Wikimedia Foundation elections/2022/Candidates/Joris Darlington Quarshie
Joris Darlington Quarshie (Joris Darlington Quarshie)
[edit]Joris Darlington Quarshie (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) |
I have served as a mentor, facilitator, and community lead and also provided technical support to multiple Wikimedia underrepresented communities and volunteers specifically in Africa. I do look forward to extending a helping hand to other underrepresented communities and contributors globally.
For the past few months, my main focus has been on localizing Wikimedia tools and projects in other to contribute to resolving some of the demanding issues related to underrepresented communities globally. One of my objectives is to collaborate with Wikimedia affiliates and communities in other to come up with better tools to support multilingual free knowledge across all Wikimedia projects and contribute to the resolution of Wikimedia global issues. Based on my past experience in public policy, I want to contribute to the implementation of policies that are in-line with the movement strategy implementation and the global council in other to ensure there's equality for all. | |
| 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) |
For contributions to Wikimedia projects, here are a few;
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Expertise in skill areas identified as needs by the Board.
(150 word maximum) |
I do have the skills in monitoring and evaluation, organisational strategy, programs management, product and project management, data science, facilitation and mentoring, community development and management in my previous professional positions for these companies and communities respectively; AirtellTigo Ghana, Open Foundation West Africa, Azubi Africa, Zindi Africa, Upath Canada, Starters Technology and the African Wikimedia Technical Community. Where I worked as an Independent entrepreneur developer for AirtelTigo Ghana, Technical and Programs Officer for Open Found West Africa, Data Scientist for Azubi Africa, Country Ambassador for Zindi Africa, Product Manager for Upath Canada, STEM and STEAM facilitator and Community Lead for the African Wikimedia Technical Community. I have also been able to develop skills in public policy and the law whiles working for an outsourcing and recruitment company in Ghana called Elite Jobs Ghana as one of their Technical Recruitment Managers on a contractual basis. | |
| 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) |
I am a Ghanaian Wikimedian, born, raised, working and currently living in Ghana in the African Region. One of my experiences is about "Open the Knowledge." For many years, foreign media and tourists have provided insufficient content about Africa to the world, which paints a negative picture of the African region. So far I have seen Wiki-in-Africa and some other African affiliates of the Wikimedia Foundation putting in some work with regards to the Open Knowledge initiative in order to raise awareness of the biases, under-representation, and inequities in our movement that continue to close Wikimedia projects to much of the world’s people and knowledge. I do have the motive of collaborating with African Wikimedians to change the narrative or perception when it comes to the African Continent as a whole. | |
| 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 grew up learning multiple languages in school and in my local community due to the diverse people I stayed with and schooled with. I was able to learn how to read and write some languages such as Afrikaans, Asante Twi, Fanti, Akan, Akuapem Twi, English and some basic French and Spanish. I have worked on multiple contractual translation jobs remotely and voluntary. Some of the organisations I have done translations for are; RightsCon and the Ghana Bible Society. Aside from my external translation jobs, I have contributed massively when it comes to translating pages on Wikimedia projects, tools and other softwares. I am currently in the process of creating a translation tool to help contributors in Africa to translate Wikimedia Projects from English into their local languages specifically for Afrikaans, Twi, Akan, Ewe, Dagbani, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Swahili. One of my translation projects was for the Kiwix Andriod app on playstore. I am currently also collaborating with some Nigerian Wikimedians to come up with a tool and a Wikimedia Education Program to help the blind and visually impaired people to be able to read and contribute to Wikimedia Projects. Through my previous Wikimedia Projects and events, I have collaborated and worked with people from diverse backgrounds based on countries, ethnicities, religions and tribes to have successful events and projects. Which has contributed a lot to my life in terms of knowledge. | |
| 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) |
As a citizen of the global village, I am an advocate for human rights, specifically in the area of silent threats against the safety of journalists around the world with regard to freedom of expression and media development. In recent years, I have advocated with UNESCO to help protect the rights of journalists around the world and to provide safe spaces for them. Looking at the global and regional killings of journalists around the world from 2016 to 2020, the impunity of crimes against journalists and other attacks and threats, such as enforced disappearance, kidnapping, and arbitrary detention, is what motivates me to advocate for the human rights of journalists not only in Africa but the world at large. | |
| 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 do come from a smaller ethnic group in Ghana, which is underrepresented when it comes to power and influence. In terms of population, we are about 1.4% of the total population of Ghana. I would prefer not to share further details at the moment. | |
| Verification | Identity verification performed by Wikimedia Foundation staff and eligibility verification performed by the Elections Committee | |
Eligibility:  VerifiedVerified by: Matanya (talk) 09:01, 17 May 2022 (UTC) |
Identification: Verified Verified by: Joe Sutherland (Wikimedia Foundation) (talk) 23:54, 18 May 2022 (UTC) | |