[Imports] Suggestion: Recruit Mappers instead? Re: Preliminary Import/Organized Mapping Effort Idea

[Rory McCann]

This is definitely an area of the map could need work. Did you go to the talk at SotM about Indigenous Mapping?

I am a little surprised, and saddened, that you don't have, and don't require, any Native Americans involved with this.

Can  I make a suggestion?

Rather than your team importing this data, what if instead you search for & mentor some Native American people to add this own data themselves? Part of the joy of OSM is putting areas one cares about on  the map. Skilled OSMers like yourself can teach, mentor, and guide. There is a ready made project here for some enterprising, geeky Native American. You can show them what to do, help them navigate OSM, provide encouragement, show them how things work and how to get what they need.

Yes, my “Find & Mentor OSMer(s)” project will take longer than your original “Import the data” project, and there will be a period of time when the N.A. reservations don't appear on OSM (maybe years!). And there will be lots of hard work for you, knocking on doors, pound the pavement and trying to recruit new people.

But I think the end result is better. We would have some new, passionate OSMers, who already feel that they have made a big impact, and who come from traditionally marginalized groups. And, most importantly, it will be Native Americans themselves who are adding & mapping Native American areas. “Nothing about us, without us” and all that.

If you aren't able to this recruitment & mentoring task, then you could walk away from this import, and leave it for someone else?

There's lots of talk about diversity in OSM lately, and that's good. But remember that it comes in many forms.


-- 
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
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