This is the home of the Make Community team for the WordPress open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. project!
Here is where we have policy debates, project announcements, and assist community members in organizing events.
Everyone is welcome to comment on posts and participate in the discussions regardless of skill level or experience.
Get Involved
If you love WordPress and want to help us do these things, join in!
We are currently updating the names of our contributor roles throughout our resources. The new role names are Community Team Event SupporterEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. (formerly MentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.), Community Team Program SupporterProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. (formerly DeputyProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook.), and Program ManagerProgram ManagerProgram Managers (formerly Super Deputies) are Program Supporters who can perform extra tasks on WordCamp.org like creating new sites and publishing WordCamps to the schedule. (formerly Super DeputyProgram ManagerProgram Managers (formerly Super Deputies) are Program Supporters who can perform extra tasks on WordCamp.org like creating new sites and publishing WordCamps to the schedule.).
Under the WordPress Chapter MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. Program, any member of the group may organize events. You can find the setting for this in Group Tools.
Perhaps someone wants to organize a Saturday morning WordPress coffee shop get-together that only 5 people attend, and you want to organize a more formal presentation for 80 people. Both type of events are valuable! The more people getting together and connecting to talk about WordPress, the better.
Restricting event organizing to only a few people would automatically limit the number and scope of events — instead, we love to see a variety of organizers and events, as this will also draw a variety of members!
With multiple co-organizers, the group dynamic shifts from “this is my group,” to “this is a community group, for which I am a leader.” We know this can require a shift in thinking for groups that previously allowed only one or two people to organize events. But ultimately, we want WordPress meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. to function as community groups where anyone can organize events, without gatekeepers!
This means that you would be responsible for focus and consistency in your own event series, but not for others; though we hope that anyone choosing to organize a meetup event would talk with other organizers and learn from their experiences.
That’s about it! Oh, and follow the Five Good Faith Rules mentioned at the beginning. If you have a problem with one of them, talk to us about it. You can email support@wordpress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ or find us in the Make WordPress SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. channel.
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What Does it Take to be an Organizer?
Since all event planning and organizing is done locally, MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. organizers are reliable people who love WordPress and want to foster a local community in their area. If you have spoken with other people who are involved in technology in your town, you probably have some understanding of the level of interest people have. You may have also noticed that they all come from a lot of different backgrounds.
Being ready to create and host family-friendly, inclusive events is incredibly important to the success of your local WordPress community.
In order to create consistency in terms of people’s experiences in the WordPress community, it is important that MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. adhere to our five good faith rules. These rules were created by a group of volunteer Meetup organizers as a means to capture the spirit of the WordPress community.
The Five Good Faith Rules
WordPress Meetups are for the benefit of the WordPress community as a whole, not specific businesses or individuals. All actions taken as an event organizer are with the best interest of the community in mind.
Membership in the local Meetup group is open to all who wish to join, regardless of ability, skill, financial status, or any other criteria.
Meetups are volunteer-run with volunteer speakers.
Meetup groups allow events to be organized by any reliable/trusted member of the community.
Meetups are welcoming places where everyone works to foster an accepting environment that is free of discrimination, incitement to violence, promotion of hate, and general jerk-like behavior.
We also ask everyone that organizes WordPress Chapter Meetup to uphold the principles of the WordPress open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. project, including the GPLGPLGPL is an acronym for GNU Public License. It is the standard license WordPress uses for Open Source licensing https://wordpress.org/about/license/. The GPL is a ‘copyleft’ license https://www.gnu.org/licenses/copyleft.en.html. This means that derivative work can only be distributed under the same license terms. This is in distinction to permissive free software licenses, of which the BSD license and the MIT License are widely used examples.. This helps protect the user/attendee, who might not realize that by using a non-GPL pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party or theme, they are giving away the rights that WordPress provides them.
In the end of some of the handbook pages, you will be presented with a quiz to test your knowledge of the material that we have covered.
The goal is to highlight the important details and help you retain it. You will need to get all of the answers correct in order to pass, but do not worry – you can retake the quizzes as often as you like in order to achieve the 100% pass rate.
To be able to use quizzes, you need to be logged in to your WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ account. In case you don’t already have a valid WordPress.org account, you can create one now.
Finally, all of the quizzes will be at the end of the section, as this example shows.
Good luck with the quizzes, and please use the #community-team channel on our Slack to report if a quiz question is incorrect or ambiguous. If you need to find them later, all of our quizzes live in the WordPress Contributor training site.
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Instructions to translate WPDiversity material
About
Our #WPDiversity workshop material and some of our written material has been translated into multiple languages:
WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Speaker Selection: English, Italian
As such, we have well-documented processes to translate the above or any of our other workshops and materials.
Create a copy of the English document from the “File > Make a copy” menu.
Translate the new file. Optionally, you can use the “Translate document” tool of Google Docs (not available on other formats such as Google Slides). Please note this will create a new document.
Share the link to the translated documents with your fellow translators
First, you need English subtitles. If there is already an English transcript, ask on the WordPress SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. channel #training for help with uploading them to WordPress.tv.
If you don’t have the English subtitles / transcript yet, for WordPress diversity material, reach out to @katiejrichards on the WordPress Slack to create it.
Once you have the English subtitles / transcript, refer to the Translating Subtitles instruction page on the Training Team Handbook for how to translate them to another language.
If you have questions about the Lesson Plan & subtitle translation process, contact a Translation Coordinator (marked as “TC” on the linked page) in the #training channel on the WordPress Slack.
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Hold an “Organizing Diverse and Inclusive WordPress Events” workshop
This is the 2.5-hour interactive watch party online to learn how to create welcoming and diverse WordPress MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamps for your WordPress community that the #WPDiversity group has been running regularly since 2021.
This workshop is not just for organizers, but anyone who wants to champion this kind of environment at official WordPress events, now or in the future.
You are invited to hold this workshop for the global community or for your own local community!
This is designed as an “interactive watch party” workshop to view the videos with the original diverse panel of creators, with some additional, new “live” content at the start.
It is recommended to run this workshop as a mixture of live parts (first 2 modules) and video watch party (the other 5 modules). The Main Slides walk you through this.
However, if you want to run more of the workshop “live” (reduced videos — not recommended):
If you are doing any part of the videos live, please heed these important notes:
The creators of this workshop (the people in the videos – Aurooba, Allie, David) have agreed that we can use the content as long as we don’t tell their own stories for them. You can either play their story in the video or you can replace it with your own relevant story.
Stories to play or replace in video 1:
Mindset: Aurooba’s story @ 6:03-7:23
Mindset: David’s story @ 13:03 – 15:48
Community: Allie’s story @ 18:18-19:39
Speakers: Jill’s story @ 29:07-31:11
Speakers: Jill’s story @ 34:27-35:02
Space: David’s story @ 40:52-43:46
Story to play or replace in video 2:
Allie’s story @ 1:13-1:42
This workshop is full of personal examples interwoven throughout. You may optionally replace any with your own examples, especially your own and/or local examples that would be useful for your group to know.
Hold An Underrepresented Speaker workshop (aka “How to Own Your Expertise and Start Speaking at WordPress Events”)
About Workshop:
The flagship, proven effective workshop of the #WPDiversity group. This workshop is a “bridge” for underrepresented voices in WordPress go from, “I would never consider speaking at a WordPress event” or “I don’t know what to talk about” to being eager to start speaking.
The coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. material in both versions of the workshop covers:
Overcoming personal obstacles to speaking
Finding a topic that the community will be excited to hear
The “full” version goes on to help the speakers develop their talk, speaker kit, and stage presence. You can pick and choose to run any module or all 5.
Workshop Templates:
Full Underrepresented Speaker Workshop A 5-hour hands-on, interactive workshop for the underrepresented members of your community to generate a few ideas for talks, an outline on one topic, a title, a pitch/proposal for applying to events, a bio, and a chance to practice speaking.
Full workshop, up to 5 hour version. Option to pick and choose which of the 5 modules to run.
Shortened Underrepresented Speaker Workshop A 2-hour, hands-on, interactive workshop to find a topic and boost your confidence for speaking at WP MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. & WordCamps. This is the core content of the above full workshop. Recommended 1.5 to 2 hours.
#diverse-speaker-support Our SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. channel to find WordPress speaking opportunities, get mentorship, get connected with speaker resources, and network with fellow speakers and with WordPress event organizers.
WP Speakers | Join As A Speaker Add yourself to @michelleames’s directory of WordPress speakers, with ‘Yes’ for Underrepresented.
WordPress Meetups Search for WordPress MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and reach out to them to ask to speak.
WordCamps Use the Speaker Application pages of upcoming WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. websites to apply to speak.
Speaker Mentorship and Resources
#diverse-speaker-support Our Slack channel to find WordPress speaking opportunities, get speaking mentorship, get connected with speaker resources (such as speaker travel funding), and network with fellow speakers and with WordPress event organizers.
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Creating a Diverse, Inclusive, Welcoming WordPress Meetup or WordCamp
Resources for WordPress MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Organizers
Definitions
A Primer for DEIB in WordPress (#WPDiversity) A video on the basics of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) within the WordPress community and at our MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamps.
Venue Accessibility Checklist A list that can help you assess potential venues for accessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility).
Organizing Diverse and Inclusive Events Workbook A google doc workbook with important questions and checklists for making your event diverse, inclusive, welcoming. This link will create a copy of the workbook for you to fill in your own answers.
Code of Conduct (for in-person events and for virtual events) A key component of creating inclusive, safer events is by displaying and applying a code of conductCode of Conduct“A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the norms, rules, and responsibilities or proper practices of an individual party.” - Wikipedia.
Resources for WordPress MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Organizers
Essential Material
Building a diverse speaker roster Why and how to develop a group of underrepresented speakers to apply to speak at your MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamps.
Diverse Speaker Training Group (#WPDiversity) Programs
What do we do?
We are a working group within the WordPress Community team
Our mission is to create diverse speaker lineups and inclusive, diverse WP events for official WordPress MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamps.
We have 3 programs for diversity at your WordPress Meetups and Wordcamps:
1: “How to Own Your Expertise & Start Speaking at WordPress Events” Workshops
A 2-hour interactive Zoom workshop helping people from underrepresented groups feel motivated to start speaking at WordPress events, including overcoming impostor syndrome by owning our expertise and finding a topic.
Connecting underrepresented speakers with opportunities to speak at WordPress events.
Who it is for:
Underrepresented speakers
WordPress event organizers
Speaker mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.
3: Organizing Inclusive and Welcoming Events Workshops
Helping WordPress MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. organizers create inclusive and welcoming Meetups and WordCamps.