Almost every open source contributor remembers the moment of their first pull request: reading and rereading guidelines, worrying about doing something wrong, and wondering whether the new community they are trying to join will accept them and value their contributions.
Mariatta Wijaya brings that experience to the center of her 2026 GW OSCON keynote. A Python Core Developer and open-source leader, she has focused much of her work on making contribution processes more transparent, more humane, and easier to navigate—especially for first-time contributors. Her career reflects how lowering that initial barrier can strengthen entire projects.
Everyone Starts Somewhere
Mariatta’s path into open source wasn’t carefully curated. In fact:
“I didn’t even know [contributing to open source] was something I could be participating in.”
This changed when she attended her first PyCon in 2015. With financial support from the PyLadies community, she traveled, attended talks, and engaged directly with the Python community. There, she discovered that open source operates not only through code, but also through collaborative communities.
During the conference, she listened to Python creator Guido van Rossum address the underrepresentation of women on the Python core team. At the time, Mariatta didn’t see herself as the solution. But, a year later, when little had changed, she decided to act by reaching out to request mentorship and taking the first steps toward contributing.
That decision set off a chain reaction: learning how to contribute, discovering new projects, and participating in events like Hacktoberfest that opened even more doors. What started as a daunting first email became a sustained, meaningful open-source journey.
Helping Where You Can
Mariatta emphasizes that open-source contributions extend beyond writing code.
“Even documentation,” she notes, “you don’t need to be a developer for that… There are other areas you can contribute to.”
In large projects like Python, these contributions are essential. Documentation, governance, teaching, mentorship, and knowledge sharing support sustainable project growth. These areas also provide accessible entry points for newcomers and individuals from non-traditional technical backgrounds.
Mariatta emphasizes that newcomers bring something uniquely valuable: perspective. Users, beginners, and people encountering a project for the first time often see gaps and solutions that long-time maintainers may miss.
“You don’t have to be the one writing the library to be the one speaking about it or promoting it.”
This broader understanding of contribution is central to how Mariatta approaches both technical work and community leadership, and it resonates strongly with students and first-time contributors.
Open Source as a Community Skill
As open-source projects grow, the skills required to sustain them also expand. In addition to technical expertise, contributors must develop the ability to make decisions that benefit the entire community.
“You really need to understand what the community as a whole needs–and that’s a different skill.”
This mindset reflects challenges that extend beyond technology, including collective decision-making, shared responsibility, and collaboration across diverse perspectives. As a result, open-source experience is highly applicable to leadership, research, civic technology, and public-interest work.
Mariatta’s career demonstrates that open source encompasses more than software production; it involves learning to work openly, thoughtfully, and collaboratively with individuals worldwide.
Leadership, Representation, and Paying It Forward
As one of the first women to become a Python core developer, Mariatta’s leadership has brought both visibility and responsibility. She discusses her experiences with impostor syndrome and the time it took to take pride in this achievement.
Rather than focusing on the title itself, she’s chosen to use her position to create opportunities for others by mentoring new contributors, supporting first-time speakers, and advocating for underrepresented voices in technical fields.
“I do feel there is some sort of responsibility for me to bring even more women into this field. There is a power here…to give voice to people who are not yet in the room.”
Why Her Message Matters Now
Mariatta’s story illustrates the strengths of open source, including its capacity to foster learning, collaboration, and growth through participation. At its best, open source enables individuals to discover new skills and find a sense of belonging within communities.
She also emphasizes that creating a welcoming open-source environment requires continuous effort. As communities expand, ongoing work is necessary to ensure participants feel supported, respected, and encouraged to contribute.
For those interested in open source—whether in coding, policy, research, or collaborative systems—her perspective provides both inspiration and a practical invitation to show up, start where you are, and build openly. We couldn’t be more excited to have Mariatta join us for OSCON 2026 and share more about her journey for the GW community.