We continue our series of interviews with key figures and local organizers of the #SheSaid 2024 campaign. Following our insightful conversation with Florence Devouard (read the interview here), we are excited to shine the spotlight on Ciell, who is leading the campaign in the Netherlands for the very first time. As a passionate advocate for gender equality, Ciell has taken on the challenge of amplifying women’s voices through Wikiquote, ensuring that notable Dutch women are represented.
Could you tell us about yourself?
I joined the Wikimedia projects in 2006 and became active for Gender gap related topics at Wikimania 2012. I am active on several projects, mainly as admin and content creator, and mostly in the Dutch and English languages.
What inspired you to become a local organizer for the #SheSaid campaign?
WikiConNL 2024 – Shesaid intro
My first contributions to Wikiquote were by adding some of my favorite lyrics, and actually misunderstanding the goal of Wikiquote! Through #SheSaid I got to understand the projects’ true intention and I added a page with a famous quote by the current Dutch queen, and found out how much uncharted territory there still was on the project.
I have finished a long project I was involved in this year, and finally have enough time available to help others see the great potential Wikiquote has. And I got even more inspired when a Wikidata query showed me only 1 in 10 pages on our local Wikiquote is about a woman!
In your view, how important is the #SheSaid campaign in addressing the gender gap on Wikiquote?How have you engaged your community in your local #SheSaid campaign, and what methods have been most effective in encouraging participation?
Dutch SheSaid 2024 prints
The Dutch Wikiquote campaign just started on October 1st, and I’ll give 2 workshops this month. One at a partner institute of our Dutch Gender Gap working group, a big archive for women history in the Netherlands in Amsterdam: Atria. And the other one during our monthly Open Office-Saturday in the WMNL office in Utrecht.
Wikimedia Netherlands accepted my request for a micro-grant to get the bookmarks and postcards printed: they were impressed by the beautiful materials the international #SheSaid team had designed, and that were easy to adopt into our own language and topics. Earlier this year we borrowed a button maker machine, and created #SheSaid buttons with people’s favorite quotes at the Dutch WikiCon. We’ll be reaching out to people with online banners, social media posts, and at gatherings all through the rest of the year.
What challenges have you faced in organizing your local #SheSaid campaign, and how did you overcome them?
I have not encountered any real challenges, everyone is very enthusiastic and helpful!
Have you collaborated with any other organizations or groups in your region to boost the success of your campaign?
Yes, we are involving partners like the Dutch National Archives and Atria, archive for Dutch gender history in Amsterdam. We are also combining forces with the Dutch Wiki Goes Carribean and LGBTQ+ Wikiprojects.
Belle van Zuylen Bookmark
What strategies do you think can help bring new groups and communities on board, particularly those that have not been previously involved?
One of the great things for newbies is that our Wikiquote only has a few basic rules. The support of the admins is great, and the atmosphere is open and welcoming. The Wikiquote community will go the extra mile because they really appreciate your contribution to the smaller project.
What advice would you give to someone organizing a #SheSaid campaign for the first time?
Try to collect some funds, and have some materials or swag printed. #SheSaid lasts for three months, and not everyone that hears or sees the campaign will jump to contribute. But when they get home, unpack their bag, and find the bookmark again, they are reminded of the project. The tangible reminder can be very valuable in engaging more people in your project.
The #SheSaid campaign highlights women’s voices, but inclusivity remains a key topic in today’s discussions. What are your thoughts on how the campaign addresses inclusivity while focusing on women’s perspectives?
Our Gender Gap and LGBTQ+ , as well as other working groups, often have considerable overlap in trainers, participants and other interested parties. This overlap allows these wiki projects to strengthen each other, but we are also fine with each organizing projects specific to its own audience. In fact, our participants often appreciate that sometimes there are projects that are more focused on one topic than another; it makes for a nice variety in activities. It is however equally important that there is no exclusion, and #SheSaid is very clear about that: all contributors are welcome, just as every contribution to Wikiquote is appreciated. However, the focus in the drive is on quotes by women.
Looking back, is there anything you would do differently based on your experiences?
As this is the very first edition of #SheSaid for the Dutch Wikiquote, we are still learning as we go!
What is your favorite women-empowering quote?
My favorite one is by the Dutch-Suiss writer Belle van Zuylen. In the second half of the 18th century she wrote thousands of letters and published novels, pamphlets, plays and diaries, most of them about politics and happenings in the high society circles she moved around in. She was sort of a royalty reporter of her time. Belle fell crazy in love herself when she was 14, but the love was not answered. She received several requests for marriage in the years after, turning them all down. Her most famous reply to one of these proposal letters was:
“You are quite right that I would not be suited to become your wife, on that we are in complete agreement: I have no talent for subordination.” (“Je n’ai pas les talents subalternes.”)
Read more about the campaign and the fifth edition in our #SheSaid 2024 Launch diffand don’t forget to follow us on social media:
