Influencing the Outreachy program.
A year at Outreachy
My passion has always been empowering people around me. I trace this motivation back to my underrepresented background and experience trying to own a career in tech as a woman born, bred, and living in Nigeria, Africa. As this month marks one year since I started working with Outreachy, in this report, I will be reminiscing about my year at Outreachy.
Through the application process:
It was a very low point in my life. I just got denied a remote international job after reaching the final stage. I focused my energy on my then full-time job, which aimed to support and protect the rights of underrepresented populations. I also volunteered at She Code Africa, which empowers African women and girls. This was when a friend sent me the Outreachy campaign seeking a community manager to work with them on their program.
I applied, gave it my best shot with so much confidence, and landed the role. The whole process was stress-free and accommodating, all thanks to the Outreachy organizers.
Now, as an Outreachy Organizer and Community Manager:
According to Sage Sharp, "It just takes one person to become an Outreachy champion to bring us to a whole new audience."
Supporting Outreachy applicants has gone way up in numbers since I joined the team. Outreachy increased the inflow of applications and had more diverse and knowledgeable applicants. Improving engagement on Outreachy social media platforms by leading the mentors and intern coffee chats, frequently chatting with interns within the community, and making myself available weekly during my office hour to connect, better understand, and support Outreachy interns.
It was a privilege to meet with some Outreachy mentors during my trip to Berlin, and we had a good conversation about their experience and how Outreachy can improve what we do.
The future with Outreachy:
The star looks so bright. I see a space where applicants, contributors, interns, alums, participating mentoring communities, mentors, and community coordinators are well supported.
I see more new initiatives that make a difference: supporting new contributors to contribute to open source, past interns getting involved in the program, more partnerships with local communities to engage people at the grassroots better, and more mentors being brought on board.
In Anna's voice, "Outreachy has given me a sense of identity and belonging, a strong feeling of recognition and validation."
I'm grateful for the other Outreachy organizers, Karen, Sage, and Anna!
I’m so grateful for the support I’ve always found at Outreachy. I’m glad I had the global platform to help, support, and empower underrepresented persons, especially in tech, through the Outreachy program.
