Open Source Is People: A Python & Django Year

Anthony Addae — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 10:31:03 +0000

For years I stood just outside the circle, watching talks, mentoring quietly, and cheering from the edges. In 2025, I finally stepped into the light.

This is my first-ever blog post. Good people of Python Ghana community kept nudging, “Start a blog.” The last gentle push came from the Djangonaut Space program. So here it is: the beginning of a habit of showing up, reflecting, and documenting the journey. I also share photos on my photoblog, @maaddae.

My First Step: Django Girls Ho 2017

It started in 2017, in Ho. I showed up as a Django Girls mentor for a workshop organized by Noah Alorwu. One room, a handful of laptops, and the quiet buzz of first lines of code, something clicked. That day opened a door.

It opened the door to a welcoming community of people who build, teach, and support each other. For years after that, I stayed involved mostly through mentorship. I taught when I could, encouraged beginners, and contributed quietly.

But in 2025, something shifted. I felt ready to take a bolder step forward.

Starting the Year With Mentorship Once Again

Just like in 2017, 2025 began with people.

Django Girls Koforidua 2025

I joined as a mentor, helping participants build their first Django applications. The moment a beginner connects the dots, from views to templates to a working app, never gets old. That spark keeps me returning.

Django Girls Ho 2025

Later, I coached at Django Girls Ho. It felt like coming home: nostalgic, grounding, and inspiring. Open source, at its best, is made of patience, kindness, and shared growth.

Building Community Through Speaking and Organizing

Then the year nudged me forward, beyond mentorship, into roles that stretched me.

PyCon Ghana 2025

I served as a programme co-organizer for PyCon Ghana: reviewing talks, shaping the agenda, supporting speakers. I also spoke and joined a panel. Wearing both hats taught me how much care it takes to craft a meaningful conference.

PyHo Conference 2025

I returned to speak at PyHo, one of Ghana’s most vibrant Python gatherings. The warmth and curiosity there always feels like home.

PyCon Africa 2025

I was selected to speak at PyCon Africa, a milestone I celebrated. Then, an airport desk and a paperwork snag turned celebration into absence. It stung, but the community’s support turned the moment into fuel rather than a full stop.

Joining the Django Software Foundation

A quiet, meaningful milestone followed: I became an Individual Member of the Django Software Foundation.

For someone who has loved Django for years, that recognition felt like a promise: to keep contributing, to engage deeply, to show up.

Djangonaut Space: A Transformative Chapter

Another turning point: I was accepted into Djangonaut Space and joined Team Neptune. With mentors who’ve shaped Django, I submitted my first pull request to the framework. It came back with review comments, welcomed notes on how to do better. I am committed to keep going beyond the program.

It wasn’t just technical. It connected me to the heart of the framework I’ve relied on for years, and to the people who keep it alive.

Why This Year Matters to Me

Looking back, 2025 feels like a year of showing up: learning, teaching, sharing, and stepping further in.

I started the year mostly mentoring. I end it as a mentor, speaker, organizer, contributor, and a community member actively shaping the spaces that shaped me.

Writing this blog is part of that growth, and I hope to keep it up.

The Road Ahead

As I look forward, I hope to continue:

contributing to Django core
supporting Django Girls workshops
speaking at Python and Django events
mentoring upcoming developers
strengthening local and global communities

Open source has room for everyone. I am grateful that I found my place, and I hope this encourages someone out there to start their own journey too.

Forem: Anthony Addae