Accessibility Not an Option; Should Be a Default: AmyJune Hineline | FLDC
Drupal Camp Florida is a little more than a week away, and along with the Drupal community, TheDropTimes (TDT) is getting ready. As an in-kind sponsor, we are looking to receive a few interviews from the members of the Florida DrupalCamp.
We are beginning the series with AmyJune Hineline, one of the lead organizers of Florida Drupal Camp. This year she is helping out with training, social media, and contributions.
AmyJune is currently the Senior Community Manager for Opensource.com. She is eager to help individuals become more comfortable and confident as they contribute to their communities. AmyJune is also an active organizer of the A11yTalks meetup and is passionate about accessible information for all. She is a CWG Community Health Team member and has completed the Code of Conduct contact training offered through the CWG.
Alethia Braganza, sub-editor of TDT, reached out to AmyJune via slack and carried out a written interview, sending in a set of questions via email. Below is the completed interview.
[TDT 1] Can you talk a little about your Drupal journey, a memory that has remained with you to date, and your role as Senior community manager at Opensource.com?
[AmyJune] My Drupal journey started with DrupalEasy classes, doing a little development, and then having the opportunity of moving into a community role where I could work on camp organization, core mentoring, and various community projects. I have the privilege of working on the editorial team for Opensource.com, which I can leverage to ask my Drupal friends and colleagues for content to amplify Drupal.
[TDT 2] With DrupalCamp Florida on its way, can you walk our readers through the day of lead organizers in preparation? What roles are you overlooking?
[AmyJune] Preparation, of course, starts right after camp by securing dates and then promoting the camp all year. Lead organizers have specific roles that they take on, but we all work together on most tasks. This year I am helping with training, social media, and contributions.
[TDT 3] What is the one thing you look forward to at DrupalCamp Florida 2023?
[AmyJune] Not sure I can limit it to one thing! We have some of the best presenters and attendees that camps can hope to have. We plan inclusivity with our sessions and social activities. But the taco lunch is always a great success.
[TDT 4] How would you encourage the Drupal Community members to equip themselves before the camp’s commencement?
[AmyJune] Prepare to have fun and be ready for world-class knowledge sharing. We have training sessions, mini sessions, and contribution day. The lineup of speakers is one of the best lineups at a camp I have seen in a while—lots of topics and a broad range of expertise.
[TDT 5] You will take over one of the training sessions alongside Tearyne D. Almendariz called “Getting started with Drupal.” Being it a beginner training session, would you brief the readers about what the training will entail?
[AmyJune] Attendees will walk away with the basic building blocks of Drupal, some backstories, and how to get involved in the community. Basic building blocks include creating content types, blocks, views, and layouts.
[TDT 6] You are an active organizer of the A11yTalks meetup. The mission of these meetups is towards accessible information for all. Can you brief us about the meaning of accessible information and what led you toward this goal? How can we as a community be an aid towards accessible information?
[AmyJune] Accessibility is not an option or an add-on. It should be a default. I am a hospice nurse by trade, so I have a deep understanding of how difficult it can be for disabled folks to access even simple things like their email and still have a sense of privacy. When we choose inaccessibility, we are disabling people.