{"id":4501,"date":"2025-07-23T18:40:55","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T22:40:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/?p=4501"},"modified":"2025-07-30T18:28:01","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T22:28:01","slug":"amplifying-diverse-voices-in-wordpress-a-conversation-with-winstina-hughes-founder-of-support-inclusion-in-tech-sinc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/amplifying-diverse-voices-in-wordpress-a-conversation-with-winstina-hughes-founder-of-support-inclusion-in-tech-sinc\/","title":{"rendered":"Amplifying Diverse Voices in WordPress: A Conversation\u202fwith Winstina\u202fHughes, Founder of Support\u202fInclusion\u202fin\u202fTech (SiNC)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At WCEH, we believe Canada\u2019s greatest strength is its mosaic of perspectives – and that spirit extends across the global WordPress community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One advocate living out that value every day is Winstina Hughes, MCRP<\/strong>, founder of Support\u202fInclusion\u202fin\u202fTech (SiNC)<\/strong>. Over virtual coffee, we chatted with Winstina about why diverse representation matters, how SiNC funds speaker travel to WordCamps, and what\u2019s next for her rapidly growing initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Defining Moment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

WCEH:<\/strong> Let\u2019s start with a personal story. When did you realise more diverse voices were needed in tech, and what moved you to get involved?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winstina<\/strong>: Black women are rare yet invaluable in tech. As outsiders, we deeply understand the intentionality needed for truly inclusive spaces where all diverse voices thrive. We bring rich perspectives, innovation, resilience, and strong community-building. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a graduate student pursuing an advanced degree in transportation planning, I was a rarity in WordPress. I remain involved in the WordPress New York City community because Cami Kaos and Steve Bruner recognized this in me and encouraged me to contribute to the Make WordPress community team as a Meetup and WordCamp Organizer.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Birth & Future of SiNC<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

WCEH:<\/strong> How did that experience evolve into SiNC, and where do you see it in five years?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winstina:<\/strong> This background gave me the insight to support inclusion in technology in a way that increased black voices and sent underrepresented speakers from five continents and the Caribbean to WordCamps through partnerships. In five years, <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Increase the number of diverse speakers at WordPress events worldwide.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Expand our mentor – mentee programme.<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Launch contributor cohorts across all<\/strong> regions – Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle\u202fEast, North\u202fand South America.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The Dollars and Cents of Inclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    WCEH:<\/strong> Funding travel isn\u2019t cheap. How do you keep the lights on, and how can the community help?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Winstina:<\/em><\/strong> My consulting company covers SiNC’s operating essentials and my partners provide in-kind donations like marketing, design, web hosting, and plugins for our website. Several partners have covered diverse talent’s travel expenses, enabling them to speak at WordCamps.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It’s super kind of you to express an interest in helping. Since we launched three years ago, I’m frequently asked how we sustain our work. Donating to SINC’s Open Collective Tiers directly helps our mission to foster inclusion in the WordPress community. This month, I created the “Maintainer” tier, where a $16.38\/month contribution covers 100% of SiNC’s operational essentials. The number of monthly donors is capped.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How the Grant Process Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    WCEH:<\/strong> Walk us through a typical grant – from application to reimbursement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Winstina<\/strong>: A diverse speaker has to receive their WordCamp acceptance email to apply for support. That’s it. The application for support is on our website<\/a>. After applying they are paired with a partner. They then submit their travel expenses for reimbursement.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    From 2022-2023, we paired speakers directly with partners, each with their own budget. Yoast currently remains an active partner accepting applications. In 2024, I began fundraising on Open Collective for speaker support. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Right now, 6 Open Collective grants are available on a first-come basis.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Ripple Effect of Representation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    WCEH<\/strong>: How would tech – and WordCamps – change if we fully lived out SiNC\u2019s vision?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Winstina<\/strong>: A commitment to all backgrounds, perspectives, and skill sets directly translates to superior tech products, services, and an undeniably better WordCamp.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A Word to the Hesitant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    WCEH<\/strong>: What would you say to someone who\u2019s hesitant to contribute or get involved?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Winstina<\/strong>: Trust me. You offer something no one else has. <\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How You Can Support Increased Representation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Donate:<\/strong> Join the Maintainer tier<\/strong> (or any tier) on SiNC\u2019s Open\u202fCollective<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Partner:<\/strong> Offer in\u2011kind services – design, hosting, plugin licences, marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Mentor:<\/strong> Volunteer time to guide emerging speakers and contributors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Share:<\/strong> Spread the word about SiNC grants to under\u2011represented voices in your networks<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    From Vancouver to St.\u202fJohn\u2019s – and across the globe – WordPress thrives when every voice is heard. Winstina \u202fHughes reminds us that inclusivity isn\u2019t just the Canadian way; it\u2019s the future of tech. If you\u2019ve ever wondered whether your contribution matters, consider this your invitation to jump in, eh?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Interested in virtual coffee with Winstina? Drop her a line – she\u2019s brewing up change, one conversation at a time.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Winstina<\/figure>
    \n

    Winstina Hughes<\/a> is an experienced transportation planner and passionate community builder, educated at Rutgers University. She’s adept at creating inclusive and equitable communities, leveraging her expertise in transportation and technology for positive impact. As an open-source leader passionate about inclusion, she founded Support Inclusion in Tech (SiNC)<\/a> with partners to fund travel for diverse WordPress speakers, fostering a more equitable open-source community. In 2024, she was a Yoast Care fund recipient<\/a> for SiNC’s impact and her work organizing WordCamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Newsletter:\u00a0\u00a0Sign-up<\/a>
    Linkedin:\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0    Connect<\/a> Follow\u00a0SupportInclusioninTech<\/a>
    Website:\u00a0     Support Inclusion in Tech<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    At WCEH, we believe Canada\u2019s greatest strength is its mosaic of perspectives – and that spirit extends across the global WordPress community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":243338,"featured_media":5398,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/07\/SiNC-featured.jpg?fit=2560%2C1440&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7813,"url":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wceh-keynote-jill-binder\/","url_meta":{"origin":4501,"position":0},"title":"WCEH Keynote: Jill Binder","author":"Dan Knauss","date":"September 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Based in Vancouver, Jill is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking work in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging within the WordPress community and beyond. Her programs, including the Diverse Speaker Training Group, have been adopted by WordPress meetups and WordCamps around the world, making WordPress events more reflective of the vibrant,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/category\/featured\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Jill Binder","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/08\/jill-binder-e1757003047571.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/08\/jill-binder-e1757003047571.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/08\/jill-binder-e1757003047571.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/08\/jill-binder-e1757003047571.jpg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8965,"url":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/arrived-early-at-wceh-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":4501,"position":1},"title":"Arrived early at WCEH 2025","author":"Dave Winer","date":"October 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Arrived at Carleton Univ, after a 6AM breakfast. Everyone is very cheerful. I met Ryan who is the developer of the WordPress API that WordLand uses. These are web people, one of the last bastions? We all have to work together. And I think we actually are working together. :-)","rel":"","context":"In "Speakers"","block_context":{"text":"Speakers","link":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/category\/speakers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/10\/5cffb098-2bcd-4447-bb1e-742829c4abec1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/10\/5cffb098-2bcd-4447-bb1e-742829c4abec1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/10\/5cffb098-2bcd-4447-bb1e-742829c4abec1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/10\/5cffb098-2bcd-4447-bb1e-742829c4abec1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/10\/5cffb098-2bcd-4447-bb1e-742829c4abec1-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1311,"url":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/call-for-sponsors\/","url_meta":{"origin":4501,"position":2},"title":"Call for Sponsors","author":"James Giroux","date":"March 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Sponsoring WCEH is an opportunity to engage deeply with the WordPress community, showcase your brand in front of decision-makers, and create lasting relationships with developers, agency leaders, and business owners who rely on WordPress.","rel":"","context":"In "Updates"","block_context":{"text":"Updates","link":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/category\/updates\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/03\/DSC5809-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/03\/DSC5809-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/03\/DSC5809-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/03\/DSC5809-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/03\/DSC5809-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2896,"url":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wordcamp-canada-2025-a-new-look-for-a-new-chapter\/","url_meta":{"origin":4501,"position":3},"title":"WordCamp Canada 2025: A New Look for a New Chapter","author":"marybaum","date":"May 6, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"WCEH25 has a fresh new logo, thanks to our Design lead, Alleanna Barrera from Vancouver, BC!","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/category\/featured\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"A duotone bronze dithered photographic image of the Parliamment Hill skyline facing the houses of parliament in Ottawa, ON.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/05\/Website-BGs-Parliament.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/05\/Website-BGs-Parliament.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/05\/Website-BGs-Parliament.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/05\/Website-BGs-Parliament.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/05\/Website-BGs-Parliament.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3991,"url":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wordcamp-canada-flier-for-meetups\/","url_meta":{"origin":4501,"position":4},"title":"WordCamp Canada Flier for Meetups","author":"Troy Chaplin","date":"June 23, 2025","format":"aside","excerpt":"Spread the word about WordCamp Canada! Here's a flier you can download and share.","rel":"","context":"In "Updates"","block_context":{"text":"Updates","link":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/category\/updates\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"WordPress Meetup preparation, snacks and swags","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/06\/816376d5dc39bda8.71680522-2048x1536-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/06\/816376d5dc39bda8.71680522-2048x1536-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/06\/816376d5dc39bda8.71680522-2048x1536-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/06\/816376d5dc39bda8.71680522-2048x1536-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/06\/816376d5dc39bda8.71680522-2048x1536-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9188,"url":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wish-i-had-gone-to-wordcamp-much-sooner\/","url_meta":{"origin":4501,"position":5},"title":"Wish I had gone to WordCamp much sooner","author":"Dave Winer","date":"November 3, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I couldn't figure out how to connect with such a distributed group of people, and it was right out there at the WordCamps. Geez how could i have missed that. I've been out of practice, i guess. Now the big question is which wordcamp should I go to next? ;-)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Speakers"","block_context":{"text":"Speakers","link":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/category\/speakers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/10\/dave-keynote-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/10\/dave-keynote-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/10\/dave-keynote-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/10\/dave-keynote-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/files\/2025\/10\/dave-keynote-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/243338"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4501"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4501\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5589,"href":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4501\/revisions\/5589"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canada.wordcamp.org\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}