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DWeb Camp 2024 and Fellowship FAQs 

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Previous Fellows setting up network infrastructure at DWeb Camp

Guest blog by ngọc triệu from the DWeb Camp Core Organizing team.

Thank you to all who joined us in our Information Sessions and took the time to share your questions with us over the past month. We received a great number of inquiries and have tried our best to answer them in this blog post. 

If you find that your questions are not covered or if you need further clarification, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at dweb+fellowship@archive.org.

Fellowship

Q: What are the qualities that you are looking for in Fellows?
A: In selecting Fellows, we seek individuals who are building or leveraging network technologies to uplift communities facing systemic inequality and help bring about autonomy, resilience, justice and social equity. Rather than adhering to a rigid set of criteria, we embrace diversity in backgrounds and expertises among our Fellows.

Learn more about the qualifications here. 

Q: How are the Fellows selected?
A: The Fellows are chosen by the Fellowship Selection Committee, which comprises past Fellows and members of the DWeb Core Team. Applications will be evaluated across four key areas:

  1. DWeb Technology and Organizing: To what extent does the applicant utilize decentralized web technology and/or decentralized organizing tactics to tackle real-world challenges?
  1. Community Engagement: How actively does the applicant work directly with and for under-resourced constituencies or marginalized communities?
  1. DWeb Principles Alignment: Does the applicant and their work resonate with the values and spirit of the DWeb Principles?
  1. Camp Participation: To what degree would the applicant benefit from attending Camp, and vice versa, how important is it that their perspective and experience is shared at the event for others to learn from?

Q: Do Fellows have to be super technical (in other words, do they need to know how to code)? 
A: No. Even though we prioritize applicants who have experiences developing and utilizing DWeb technologies in their work, we have also accepted Fellows who are not as technical in the past. 

Q: What’s the best way to prepare for an application?
A: The best way to prepare for your application is familiarize yourself with the DWeb Principles. You can also gain insight into previous Fellows and their projects: 2019 Fellows, 2022 Fellows, 2023 Fellows. This will help you assess whether you and your projects align well with the Fellowship Program.

If you have a technical background, emphasize how your work relates to DWeb technologies and their application in real-world situations. For non-technical applicants, discuss how your work could benefit from DWeb technologies and outline the support or connections you are seeking for at Camp. 

We value brevity in responses. If you choose to apply through a written application, consider drafting your responses in a separate document to avoid losing your work while using a browser.   

Q: What kind of knowledge, skills, and/or experience do you expect Fellows to share?
A: Fellows are expected to share about the projects they work on and intend to present at Camp. This might encompass practical knowledge, professional skills, community stories, and related work experience, such as how they have utilized DWeb technologies to address the challenges facing their communities. 

Q: What are examples of workshops or presentations that Fellows have organized at camp in the past?
A: Here are some examples of workshops and talks the our previous Fellows organized: 

  • Co-creating Terrastories. A multi-day build-a-thon workshop where participants worked on improving Terrastories (an open-source, offline-first app for mapping oral histories) to better suit the needs of the Haudenosaunee Indigenous community who are mapping traditional knowledge of water alongside scientific research about river contamination. Led by Rudo Kemper, 2022 Cohort and the Digital Democracy team.
  • Mesh Network Building Session. A workshop where participants learned how to crimp ethernet cable, build wireless links, and attach applications to the DWeb mesh community network. Led by Esther Jang, 2022 Cohort.
  • Old Policy, New Tech: Reconciling Permissioned Blockchain Systems with Transatlantic Privacy Frameworks. A talk by Remy Hellstern, 2022 Cohort.
  • This Is a Journey Into Sound: A Proposal for Beats, Tech and Future Economies.  A workshop led by brandon king & Stacco Troncoso, 2023 Cohort.
  • Data Feminism: An Intersectional Approach to Data Gathering, Analyzing, and Sharing. A workshop led by Jack Keen Fox, 2023 Cohort.
  • Designing for Intersectional Data Sovereignty. A talk by Camille Nibungco, 2023 Cohort. 

Q: How big will the cohort be this year? 
A: We aim to bring approximately 20 to 25 Fellows to DWeb Camp this year.  

Q. Does the Fellowship cover visa fees?
A: No, unfortunately, we can only cover travel expenses to/from your place of origin to Camp. However, we can provide you with a sponsorship letter and request expedited processing for your visa. 

Q. Does the Fellowship cover travel from where the applicant is to Camp and back? What about food?
A: Yes. If you arrive at Camp with a car, your gas and related expenses will be reimbursed. If you require a flight, our team collaborates with a travel agency to assist you in arranging your travel to and from Camp. In some cases, we can provide a stipend for taxi fares and meals when you’re in San Francisco. 

At Camp, all meals are provided, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks. Please note that there are no financial transactions at Camp and we encourage our campers to bring snacks to share with the community. 

Q. Do you have to know how to set up a tent?
A: No. As Fellows, your accommodation will be provided for you. However, if you are interested in learning how to set up a tent, we are happy to show you how during Build Days. 

Q. Where to find prior nodes? Has there been traction from Fellows to set up new nodes in their country beyond the US and Europe?
A: You can find a listing of all DWeb nodes here. Our Fellows have organized events and contributed to their local nodes worldwide over the past years. Last year, a few Fellows gathered and hosted the first DWeb Camp in Brazil with the support of CooLab. 

You can read our reflections about the event here (in English) and here (in Spanish).

DWeb Camp 

Q: What’s the focus of DWeb Camp this year? 
A: The theme of DWeb Camp 2024 is Migration: Moving Together. We’ll be exploring how we can move together toward the Web we want and deserve. Stay tuned for more information on our website! 

Q: What other types of projects and organizations are represented at Camp?
A: There is a diverse range of projects and organizations at DWeb Camp. Please take a look at the project and people directory from DWeb Camp 2023 here.

Q. How many people do you expect to attend DWeb Camp this year? 
A: Last year, we had approximately 470 attendees and 35 Fellows at DWeb Camp. It’s worth noting that our event caters to a diverse age range, as we welcomed 25 attendees under the age of 18. We expect the same amount of attendees this year. 

Q. Can you explain the different ways to volunteer if I’m not selected as a Fellow?
A: Yes! There are three ways to volunteer: 

1. Space Steward. As a Space Steward, your responsibilities include organizing and managing the schedule for your space, ensuring familiarity with Camp Navarro, and preparing the required space, equipment, and materials for talks and workshops. Your Camp ticket will be provided.

2. Camp Volunteer. As a Camp Volunteer, you’ll assist in setting up and taking down camp infrastructure, handling various kitchen duties, cleaning up, etc. You’ll be asked to work five 3-hour shifts (total 15 hours). You’ll receive a 50% discount on your camp ticket.

3. Weaver. As a Weaver, your role involves facilitating conversations among campers within small groups during Camp. This position is not compensated and requires the least time commitment. 

Learn more about different ways to volunteer at Camp here. 

Q: How are DWeb Camp & the Fellowship funded? 
A: DWeb Camp and the Fellowship Program are funded by various organizations and individuals. Some of our past sponsors include the Internet Archive, Filecoin Foundation, Ford Foundation, Mask, Gitcoin, Jolocom, Bluesky, Ethereum Foundation, and more.  

Descentralizar para fortalecer comunidades: DWeb+Coolab Camp Brasil

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Guest blog by Antonia Bustamante from the DWeb Camp Core Organizing team.

Cerca de Ubatuba, a cuatro horas de la inmensa capital del estado de São Paulo, nos recibió en septiembre un paraíso brasilero de montaña y mar donde uno quisiera quedarse para siempre: el Instituto Neos. Allí Coolab (laboratorio cooperativo de redes libres) organizó el primer DWeb+Coolab Camp, versión brasilera del DWeb Camp.

El Instituto Neos está ubicado en un espacio que a principios de la década de 2000 funcionó como centro cultural y de exploración artística para niñxs y adolescentes. Años después fue abandonado y la ávida vegetación tropical comenzó a devorar los edificios vacíos. En 2017 el predio fue rematado y algunas personas, que conforman el colectivo Neos, lo compraron para construir un proyecto de sociobiodiversidad. Este fue el lugar que Coolab eligió para alojar el encuentro, aprovechando además para dejar al Instituto la infraestructura de mejoramiento físico de acceso a Internet construida durante el evento.

Equipos para mejorar la infraestructura de la red de conexión a Internet.

Los días que pasamos allí dormimos en carpas y habitaciones compartidas. Delicias culinarias preparadas por la gente del colectivo con especies animales y vegetales locales nos alimentaron. Todxs nos turnamos las tareas de limpieza y bienestar, y algunxs asistentes trilingües nos hicieron sentir como en casa saltando del portugués al castellano y al inglés sin ningún esfuerzo.

En agosto de 2022 y nuevamente en junio de este año se organizó el DWeb Camp en un bosque de sequoias ubicado unas horas al norte de San Francisco. En este encuentro se convoca anualmente, durante cuatro días, a personas de distintas partes del mundo que trabajan y se interesan por la descentralización de la web, tanto desde el aspecto técnico como desde lógicas colectivas y proyectos de empoderamiento social. 

En medio de ese bosque, el año pasado, un círculo alrededor del fuego invitó a hablar sobre una posible versión brasilera del encuentro. La cosa tomó forma y este año Coolab organizó la primera edición, siguiendo con su labor de abrir espacios de diálogo y cooperación sobre redes comunitarias y tecnologías de descentralización y apropiación tecnológica.

Los contextos naturales de ambos eventos, aunque bellísimos, son radicalmente distintos. También las lógicas de organización y de interacción entre las personas fueron otras. El Sur y el Norte haciendo sus propias versiones de un encuentro en el que tenemos todxs objetivos comunes pero, a la vez, particularidades locales a las que pensamos que es necesario responder con el desarrollo de tecnologías, narrativas y estrategias particulares.

Conversación al aire libre sobre formas cooperativas de trabajo.

Esa fue una de las preguntas que estuvo presente en los días que pasamos juntxs en Brasil: ¿Qué es para nosotrxs la web descentralizada? ¿Cuáles son sus principios?

En el sitio de DWeb pueden leerse los principios propuestos desde el Norte por la organización:

  • Tecnología para la agencia humana
  • Beneficios distribuidos
  • Respeto mutuo
  • Humanidad
  • Conciencia Ecológica

(Estos fueron traducidos al castellano por Sutty aquí: https://dweb.sutty.nl/2023/08/22/principios-de-la-deweb.html)

Un atardecer, sentadxs en la playa, conversamos sobre ellos: ¿Estamos de acuerdo o quisiéramos proponer otros? ¿Entendemos de la misma forma la web, Internet, las redes comunitarias y las tecnologías de comunicación digital? Más que respuestas nos llevamos preguntas e ideas inspiradoras.

Conversación en la playa liderada por Nico Pace de APC.

En diálogo con las posibilidades de descentralización de la web, el encuentro en Brasil se enfocó, en gran parte, en la agroecología. Brasil tiene una larga historia de movimientos políticos relacionados con la tierra y el cultivo. Desde los años 70 del siglo pasado el Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (Movimiento de los Trabajadores Rurales sin Tierra – MST), uno de los movimientos sociales más grandes de América Latina, ha luchado por la reforma agraria y por la propiedad productiva de pequeñas y medianas extensiones de tierra por parte de quienes la trabajan. Hoy el movimiento reúne a cerca de 450 mil familias en 24 estados del país.

Al DWeb+Coolab Camp fue gente que trabaja la tierra, en la tierra, que nunca antes había salido de sus pueblos. Llegaron planteando problemas técnicos particulares y localizados. Fueron también personas que viven en la periferia de las ciudades brasileras y tienen proyectos de educación popular y uso de tecnologías digitales. Niñxs, adolescentes y adultxs llegamos desde el Sur y el Norte de América, y desde Europa. Yo me fasciné una vez más por la fuerza, el amor y la cooperación que une a esta comunidad y por la calidez del Brasil y su gente, que destila cariño y simpatía cada vez que canta, baila, ríe o habla en serio.

Uno de los invitados brasileros contándonos que nunca antes había salido del lugar en el que vive.

Los temas de las actividades propuestas por lxs asistentes (talleres, charlas, juegos, círculos de conversación…) fueron amplios. Desde las posibilidades o soluciones técnicas que ofrecen herramientas y desarrollos ya existentes, hasta preguntas humanas sobre el trabajo cooperativo, las formas de la atención, la relación con otrxs, la creación colectiva y la improvisación. Resalto entre los aprendizajes la importancia de vivir y comprender a fondo las problemáticas localizadas, las particularidades, el territorio, la temporalidad, el contexto, antes de proponer soluciones tecnológicas desde la abstracción de una pantalla o la distancia de las ciudades. Cada comunidad o grupo humano tiene sus lógicas de trabajo, de comunicación, sus ritmos, sus prioridades, sus formas, y es de esto que debemos partir para el desarrollo técnico. Lo contrario es a menudo violento o inútil.

Hiure (Coolab) hablando sobre el evento en el anfiteatro

En la comunidad de la web descentralizada (DWeb) aprovechamos Internet, que nos une, y trabajamos por la construcción de redes que faciliten y extiendan el acceso al conocimiento, pero sabemos que una red es mucho más que un conjunto de aparatos, cables y señales eléctricas. Una red es sobre todo la gente que construye, que enseña y aprende, que dialoga y sostiene. Larga vida a Coolab y al DWeb Camp y ojalá que en cada encuentro el movimiento se fortalezca cada vez más y halle nuevas razones e impulsos para existir y resistir.

Antonia Bustamante nació en Bogotá, Colombia. Se interesa por las relaciones entre el código, las tecnologías, las artes y los medios, especialmente en el ámbito digital. Trabaja como programadora e investigadora en el laboratorio EnFlujo (https://enflujo.com/) de la Universidad de Los Andes y como ingeniera de sonido en vivo con distintos grupos musicales. En su tercera vida cursa una maestría en Filosofía y cuida gatos.

Antonia Bustamante was born in Bogotá, Colombia. She is interested in the intersection between code, technologies, arts and media, especially in the digital realm. She works as a programmer and researcher in the EnFlujo laboratory (https://enflujo.com/) at Los Andes University and as a live sound engineer with different musical groups. In her third life she is pursuing a master’s degree in Philosophy and takes care of cats.

Regenerating Community in the Rainforest at DWeb+Coolab Camp Brazil

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It’s 10 am and I’ve already been traveling for 20 hours — two planes and a long layover from California on my way to Ubatuba, a town 4-hours northeast of Sao Paulo, Brazil. I feel nervous. I’ve never been to Brazil before but the bus ride is serene. The city buildings give way to lush rainforest along the mountainside. It’s almost silent on the bus, a calm quiet. I take a cue from the locals, close my eyes and try to get some rest. I am on my way to DWeb+Coolab Camp Brazil.

View of buildings at Neos Institute where campers found cover from the elements. Photo by: Bruno Caldas Vianna licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Deed

My phone buzzes. It’s Victor (Coolab) and Dana (Colnodo). They pick me up from the station and we’re off to Neos Institute, where we’ll spend the next five days together. Coolab Camp is a continuing experiment in the DWeb movement — weaving together technologists, dreamers, builders, and organizers in a beautiful outdoor setting, providing food and shelter for the week, then letting the sharing, imagination, and community building fly.

Gathering on the first day to talk about the themes of agriculture and ecology.

I arrive early to help set up parts of the camp, which is being hosted by the Neos Institute for Sociobiodiversity. They are a collective that has spent the last six years rebuilding this once dilapidated cultural center. One of Neos’ goals is to protect and conserve this area, the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Only about 10% of this forest remains in the wake of development. 

This spirit of conservation overlays with the themes of Camp: agriculture, sustainability, and ecology. Coolab is bringing together farmers and organizers from Latin America with DWeb builders and technologists to discover how we can take care of both our digital and physical landscapes. 

My roommate, Bruna, from the Transfeminist Network of Digital Care, shares their work on Pratododia. They use the metaphor of food to explain how we can practice healthier technology habits. For instance, just as we wash our hands before meals, it’s important to check our security and privacy settings online before tasting everything the internet offers us.

Papaya, mango, and watermelon served during our vegetarian meals.

Coolab Camp is more than a conference, it is an experiment in building a pop-up community. We start each day with a general meeting at the Casarão (Big House), where we forge acordos (agreements) about how to take care of the space and each other. 

Alexandre from Coletivo Neos goes over the history of the Neos Institute.

Coolab Camp morning meetings are at once relaxed and energizing. 

These acordos range from simple things: don’t feed the cats and take off your shoes — to strong expressions of our values: no oppression or discrimination of any kind based on class, race, gender, or sexual orientation. At the beginning of every meeting we reiterate these agreements and ask ourselves: do we still agree, does anything need to be changed, does anything need to be added?

This daily gathering is only possible because the event is small, about 80 people over the five days of Camp. That intimacy means we recognize familiar faces and at least exchange a friendly greeting (Bom dia!). There are no janitors to clean up during the event. We wash our own dishes and clean our own bathrooms.

A community member helps setup the mesh network.

Folks also volunteer to be the “olhos (eyes) ” and “ouvidos (ears)” of the community. The Olhos serve to watch out for any misbehavior. The Ouvidos are there to listen if someone has issues they are uncomfortable bringing up to the group. All of this adds to the building of our community.

Marcela and Tomate crafting posters and zines.

How do we communicate at Camp? First, we test some technological solutions like a Mumble server for multiple audio channels, then having AI do live translation. But in the end, the best solution is human: to have another person by our side. 

A lot of the Brazilian campers speak both Portuguese and English, so volunteers translate whispering next to us English-only speakers. It is incredibly humbling to have community members put so much energy into making sure we are included in the conversations and know what is going on. 

Creating our session schedule through unconference.

Next comes the fun part, the sessions and workshops! Sessions are organized through an unconference where everyone proposes sessions, determines their interests, and those garnering the most interest place themselves on the schedule. Workshops range from:

An analog map of the camp site and where routers for the mesh network will go.

Campers gather around the firepit to share experiences working in cooperatives.

Luandro Viera from Digital Democracy shares the Earth Defender’s Toolkit.

One of my favorite sessions is with Ana, a Brazilian farmer and social researcher guiding us through a game called Sanctuaries of Attention. It happens on the last day. It is impromptu and they just ask around for people to join after breakfast.

Ana is able to lead the session in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. We spend two hours sharing stories of how our attention changes in different situations and which situations feel safe for us — ”sanctuaries” that we can rest in. 

The unconference style suits DWeb+Coolab Camp, because it allows the time and space for sessions like these to happen organically, without constraints. 

Ana guides participants through the Sanctuaries of Attention.

Nico teaches programming for beginners using Scratch.

Setting up network equipment for the mesh network on site.

Some sessions are discussions around topics like:

  • Experiences as a cooperative
  • How to organize groups using sociocracy
  • Sharing challenges and workarounds managing a community network
  • Methods for social exchange of common resources

It doesn’t hurt that we can hold some of these discussions at the beach. There are also plenty of casual conversations over meals, on a couch, or lounging in a hammock.

Discussion on the beach about community networks.

One of the things I’ll keep with me from those conversations is a new way of understanding the saying, “The future is already here — it’s just not evenly distributed yet.” 

Those of us from luckier circumstances fret about the end of the world. Those from different circumstances have already seen it happen. Their economic systems have collapsed or their environment is suffering through the worst of the climate catastrophe. The end of the world is already here — it’s just not evenly distributed yet.

But an end is just a new beginning. Here in Brazil, we meet in the forest with people who are already rebuilding, regenerating from the ruins. The contributions we make will remain. Regeneration is already here — it’s just not evenly distributed yet.

Creating improvised music with Música de Círculo around the campfire.

Peixe (Fish) and Ondas (Waves), the spaces where sessions were held.

Farmers, organizers, designers and technologists at DWeb+Coolab Camp Brazil 2023.

We could have been anywhere, but we got the opportunity to be within the songs of the birds, the whispers of the trees, and the laughter of the sea. Within smiles and greetings, warm embraces and supportive shoulders. To all the people who gathered us together: Tania, Hiure, Marcela, Luandro, Victor, Dana, Bruno, Marcus, Colectivo Neos and anyone else I may have forgotten, thank you for showing us how to regenerate culture, environment and technology through community. Obrigado!

All photos by Melissa Rahal licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Deed unless otherwise stated.