Wheeewwwww. So, we did a thing last Thursday – we invited about 30 people to come to University College London and change the world, one Wikipedia edit at a time.
We had big shoes to fill, even though it’s been (gasp) five years since Tori Herridge pulled together NHM TrowelBlazers Wikipedia Editathon with NHM Libraries and Archives complete with a primo behind-the-scenes tour and special exhibit of TrowelBlazer archives and artefacts. But we put out a call for people to come to University College London’s Institute of Archaeology and get cracking on putting the women back into history, and you answered! 11.5 thousand words, and that’s just a day’s work…!
STELLAR achievements here for Team #TBWiki2019
You can watch the opening talks and training here:
This has been one of the most successful calls to action we’ve had in recent years, and TrowelBlazers would like to say a special thank you to the amazing cast and crew of people who came together for our very first Wikimedia Editathon at University College London.
We definitely have to thank UCL Archaeology for letting us take over their space, and Director Sue Hamilton for supporting us doing it. And because at TrowelBlazers, if we’ve learned anything, it’s that the real heroes are the archivists and librarians, a giant shoutout to the truly top-notch Dr Katie Meheux of UCL Libraries for pulling together a reading list of reference material to meet the burden of proof for women’s contributions.
And of course, none of this would have worked without the tireless enthusiasm of Wikipedia training master Dr Alice White, who gave up her afternoon (and her voice) to train almost twenty new editors!
Dr Alice White
Richard Nevell, of the archaeological ulterior faction of Wikimedia UK, opened our eyes to the importance of Wikipedia, and how we could shape it — please do check out the livestream for his talk if you really want to know how knowledge is shaped in the Wikipedia era.
Richard Nevell
We also had a barnstorming turn from Dr Jess Wade on how she achieved a jaw-dropping 800 new women and ethnic minority scientist entries in the last few years, and what it means to be a Wikipedia activist.
But, most of all, we want to thank YOU. Thank you everyone who stepped up, got out, came down, and did something to make the world a better place. Whether it was from inside the room, down the hall in the conservation lab (big up our guerrilla conservation crew attendees!), or as far away as Brown University, thank you for pitching in. And to
@aliceestevenson, @alicia.colson, @RosyfoxySea, @uclcaal, @kateberlewen, @HelenGrayIBCLC, @CuratorLucy, @HopeMiyoba123, @an_dav ,@_Laraband, @brownarchaeolog, and all of our other contributors :
You. Rock.
We know more about Isobel Smith, Ginette Aumassip, Vera Bulatova and Galina Pugachenkova, and even UCL’s very own TrowelBlazer Ione Gedye becauses of YOU. And now, so does the rest of the world — and it matters. Because if we don’t reflect the real diversity of science, the next generation of TrowelBlazers will never see all the ways there are to be.
Dr Jess Wade addresses #TBWiki2019
BUT ITS NOT OVER BABY!
There are more resources for you to go out and change the world, without having to come all the way to London:
FREE TRAINING online here: https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/training/editing-wikipedia
Wikipedia essentials and the editing basics
Post by Brenna, Awesomeness by #TBWiki2019 participants around the world. Keep sharing your pictures and stories!
