Identifying Leaders: The 2015 Cohort of Ford-Mozilla Open Web Fellows and How We Found Them

In October of 2014, Mozilla set out to find six Ford-Mozilla Open Web Fellows -- emerging tech leaders who would lend an expert perspective to civil society organizations working in the Internet policy world. Since this was the first year of the program, the team did not anticipate a significant amount of interest at the outset -- but by the time I joined in January 2015, we’d received more than 550 applications from 87 countries. People around the world were eager to work on policy issues that threaten an open Web -- net neutrality, privacy, security, mass surveillance, and more -- and to protect the open Internet.

This talented group found our program through websites dedicated to promoting scholarship and leadership opportunities, from partner organizations who spread the word through social media and tech events, and through Mozilla communities around the world. From the 553 applications, the most highly represented countries were:

1. USA (109)
2. Nigeria (62)
3. India (56)

Regionally, we received applications in the following breakdown:

• Sub-Saharan Africa: 28%
• North America: 22%
• Asia: 16%
• Middle East & North Africa: 15%
• Europe: 13%
• South America: 6%

We were enthused by the high interest from Sub-Saharan Africa, and attribute this to our presence on a career website. We were also surprised by the lack of applications from Oceania. This information will help guide our call for applications for next year’s cohort, as we work to have more opportunities in different regions, and attract candidates from everywhere.

The Review Process

The review team -- a group of Mozillians including policy experts and leaders of communities -- “met” impressive people by reading applications from people around the world who were passionate about protecting data and better defining our online rights. They shared concerns about surveillance and privacy; they cared about improving access to an open and free Internet; and they saw education as a vital tool to promote better understanding of these issues in their communities. Over and over, we read about technologists looking for a way to use their skills for social good, and about activists who saw the value in using technology to teach, connect, and empower others.

Word cloud from answers to “What issue areas are you most passionate about?”

Since each host organization had different needs, we had a broad sense of the ideal skills of a Fellow. Though the candidates may not have identified as such, we were looking for Mozillians: leaders who value community participation and work to empower others; activists who view an open and trustworthy Internet as a global public resource; and technologists who shape the Web through innovation.

Successful applications went through five rounds of review:

1. Interest.

Our open application -- anyone could apply -- encouraged candidates to share their passions. Those who expressed protecting the open Web as a primary interest made the first pass.

2. Skills.

Since the Fellows will be embedded within host organizations, getting the right skills match was a critical step. The six host organizations -- the ACLU, Amnesty International, APC, Free Press, Open Technology Institute, and Public Knowledge -- outlined projects they needed help on, and had ideas about the skills and personality fits for which they were looking. We used this as a guide to create a list of 80 candidates.

3. Fit.

The host organizations looked over the list of 80 candidates and together chose 25 semi-finalists about whom they wanted to learn more. They chose these candidates based on potential for the applicant to contribute to their projects on a technical level, and on shared values that came through in the application.

4. Interviews (two rounds).

The first interview -- with Mozilla -- was an opportunity for us to hear more about the aspiring candidate’s interest in becoming an Open Web Fellow. The second interview -- with the host organization and Mozilla -- was an opportunity for both the host organization and candidate to learn about each other, and determine their levels of mutual interest.

5. Matching.

After reviewing notes from both interviews and getting input from the host organizations, Mozilla made the Fellowship offers. This was determined both by matching the needs of the host organizations with the skills the candidates brought, and by looking at the Fellows cohort as a cohesive unit that would work and grow together.

We’re extremely proud of the six Fellows who will lead our inaugural year. They bring a range of experiences that will be valuable not only for their host organizations, but also to each other and to those with whom they interact, including members of the larger Mozilla Advocacy Community. A successful Fellowship will include teaching and empowering this community; building tools and resources to both measure and improve people’s privacy online; and sharing information in an effective way with the general public and policymakers.

Beyond the Fellowship

A critical piece of affecting change is in supporting and growing the community. Our current challenge is to engage with and elevate the hundreds of other talented applicants who were not awarded a Fellowship. Mozilla is collaborating with other organizations to provide more opportunities for technologists to find employment and fellowships within civil society organizations through which they can have a positive impact on the open Internet. Along with these opportunities, important conversations about the state of Internet policy worldwide take place amongst our Mozilla Advocacy Community on Discourse, where community members share knowledge and resources to protect the open Web.

It is our job and privilege to keep this amazing group of people involved and engaged in projects and initiatives worldwide. More importantly, we continue to learn from this community of activists and technologists -- not only about their personal interests, but also about important issues happening in local contexts.

We invite you to join the Mozilla Advocacy Community, and add your voice to the many conversations and strategies that are helping to protect the free and open Web.

#NetNeutrality

Hot on the heels of the President Obama's State of the Union address, the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held hearings on "Internet Freedom and Net Neutrality" and "Protecting the Internet and Consumers through Congressional Action," respectively. These hearings were a chance for representatives from online companies and civil society organizations to present their arguments to the Senate and Congress on why or why not protecting net neutrality is important, and should be overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The arguments on both sides are interesting and worth understanding. However, we should look at what net neutrality means in simple terms. Senator Markey from Massachusetts said it best: "Network Neutrality is just a fancy word for non-discrimination." Meaning, if you support net neutrality, you support non-discrimination. You see, net neutrality protects innovation and the small guy. And that's what we should be fighting for: the opportunity for everyone to try; this country was built on the idea of the self-made man -- the idea that people can reinvent themselves. In this day and age the Internet is a big player in that effort, what with crowd-funding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo bringing in money for everything from open hardware game consoles to potato salad. Limiting access and exposure to innovative ideas can lead to a reduced investment in small ideas, no matter how seemingly ludicrous.

At the hearings, the Vice President of Global Public Policy of Amazon.com seemed to be arguing against net neutrality under the FCC, saying that Congressional power over net neutrality -- where lobbying could come into play -- wouldn't hurt investments for the small guys. They're big and successful, so of course they don't want the competition that could bring.  Don't get me wrong -- I use Amazon and the services it provides save me loads of time and money; I love it for what it is, but if something better were to come along, or if/when times change and someone else comes up with an adequate response, I want that business to have the opportunity to be successful. That being said, the FCC does need to review its latest proposal and make sure their strategies for oversight are viable; there's still work to be done.

But that's the Web I want: a non-hypocritical playing field where everyone can try; one that promotes innovation -- no matter how small the player. In talking about free Community College, Obama said, "Whoever you are, this plan is your chance to graduate ready for the new economy, without a load of debt. Understand, you’ve got to earn it — you’ve got to keep your grades up and graduate on time." And I think this applies largely to the open Web as well: this is your chance, and you've got to try. But at least the opportunity is there.

Open and Free

Every day I open up my bookmarked “news” tabs and read about increased dragnet surveillance, data mining, and – especially this summer – the very real threat to net neutrality. Little by little our online experiences have changed without us even knowing it. Over time my personal information has gone up for sale, my online persona has become commoditized, and what others can know about me has slipped out of my control. The lack of transparency in this process – this huge gap of communication between the people in power and their constituents – is destroying the democratic nature of the web. They are treating the user public like a group of complacent domesticated zoo animals. And it all boils down to do one thing: choice.

To have choice – to understand the pros and cons of different arguments and perspectives – we need to educate ourselves, explore, and to challenge. We need an open and free web where we can navigate the winding corridors of society. The discussions around net neutrality were a beautiful display of the openness the web can provide: people learned about the threats, were activated to take a stand, and were given the opportunity to confront the authorities.

There are many freedoms worldwide – political, cultural, social – that are being threatened by various powerful groups. Protecting the open web – the tool that allows us to learn and communicate – means protecting those rights and the right to express them. At the moment, we still have many choices online, but a lot of them are hidden behind default settings and a complicated network of check boxes. This is exactly why it’s time to defend our right to choice, demand transparency, and call for keeping the web open and free.

What can the Mozilla community do? 

In my experience, Mozillians are powerful and effective at raising awareness and spurring others to action. At a higher-level, the partnerships built between companies and organizations – like reddit, Open Technology Institute, and the ACLU during the Battle for the Net – create a solid platform that people can understand and join. Mozilla took something that sounded confusing and dry, and made it real and relatable – even fun for kids – with details like #TeamInternet vs #TeamCable. 

On the individual level, the Mozilla community is made up of people who have the know-how and the drive to take vague issues and make them real at home. In August I was a part of the Knight-Mozilla Open News MediaParty event in Buenos Aires where I met journalists, data analysts, and coders who fight for open journalism. During our Net Neutrality workshop, community members shared about how Chilean laws protecting net neutrality are negatively impacting disadvantaged people. A discussion about capitalism started, which inspired another participant – who is drafting a law to protect net neutrality in Argentina – to include a clause about corporate social responsibility. Mozillians aren't just passionate, they also know the right people to speak to and have contacts to enact real change.

In the battle to protect the open and free web, Mozillians around the world play a key role in rounding up the troops. Only they can reach their communities – both physically and intellectually – and, most importantly, they want to. By launching the Ford-Mozilla Open Web Fellows program the advocacy team is giving others the opportunity to join this fight, to become a Mozillian, and to protect what is rightfully theirs. Having this choice is what is most important to me in the web. 

#OnwardInternet

How do you imagine the Internet 10 years from now?
Looks like a pretty cool campaign not only happening online, but also in the city. My suggestion:

"Like good plumbing and sewage management, the Internet should be for everyone."

#SupportOpen

It seems so odd to be asked why I support an Open Web. It's like asking, why do you care about human rights? Why do you want a better world?

I didn't join Mozilla because I specifically cared about the open web; I joined because I care about equality and access to education, and I realized that it's a very short skip-and-a-hop from one to the other: the open web allows for access to education. To defend one, you have to fight for the other. So that's why I #SupportOpen. Although Mozilla ran this campaign a while back, this is actually a year-round, eternal movement for Mozilla.

Our mission and manifesto are all about defending the open web, defending an unadulterated experience with the open web -- within our parameters of choice -- and supporting that right for others. Which is why I say, "I believe in an open web because it's where we express ourselves and were we learn from each other on a global scale. The web belongs to everyone -- not certain companies or governments; a closed web enslaves us to them. Because of this, it is our responsibility to ensure that the web stays open. " Of course, I SO believe in an open web that I've shared that in Spanish. But, you know, story for another time.

Happy 25th Birthday!

It's the 25th birthday of the world wide web! Time to show your gratitude and share what sort of web you want. Click on image to remix your own birthday card.

I also want my web to be multilingual, multifaceted, educational, and most of all accessible by anywhere, anywhere. But I won't be too demanding; it's its birthday, after all.