April Sides Receives 2026 Aaron Winborn Award at DrupalCon

April Sides received the 2026 Aaron Winborn Award at DrupalCon Chicago, recognising her contributions to accessibility advocacy, event organisation, and community support within the Drupal ecosystem. The award honours individuals who demonstrate integrity, kindness, and sustained commitment to community-driven work.

The recognition highlights the role of non-code contributions in sustaining the Drupal project, including mentorship, event coordination, and accessibility initiatives. The Aaron Winborn Award serves as a community-driven acknowledgement of work that supports participation and continuity across the ecosystem.

The award is presented annually in memory of Aaron Winborn, a longtime Drupal contributor who died in 2015. It recognises individuals whose contributions reflect care, responsibility, and sustained engagement with the community.

The announcement was made during a DrupalCon Chicago session by AmyJune Hineline and Mark Casias, members of the Drupal Community Working Group’s conflict resolution team. They described the selection process as community-led, with open nominations followed by voting and final selection involving both the working group and previous recipients.

April Sides was recognised for supporting the Drupal community through initiatives such as organising DrupalCamp Asheville, contributing to accessibility-focused meetups, participating in the Community Health Team, and supporting events through the Midwest Open Source Alliance. Her work was described in nominations as consistent and grounded in care and responsibility toward the community.

In her remarks, April described the Drupal community as one shaped by a culture of support and participation. She said her contributions were a way to give back to a community that provided opportunities for professional and personal growth.

She also acknowledged collaborators, employers, and family support, noting that her work depended on shared effort. She referenced her involvement in organising events, accessibility initiatives, and community programmes as part of that broader contribution.

Organisers noted that the award itself is produced annually by members of the Drupal community, with this year’s physical award created by a contributor based in the Czech Republic.

Earlier in the session, organisers announced that DrupalCon Europe 2026 will take place in Rotterdam from 28 September to 1 October. They also introduced a new DrupalCAN conference planned for 2027 in Canada, with the location yet to be confirmed.

The session further confirmed that DrupalCon North America 2027 will be held in Orlando, providing early visibility for future event planning within the community.

The Aaron Winborn Award continues to recognise contributions that strengthen the Drupal community beyond technical development, reinforcing the importance of collaboration, mentorship, and community care.