Civic Contributions

At the Houston Open Source Society, we believe in using our technical skills to benefit the broader community. We actively contribute to several important civic technology and open knowledge projects that serve the public good.

Our Focus Areas

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is the world's largest collaborative mapping project, often called the "Wikipedia of maps." Our contributions to OSM help ensure that Houston and surrounding areas have accurate, up-to-date geographic information that benefits everyone.

Our OSM Activities:

• Regular mapping parties to survey and update local areas
• Improving accessibility information for public spaces
• Adding local businesses and points of interest
• Disaster response mapping during emergencies
• Training new community members on OSM editing tools

[Add specific achievements, statistics, or notable mapping projects here]

Wikipedia

Wikipedia is the world's largest encyclopedia, and we contribute to articles related to Houston, Texas history, technology, and other topics of community interest.

Our Wikipedia Activities:

• Creating and improving articles about Houston history and landmarks
• Adding citations and references to improve article quality
• Participating in Wikipedia editing workshops and edit-a-thons
• Contributing technical knowledge to technology-related articles

[Add specific articles created or improved, notable contributions, etc.]

Wikidata

Wikidata is the structured data backbone that powers Wikipedia and many other projects. We contribute structured data about Houston organizations, places, and notable figures.

Our Wikidata Activities:

• Adding structured data about Houston organizations and institutions
• Linking local entities to national and international databases
• Improving data quality and consistency
• Creating tools to help other contributors work with Wikidata

[Add specific datasets contributed, tools created, etc.]

Wikimedia Commons

Wikimedia Commons hosts millions of freely usable media files. We contribute photographs and other media files that document Houston's culture, architecture, and community life.

Our Commons Activities:

• Photography expeditions to document Houston landmarks
• Scanning and uploading historical photographs and documents
• Creating illustrations and diagrams for Wikipedia articles
• Organizing photo contests and community photography events

[Add notable photo collections, categories created, etc.]

How We Organize Our Civic Work

Monthly Focus Projects

Each month, we choose a specific civic project to focus on as a community. This might involve:

• Mapping a particular Houston neighborhood in OpenStreetMap
• Improving Wikipedia coverage of Houston-area topics
• Contributing data about local organizations to Wikidata
• Uploading photos from community events to Wikimedia Commons

Training and Workshops

We regularly host training sessions to help community members get started with these platforms:

• OSM Editing Workshops: Learn to use JOSM, iD editor, and mobile mapping apps
• Wikipedia Editing: Understanding Wikipedia policies, sourcing, and best practices
• Wikidata Fundamentals: Working with structured data and SPARQL queries
• Media Contribution: Photography best practices and Commons uploading

Tools and Resources

We maintain and contribute to various tools that make civic contribution easier:

• [List any tools, scripts, or resources you've developed]
• [Document templates or guides you've created]
• [Local data sources or partnerships you've established]

Impact and Recognition

[Add statistics about your contributions, any recognition received, partnerships established, etc.]

Get Involved

Civic contribution is one of the most rewarding aspects of open source work. Here's how you can participate:

1. Join a Civic Contribution Session: We dedicate time during our meetings to civic projects
2. Attend Training Workshops: Learn the tools and best practices for contributing
3. Suggest Local Projects: Help identify areas where Houston needs better documentation
4. Share Your Expertise: Contribute your local knowledge and professional skills
5. Lead a Project: Organize a focused contribution effort in your area of interest

Resources and Links

• OpenStreetMap: openstreetmap.org
• Wikipedia: wikipedia.org
• Wikidata: wikidata.org
• Wikimedia Commons: commons.wikimedia.org

[Add links to your organization's specific contributions, user pages, or project pages on these platforms]

Ready to make a difference? Join us at our next meeting or reach out on [Discord]({{ config.extra.discord_url }}) to learn more about our civic contribution efforts.