2025:Program/Cup stacking with peers, without your hands!

Session title: Cup stacking with peers, without your hands!

Session type: Workshop - 85 minutes

Track: Clubhouse Social

Language: en

A hands on, (maybe even no words necessary for those who are shy!) interactive, Connectathon with your peers. Build a castle of cups with only string, rubber bands and your team members.

Description

Objective: Increase social connections for Let’s Connectors and people who are not familiar with Let’s Connect at Wikimania in a relaxed and fun environment.

Aims:The aim of this Connectathon is to build community together, foster new relationships at Wikimania, and create a safe, fun environment for everyone to meet in person for the first time.

This Connectathon is to, at random, split the participants into teams of 3-5 people and each team will be given 6 plastic cups, a rubber band and a string for every person there is on the team. One end of the string will be tied to the one rubber band and the end of the string that is not tied, everyone will hold. At this stage everyone will be holding the rubber band mid air by strings.

Each person on every team will be pulling at their own string to adjust the one rubber band to rap around the bottom of each cup, where the end goal is to work together to stack the cups into a pyramid without touching the cups with your hands.

How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 – Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?

Our session relates to the event theme: Inclusivity, Impact & Sustainability because this Connectathon will foster a relaxed, fun environment for Wikimedians to connect with each other. Everyone, regardless of the languages one speaks or does not speak, will feel welcomed and valued. This Connectathon will encourage all attendees, regardless of their number of years in the movement to partake in a team building activity. To practice sustainability and inclusivity, one must also actively participate with Wikimedians who are from all levels in their contributions/editing skills and languages. Wikimedians need spaces to have Wiki fun to remember that impact does not always have to be serious or burdensome - it can be shared, enjoyable experiences that lead to positive outcomes. Fun activities can lead communities to long lasting relationships that build a healthy movement.

What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?

Everyone can participate in this session

Speakers

• Let’s Connect & the Let’s Connect Working Group

Hello! We are the Let’s Connect program, a collaborative effort led by eight members from the Let’s Connect working group, each representing one of the eight regions. Our initiative was founded by Jessica Stephenson, who believed that peer-to-peer learning is essential for the sustainability of the Wikimedia movement.

Each month, we host learning clinics where we work together with a diverse range of Wikimedians, including affiliates, new and experienced organizers, and recently, newcomers. Our primary aim is to create safe, relaxed learning environments that showcase what interactive, peer-to-peer learning can look like both online and in person.

We invite individuals from various communities to share their expertise on a wide variety of topics, enabling us to learn from their experiences and challenges. With speakers from within the community, Let’s Connect participants gain valuable insights from real-Wiki experiences and highlights of current projects, programs, and tools in action.

• JStephenson (WMF)

I am Colombian, British and Brazilian and grew up moving around the world.

I studied politics and history and have a Master's in Development Studies. For the last 25 years I have worked in project design, management and evaluation in issues related to education, peace building, improving livelihoods, youth and gender equity. A main feature of my work has been empowering diverse communities through innovative movement strategies. This has ranged from working with indigenous women's movements in remote regions in Colombia to youth groups in Brazil.

I have been part of the Movement since April 2021 when I joined the Wikimedia Foundation. I currently work within the Community Devleopment team supporting hub initiatives and Let's Connect.

• Justice Okai-Allotey (User:Owula kpakpo)

I have been a Ghanaian Wikipedian since February 2016, a Freelance Digital Strategist, and currently serve as the Board Chair of the Wikimedia Ghana User Group. I am also one of the Working Group Members of the Let's Connect program. I am an active advocate for mental health, the environment, and a freelance photographer.

• Bukola James

Bukola James is a certified librarian and passionate open knowledge advocate committed to promoting open access to information and empowering communities through digital literacy. As co‑founder of Africa Wiki Women, Sub‑Saharan Liaison for the Let’s Connect working group, and Community Coordinator for the African Wikipedian Alliance, she has played a key role in fostering collaboration across the Wikimedia community. In addition to serving as vice chair of the Wikipedia + Education User Group, Bukola leads the Learnovation Network Foundation as chairperson, where she champions innovation, fosters partnerships, and drives initiatives that strengthen digital literacy and collaboration within the open knowledge movement.

• Chinmayee Mishra

Volunteer Wikimedian from a small affiliate “Odia Wikimedians User Group” from India,South Asia. WikiWomenCamp 2023 COT member and WikiWomen* Task Force member. An engineer by profession and Wikimedian by passion. I have been in the Wikimedia movement since 2016.