Open Source Summit Latin America 2022

In 2020, I made my first open source contribution. It was very rewarding that I started to spend more time contributing to open source. I was just starting to program full-time and I had a lot to learn. That is when I was accepted into the Linux Foundation Mentorship Program. It gave me access to mentors and helped me improve my coding skills. It also helped me to work on open source while getting a stable stipend. This journey led me to full-time roles writing open source code. Today, I help pay it forward by being a mentor through the same program. In this talk, I walk through how this program has been beneficial to me and others who come from similar backgrounds that offer very less opportunities. I will also share my journey that led to working in open source full-time with very global and diverse teams. This talk is for both mentors and mentees wanting to level up in their careers through open source.

Are you an open source enthusiast? Is your enthusiasm supported by a mentor who helps you navigate the nuances and complexities of open source? Do you wish to pay it forward? Open source mentorship is a critical part of the open source ecosystem, yet the framework for mentorship remains obscure and out of reach to many. Despite knowing the overarching significance and gains of mentorship, are you hesitant to be a mentor? The journey from an isolated enthusiast to an active contributor to open source and mentor of open source contributors has made Nikita extensively cognizant of the essentials, barriers and fulfilling benefits of the role. This talk will take you through Nikita’s experiences, provide practical tools for aspiring mentors, and empower you to move from aspiration to realization. Come learn how to transform open source communities by becoming a “precise” open source mentor. Let’s reimagine open source and consciously try to make its communities more inclusive together.

The talk is going to be focussed around what defines a community, and figuring out what are the community's shared struggles. It’s also important to know what is the mission of your community and what members look to get out of it. Communication is key and we’ll also talk about how to future proof your community. Regarding diversity and inclusion, it’s important to know who might be excluded from accessing your community activities in their current form. We’ll also discuss about what are some of the negative scenarios which might happen while running activities for your community which will make them less inclusive to marginalised groups. Following up with designing for your community's needs, and last but not least, having a Code of Conduct.

Attendees will learn about: 
1. How to start a new community and make it inclusive from the beginning.
2. How to scale communities to under-representative groups
3. How to deal with conflicts and take care of your audience’s needs.