the event smoothly. On the Funding page
<https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Twelfth_Birthday/Run_an_event/Funding>,
you will find some useful information about how to get funding, to help
your participants join or to provide equipment or refreshments.
What is new this year: Wikimedia Deutschland will run an experiment on
providing microgrants to fund projects related to the Wikidata birthday.
These grants, of a maximum amount of 1,000€, will be provided to the
selected projects after an application process that is running until
September 1st. You also have the option to ask for WMF’s Rapid Fund if the
amount or eligibility criteria work better for you. You will find all the
information about how to apply and what to prepare on the Funding page
<https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Twelfth_Birthday/Run_an_event/Funding>
.
If you are interested in organizing an event, we strongly encourage you to do
it together with other people. We suggest that you reach out to your local
affiliate to get logistical and communication support, or to other Wikidata
editors who share similar interests, for example your favorite WikiProject.
You are also very welcome to join the Wikidata Events Telegram group
<https://t.me/joinchat/HGjGexK8LA2wJZEk1x1p_A>, in which you will find
other community organizers who have been running events in the past and can
answer your questions or provide inspiration. On top of that, we are
running organizers office hours
<https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Twelfth_Birthday/Run_an_event#Connec…>
from July to October: you can join these online meetings to connect with
other organizers and ask questions to the coordination team.
I’m looking forward to hearing about your Wikidata birthday events, and I’m
available at lea.lacroix_ext(a)wikimedia.de if you have any questions.
Best,
--
Léa Lacroix
Community Engagement & Events Consultant
Contractor for Wikimedia Deutschland e.V.
Good morning,
I'm feeling a little under the weather and will take the day to rest, I'll
hopefully be better by tomorrow.
Arian
--
Arian Bozorg (he/him)Junior Product Manager Wikidata
Wikimedia Deutschland e. V. | Tempelhofer Ufer 23-24 | 10963 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30-577 11 62-0https://wikimedia.de
Keep up to date! Current news and exciting stories about Wikimedia,
Wikipedia and Free Knowledge in our newsletter (in German): Subscribe
now <https://www.wikimedia.de/newsletter/>.
Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in
the sum of all knowledge. Help us to achieve our
vision!https://spenden.wikimedia.de