Submissions:2024/Wikimedia Does Not End When You Move: Championing Wikipedia Education Program With No Community

This submission has been accepted for WikiConference North America 2024.

Etherpad

Title:

Wikimedia Does Not End When You Move: Championing Wikipedia Education Program With No Community

Type of session:

Lightning talk

Session theme(s):

Community Health, Diversity & Inclusion, Education

Abstract:

As a Wikipedia volunteer and community leader over the last eight years, moving from my home country, Ghana, where I was immensely involved in the local Wikimedia chapter, to the United States seemed like an end to my active involvement within the community. After my first semester in graduate school in the US a couple of years back, I began researching and planning how to engage and remain functional in Wikimedia activities in a new environment with no Wikimedia presence and no understanding of the movement and its operations. I took the initiative to start a Wikipedia in the classroom project since I am a Teaching Assistant in charge of over 40 undergraduate students. The Wiki for Human Rights campaign supported me to run the event. I harnessed my experience as an avid Wikipedia volunteer and, with the support of my community back home, organized the Wiki For Human Rights Campaign involving my students to learn about the Wikimedia initiatives and contribute fact-checked environmental and climate content about the State of New Mexico to Wikipedia for credits. This campaign is significant to my students and the State of New Mexico because it allowed the students to obtain new skills other than their regular course while contributing content about the current environmental state of New Mexico. Last year, I organized a second round of the campaign with a set of new students and also as the only organizer in North America. I will share my experience embarking on this journey in a location with no Wikimedia presence and away from my Wikipedia family. Additionally, I would discuss how to leverage college students and Wikipedia campaigns for advocacy, capacity building, and contribution to Wikimedia Projects for community members who move away from their local communities. Currently a PhD student at Purdue University, I demonstrate that you can carry Wikimedia initiatives wherever you go... you do not stop when you move.

Author name(s):

Pamela Ofori Boateng

Wikimedia username(s):

Pambelle12

E-mail address:

poforibo@purdue.edu

Affiliated organization(s):

Estimated length of session

5-10

Will you be presenting remotely?

Okay to livestream?

Livestreaming is okay

Previously presented?

No

Special requests:

I have NOT delivered this presentation before but I have submitted the Abtract before.