Open Source Summit North America 2023

How many times have you heard the phrases "chop wood and carry water," "look for the good first issues," "triage the issues queue," or "introduce yourself to the community"? Open Source projects throw around these phrases as if they are the panacea for getting from contributor to maintainer. They can only help if you know what they mean! Demystifying the path to leadership in Open Source is imperative to the industry because we can’t grow if we aren’t welcoming the next generation of contributors to our projects with clear and inclusive language. Here are some better questions to ask when approaching a new Open Source project: Are there any issues in the “first issues” queue? How do I introduce myself to the community? What contributions are needed most by this community? How do I climb the community role ladder toward leadership? People need guidance and support when climbing from the valley of becoming a new contributor to the zenith of maintainer. In this presentation I cover tips and trick on how to conquer that journey. Through practical examples of how I became a Helm maintainer, I hope that more people will realize it is within their grasp to become maintainers in Open Source projects. And the reality is that these projects NEED you.