Article written by members of Pluriclub. This event received a mini-grant from Wikimedia Canada.

On March 4, the Pluriclub project: Fabrique intersectionnelle des savoirs wiki got off to a promising start during a Wikipedia editing workshop held at the feminist artists’ center Ada X in Montreal. For two and a half hours, a small group of participants gathered to learn how the collaborative encyclopedia works and to begin contributing to it.

The workshop focused on highlighting the knowledge and contributions of Black and racialized people. This focus aligns with a research-backed observation: the representation of women and people from minority groups remains highly uneven on Wikipedia. For example, according to several analyses of the French-language Wikipedia, biographies of women account for approximately 20%. These disparities obviously do not reflect the reality of women of color. In this context, every contribution workshop constitutes an activist effort to reduce these biases. Activities of this kind not only improve the encyclopedia’s content but also open the door to new female contributors.

Creating a shared, intentional space for contribution is particularly important. Many people interested in Wikipedia hesitate to get started on their own: the rules can seem complex, and the discussion forums can sometimes be intimidating. Workshops offer a more welcoming environment for learning, asking questions, and experimenting. Beyond the contributions made during the event, these gatherings also help build a community of people ready to embrace the tools for creating knowledge online.

Photo credit: Pluriclub