Contributor Catalyst - New Contributor Perspectives From an HBCU Mentorship Program

Explore how to make open source contribution more welcoming and inclusive through this 40-minute conference talk from the Linux Foundation's Open Source Summit. Learn about the UC Santa Cruz OSPO's innovative summer mentorship program designed to support students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in contributing to open source projects. Discover how this eight-week intensive program helps participants navigate the often daunting world of open source by teaching unspoken norms, essential tools, and best practices while fostering both in-person and remote collaboration. Gain insights from both current participants and program alumni who share their experiences transitioning from novices to confident contributors, with many going on to become peer mentors, conference speakers, podcast guests, and paid open source professionals. Understand practical strategies for engaging diverse new contributors and creating more inclusive open source communities, whether you're a project maintainer, mentor, or simply curious about improving the newcomer experience in open source development.