Nominee for 2024 Python Software Foundation Board Election

It's with great pleasure that I humbly submit my name for the 2024-2027 term of the Python Software Foundation Board of Directors. Below, you'll find information about me, an overview of my Python Community contributions, and the goals that I have if elected

Who am I

Hi! My name is Débora Azevedo and I've been a volunteer in the Python community for 10 years. As an active member of the Python community in Brazil, I co-founded PyLadies Brazil, which is the network of PyLadies chapters in the country, the largest PyLadies chapter globally. Besides, I have been volunteering in the Python community, focusing on PyLadies, teaching Python, giving advice for community managers and organizing events.

Experience with the Python community and on the board

I've been serving the PSF since 2020, even before I joined the board. I am an active participant of the Diversity and Inclusion workgroup, meeting quarterly and participating in events in panels.

As a board director, for the past 3 years, I have attended about 85% of meetings, chaired a couple of them - as my duty as vice chair states - providing insights and points of discussion, focusing on getting the community closer to the PSF and empowering other fellow board members.

While being part of the board, I acted most on D&I duties, such as the sliding scale membership - as a way to improve more participation from the community as supporting (and as a consequence voting) members of the PSF. I also took part in committees such as the executive committee (meeting before hand to organize and discuss agenda topics with chair, vice chair, treasurer and secretary) and PyCon US committee (as a board member in the insides of the organization of PyCon US, understanding its magnitude and discussing actions for the conference).

Apart from that, I kept doing local/regional work, advising and helping community organizers to apply for grants, speaking at conferences and local meetups.

As I like to say, all this volunteer work takes much of our free time. This is the only resource we cannot take back, but I gladly spend some of it working on and for the Python community, which has allowed me to grow so much! We're investing our time to teach, advise and do outreach.

Speaking at conferences

Organizing conferences

Awards

Python community relevant work

PyLadies Brazil co-founder (2014)
Django Girls Natal organizer ( 2017)
First PyLadies Brazil Conf chair (2018)
Python Brazil conference co-organizer (2018 and 2021)
Python Nordeste conference co-organizer (2015 and 2024)
PyLadies at Python Brazil crowdfunding campaign chair (2018 and 2019)
Python Brazil conference keynote (2019)
PyLadies Global Interim member (2019-2020)
PSF fellow member (2020)
Diversity and Inclusion workgroup (2020 onward)
PSF board member (2021-2024), being vice chair (2022-2024)
Part of the Booth Fairies, PSF volunteers that organized the PSF booth at PyCon US (2023-2024)
PSF Membership committee (2024)

Goals as a board member

As a member of the Board of Directors there are some goals I'd like to kick start and continue working on. All of it is deeply aligned with the core values that emerge from the work I've been doing over the past decade with the Python community in Brazil and worldwide.

Help the PSF to have stronger relations to community members by working on advertising and improving projects like the office hours (that exist now for grants and current board elections), getting input from the community on what are aspects they need more clarity from the PSF
Work directly on PSF materials internationalization and translation - without materials like PSF membership documentation and registration forms available in multiple languages the PSF is not actively promoting inclusive practices for Pythonistas that aren't English proficient and/or English native speakers. This is but one example of items that can be targeted for translation, apart from Python documentation, which has been broadly translated (hooray!!).
Improve membership process with the newly created Membership committee, so we can have clearer membership types, updates on our members email lists and a smoother voting affirmation processes, empowering PSF members as they get closer to the foundation itself
Broaden the PSF's reach as an educational resource for Python in Education

Closing

In closing, I would be honored to continue serving the Python community as a PSF Director. Quoting Brett Cannon, we come for the language but stay for the community. That's why I've been sticking around for all these years and intend to give it back to the very same community as I possibly can! I hope you will consider me a suitable candidate for this mission, to represent you and your community.