Abstract
Many open source research communities want to be more diverse, equitable and inclusive.
However many DEI strategies and plans fail because they don’t understand:
- that most DEI frameworks should talk in concrete terms, not in abstract terms,
- what is systemic discrimination and why it is like poison,
- that systemic and subtle discrimination accumulates over time,
- what Intersectionality really means and how it adds more nuances that need to be addressed, and
- that providing opportunities, creating safe spaces, and sharing power are the antidotes to discrimination.
This presentation will explain these concepts and show how you can make a difference as an individual, organisation, or a community in practical ways that can be implemented easily.
It will also show examples of how these practices have embedded into open source communities, fellowships, conferences, recruitment and internship programs - and the impact that they have had.