This past weekend was WordCamp Austin 2014. I felt privileged to be one of the lead organizers of the event, which helped me realize there are many different ways we can all contribute to WordPress.
WordCamps are like monthly WordPress meetups on steroids, there are speakers, sponsors, and opportunities to network within the WordPress community on a broader scale.
Each city that holds a WordCamp—and there were over 71 in 2013—runs their event slightly differently and tries to add the flavor of their unique community. The WordPress Foundation has a great Organizers Guide to help you get started if you’re interested.
A packed house for the opening keynote on Day 1 of WordCamp Austin
This was my first time organizing a WordCamp, and of course I experienced natural feelings of stress and frustration in the weeks and months leading up to the actual event.
But I felt an overwhelming sense of joy throughout WordCamp Austin, which is why I’ll be a part of the team next year.
One of the themes that really struck me over the weekend was a sense of community and giving back. We were able to put on this one event in Austin, Texas and have it impact people all over the world who are in some way part of the wider WordPress community.
WordPress is bigger than just you and me. Because it is founded on open source principles, the genesis of WordPress is community and the future of WordPress is community.
Our WordCamp had over 400 local and international attendees. We had speakers who came from as far as the United Kingdom, and attendees who drove in from Oklahoma.
The San Antonio and Dallas communities brought caravans of people. And it was this unique melting pot of knowledge and passion for WordPress that was a direct impact of something I was able to step up and be a part of.
People hear the phrase “Contributing Back to Core” in our community and have a fear, a fear I’ve experienced myself, that because they are not technical, they are not able to give back. This is obviously not true. The reason our community works so well is that we each bring something unique to the table.
My specific talent is organizing opportunities for communities to interact and impact each other. This is why, when there was the opportunity to step into this role, I took it. I love being able to help people connect with each other and with knowledge that can help improve the quality of their lives. People from all walks of life, and all technical levels, can show up and learn from each other about this wonderful platform.
The WordPress project, and the ability to contribute back to it, is about every aspect that makes the WordPress platform and the WordPress community so great. From volunteering at meetups, to video editing the WordCamp videos, to starting a small meetup group in your city for students, to planning a WordCamp. The opportunities to get involved are limitless and the only barrier to entry is yourself.
If your city doesn’t have a WordCamp, create it. If your side of town doesn’t have a meetup, begin one. If your community doesn’t invest in youth, inspire people to think about it. I challenge each of you to get a little more involved in your local area and see every contribution as another step towards making the WordPress community the special place that it is.
I am personally inspired by the younger generation, and passionate about giving them the tools to succeed in life. That is why this year at WordCamp Austin it was really important for me to create an opportunity where we could do something for them to get them more involved.
We enlisted Taylor Christensen, a local Texas State University Junior, to curate and run a YouthCamp. Simply being able to encourage and educate the 10 kids who showed up was such an amazing opportunity, one that we can build on year after year. But by being able to help teach these kids something that can push them further in life, we were able to impact our community for the better.
Taylor Christensen talking to a group of 13-18 year olds about the basics of WordPress
No matter how big or small the role, I believe it is important to find ways in which to give back. I would love to learn all the ways in which each of you is inspiring the WordPress conversation in your community forward.
Thanks to my co-organizers and everyone who attended WordCamp Austin for making it such a memorable event!
Me with WP Engine’s New Community Manager Odas Williams
Shayda Torabi runs Events and Sponsorships for WP Engine and likes to travel, eat good food, and Instagram her adventures. Follow her @shaptora.
Man whoever took that last photo…he (or she!) is pretty good 😉