Wikimedia Foundation elections/2022/Candidates/Gina Bennett
Gina Bennett (Redwidgeon)
editRedwidgeon (talk • meta edits • global user summary • CA • AE)
| Candidate details | 
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| Introductory statement / Application summary. This section to be translated. (150 word maximum) |
My entire career has been spent helping people improve their access to knowledge and I see my involvement with the WMF as an extension of that passion. My work, both at home and abroad, has opened my eyes to inequities in learning opportunities and generated my enthusiasm for working with people on the peripheries, sharing educational content, and collaborating on international teams. Currently, I contribute in a variety of modest ways to the wider Wikimedia movement. I am especially interested in how we can use sister projects to engage groups of people who don’t usually participate in Wikipedia/Wikimedia and may not have considered how they, too, can contribute to "the sum of all knowledge." I offer the perspective of a semi–retired educator, an older person who identifies as a woman. I currently serve on the WMF Regional Fund Committee for US & Canada. | |
| Contributions to the Wikimedia projects, memberships in Wikimedia organizations or affiliates, activities as a Wikimedia movement organizer, or participation with a Wikimedia movement ally organization. (100 word maximum) |
I made my first edit in English Wikipedia in 2006. However, I did little editing until 2016, when I retired from my job as educator. Since then I have contributed mostly as a Wikignome, helping to improve articles though copyediting, improved translation, writing lead paragraphs, etc. I was an active participant and graduate of the Education Greenhouse Project (2020); a mentor and mentee in the Wikipedia & Education User Group Mentorship Pilot (2021); contributed a [to Wikiversity] (2021); and currently serve on the Wikimedia Regional Grants Committee, US & Canada (2021-2023). | |
Expertise in skill areas identified as needs by the Board.
(150 word maximum) |
In my vocation as educator, I provided leadership for many curriculum projects, both domestic and international. Working in small teams, we assessed educational & community needs, devised delivery strategies, implemented and evaluated projects. Most of our projects involved educational technology, configuring and supporting learning management systems. I have little formal experience with public policy law, data science and analysis, or machine learning. My main skills are related to team building and support, active analytical listening, and appreciative strategy development. | |
| Lived experiences in the world. We are especially interested in reading about lived experiences in the regions of Africa, South Asia, East and South East Asia & Pacific, and Latin America & Caribbean. We believe that experience in these regions could help expand the board’s ability to fulfill the movement strategy goal of more equitable participation, although we recognize that other experiences may also provide important contributions. (250 word maximum) |
Most of my life has been lived in small, rural communities on both east and west coasts of Canada; I have very little lived experience of the stated areas of particular interest. However, in my work as curriculum developer, I have participated in projects with on-site teams in a number of international locations, including Tanzania, Kenya, Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile. | |
| Cultural and linguistic fluency with regions and languages additional to your native region and language. Intercultural awareness helps build bridges in our multicultural community. (250 word maximum) |
I have linguistic fluency only in English, although I can function at a basic level in French and Spanish. I do love languages and am currently learning Swahili, Welsh, and Esperanto (as well as attempting to expand my French and Spanish fluency). I have, for decades, volunteered as an English tutor for immigrants new to Canada or preparing for citizenship and consequently have enjoyed vicarious exposure to a wide variety of cultures. Earlier in my career I completed a Post-Graduate certificate program in Intercultural Communication, which has aided me greatly in my various international postings. | |
| Experience as an advocate for creating safe and collaborative spaces for all and/or experience in situations or contexts of censorship, repression, or other attacks to human rights. (250 words maximum) |
My career as an educator was focused almost entirely on developing and implementing ways to increase access to information and learning, and to the many doors such opportunities open. When teaching, my students have usually been adults who needed literacy, linguistic, or numeracy support before being able to access post-secondary or vocational programs. When working with learning management systems, my focus was always on finding ways to include and engage students who had previously been denied educational access due to isolation, parental responsibilities, disability, or work schedules. My international work was usually focused on helping educators develop skills to develop their own, culturally-appropriate curriculum rather than relying on curriculum imported or inherited from colonial education systems.
Throughout my career, I have been a strong proponent of open access: open science, open data, Creative Commons publishing, and (of course) Wikipedia. | |
| Experience in relation to (or as a member of, to the extent you choose to share) a group that has faced historical discrimination and underrepresentation in structures of power (including but not limited to caste, race, ethnicity, colour, national origin, nationality, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, language, culture, education, abilities, income and environment). (250 word maximum) |
I have been extremely fortunate to live the privilege of a white, cis-gender woman in a generally liberal and tolerant country. As a young woman pursuing a career in science, I encountered some roadblocks because of my gender but this discrimination has reduced considerably over the years. My heritage does include indigenous ancestors but I was not raised nor identified as a member of that cultural group. Given my "senior" age I do encounter some ageism; although that is annoying, it has not interfered with my ability to contribute to my family or community. | |
| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
Eligibility:  VerifiedVerified by: Matanya (talk) 09:12, 17 May 2022 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Joe Sutherland (Wikimedia Foundation) (talk) 23:54, 18 May 2022 (UTC) | |