WordPress, as you know, powers over 43% of the web. Its success is not just due to its robust architecture, but also because of its vibrant community of contributors. By supporting these contributors, companies like yours can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the web.

Your financial support enables me to dedicate more time and actively participate in important initiatives and make a lasting impact on the platform we all love. 

Current Goals

• Create and facilitate 1-2 DEIB Workshops on Learn.WordPress.org by the end of August 2024
• Drafting a DEIB Handbook: Centralizing DEIB resources for the WordPress community
• Establish a process for other make/WordPress teams to reach out to the DEIB group
• Design a set of shareable infographics for educational purpose
• Facilitating regular DEIB Working Group Meetings and Virtual Office Hours
• Conducting a DEIB Survey in collaboration with CHAOSS Community and other entities
• Ongoing mentorship for new and established Contributors
• Hosting a monthly DEIB Podcast episode on DotheWoo "The WordPress Way"
• Leading a CloudFest hackathon project Inclusive Language Checker for Open-Source Contributors
• Panelist at CloudFest WP Day Sustainability and Inclusivity in WordPress

WordPress needs sustained contributions to grow and thrive.

Balancing substantial volunteer efforts for a significant global project with everyday life and client commitments presents a considerable challenge.

“Birgit’s work on DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) is an important step for the WordPress Community and is in line with her yearlong efforts to make the WordPress community an inclusive space for everyone.” – Maja Benke, Accessibility Consultant and Webdesigner

Noteworthy contributions from over a decade

I'm using WordPress since its first release in 2003. After messing around in several forums, I got aware of WordCamps. This opened the realm of how to contribute to the project. Since 2010, I have been an active contributor to the WordPress open-source project.

• Locale manager for de.wordpress.org since March 2012
• Participant at Community Summit 2024, San Francisco, CA and 2023 National Harbor, MD
• Played a crucial role in the revamping of the German-speaking WordPress Community in 2014
• Global Polyglots team mentor for several years in row
• Co-Organizer of two editions of the Global WordPress Translation Day
• Multiple times table lead on Contributor Days for Polyglots, Marketing and Sustainability
• Credited as a noteworthy Release Team member for WordPress 6.4
• Speaker at multiple WordPress Events, including WordCamp Europe and Accessibility Day
• Co-Organizer of WordCamp Europe in 2018 and 2019
• Co-Lead-Organizer of WordCamp Germany 2023
• Facilitator of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Session at the Community Summit 2023
• Composed and published the Proposal for Establishing a Make Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (“DEIB”) Team within the WordPress Community
• Spearheading the WordPress DEIB working group
• Awarded by the Yoast Care Fund in 2023 nominated by Hari Shanker

Birgit Olzem is an exceptional WordPress contributor. She has single-handedly proposed and kicked off the WordPress DEIB working group, which is working towards making WordPress diverse and more inclusive – Hari Shanker, Open Source Program Manager at Automattic

To make a meaningful contribution, I am seeking financial support for approximately 20 hours per week. This will allow me to dedicate focused time on the DEIB initiative, collaborate with other teams, and drive impactful projects that benefit the entire WordPress ecosystem without distractions.

This funding would compensate for the potential income from client work and also cover travel expenses related to speaking engagements, thereby enabling me to maximize my contributions towards the growth and inclusivity of the WordPress community.

Your support in sponsoring these DEIB related work will not only foster a more inclusive and innovative WordPress community but will also set a precedent for open-source projects globally. Let’s lead the way in making open-source truly open for everyone.

Read more about me and my involvement with WordPress on my website