I'd like for you to consider doing something for me.

Think about the people in your circles. Your cousins, your neighbors, your friends' kids. Do you know anyone who is trying to figure out how to get ahead in their career, or how to get a foot in the door in the tech industry?

Then check whether any of those folks are eligible for Outreachy, a paid, mentored telecommuting internship program to help people get started in the open source industry. And "Anyone who faces under-representation, systemic bias, or discrimination in the technology industry of their country is invited to apply."

You can send them a link to the Outreachy applicant guide. Applications for the May to August 2020 round are due February 25.

And even if you don't know anyone who should consider applying, you can put a poster up at a local coffee shop, laundromat, or community college.

I love Outreachy. It's a curated, mentored, paid first step to help grow people's careers and capabilities, and it steadily introduces more diversity -- on many dimensions -- into our teams. Help more people discover it?