From Outreachy to CHAOSS, Open Source, DEI, And Technical Writing: Precious Onyewuchi

NOTE: It has always been the goal of this podcast to give everyone a chance to share their story. This episode is an example of this. We tried to record this live using Riverside.fm (no blame to Riverside here 😃) but after many tries we realized that Precious’s internet was just not going to play along. We improvised and did the recordings asynchronously. I recorded the intro and the questions, and Precious recorded and sent back her answers. I then edited everything into this podcast episode. The audio is a bit challenging in parts, but I encourage you to listen past it, and instead listen to Precious, her thoughts, and her story. Thank you. In this episode of the Mycelium Network podcast, I am joined by Precious Onyewuchi a technical writer from Nigeria. Precious starts by explaining the crucial role technical writing serves in bridging the gap between complex technology and user comprehension. She continues to discuss how Outreachy’s internships not only marked a personal growth trajectory but also shone a light on the importance of fostering diversity in tech. The discussion naturally flows into the realm of DEI, where Precious emphasizes its indispensable value in nurturing inclusive and vibrant open-source communities. The health of these projects is critically analyzed, highlighting the innovative tools and metrics developed by the CHAOSS community to ensure sustainability and productivity. Central to Precious's narrative is the All in Africa program, an initiative by GitHub aimed at democratizing access to open-source knowledge and resources across the African continent. This program symbolizes a bridge towards technological empowerment and equity, reflecting a broader vision of global inclusivity. Moreover, Precious's advocacy extends to recognizing and valuing no-code contributions in the open-source ecosystem. This perspective champions a more inclusive definition of contribution, where diverse skill sets beyond coding are acknowledged as vital to the growth and health of open-source projects. Lastly, the conversation touches upon the transformative potential of AI within tech and open source, far from viewing AI as a displacer of jobs, Precious posits AI as an augmentative tool, one that can enhance human creativity and efficiency, shaping a future where technology and humanity coalesce for mutual advancement. Precious’s story paints a picture of a tech world enriched by diversity, openness, and innovation. Her story is a beacon for aspiring tech enthusiasts, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, offering a roadmap to meaningful engagement and contribution in tech and open source. Links * Precious Onyewuchi on LinkedIn * Precious on GitHub * Previous on Twitter (X) * No Code Contributions in Open Source * Outreachy * All in Africa * CHAOSS Community * Schalk Neethling on LinkedIn * Mechanical Ink Studio Community * Join the community on Slack or Discord * Support the podcast on Patreon * Recorded with Riverside.fm (Affiliate link) Help Others Find The Podcast * Rate and review on Apple Podcasts * Rate and review on Spotify Thanks for reading Mechanical Ink Studio - Open Source - Open Web! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit schalkneethling.substack.com