The Open Infrastructure Foundation (OIF) has made Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) a cornerstone of its mission. Understanding that building the next generation of infrastructure requires the perspectives of a global and varied community, the foundation has established robust frameworks to ensure everyone has a seat at the table.
Diversity & Inclusion Working Group
At the heart of these efforts is the Diversity & Inclusion Working Group. This body acts as the strategic engine for the foundation’s DEI goals. It identifies barriers to entry and participation within the ecosystem and actively works to remove them. The group’s influence extends across the entire organization, from the Governing Board to individual project contributors.
A Broad Definition of Diversity
The OIF champions a comprehensive definition of diversity. It goes beyond the standard demographics to include race, gender identity, national origin, language, disability, and even problem-solving approaches. This “big tent” approach ensures that the community values cognitive diversity as much as demographic representation, fostering more innovative technical solutions.
Key Initiatives
- Community Code of Conduct: A rigorous and strictly enforced Code of Conduct ensures that all community spaces—physical and virtual—remain safe and welcoming. It explicitly prohibits harassment and discrimination, creating a psychological safety net for new and underrepresented members.
- Travel Support Program: Recognizing that economic disparities often hinder participation, the OIF offers travel grants to help individuals from underrepresented groups and developing economies attend major events like the OpenInfra Summit.
- Inclusive Naming: The foundation actively supports the movement to remove exclusionary language from codebases and documentation, aligning its projects with modern, inclusive terminology standards.
Connecting the Ecosystem
The OIF’s work mirrors and complements similar efforts across the open source landscape. For instance, the Linux Foundation and OpenStack have long championed similar programs, creating a unified front for inclusivity. You can read more about their specific collaborative efforts in our Linux Foundation and OpenStack DEI analysis.
Furthermore, as the ecosystem evolves—marked by significant strategic moves like the OpenInfra Foundation’s intent to join the Linux Foundation—these DEI values become the “glue” that holds these merging communities together, ensuring that growth does not come at the cost of inclusion.
