Speaker 1:
Welcome to Women in WP, a bimonthly podcast about women who blog, design develop and more in the WordPress community.
Angela Bowman:
Hi, welcome to women in WP. I’m Angela Bowman.
Tracy Apps:
I’m Tracy Apps.
Amy Masson:
And I’m Amy Masson.
Angela Bowman:
Our guest today is Vanessa Martinez Hernandez joining us from Nicaragua. She is a meetup organizer, content creator, social communicator, and digital marketer. Welcome Vanessa.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Hello guys. Thank you so much for inviting me. I’m really excited.
Angela Bowman:
We like to start off each episode asking our guests how got into WordPress. How did you get started?
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Okay. It’s a really funny story. Okay. I am a social communicator, as you said, hopefully in love with digital marketing. In the last six years, I have been working in digital marketing on related with WordPress, creating content for different websites also creating the structure of the website and the content for exception, and also the strategy for this platform, because we need to build a loyalty, we need to convert customer. So that was the beginning of my career and then it happens that the second stage, I would like to say in that way, the second stage with WordPress and the most valuable for me, it was when I met the WordPress community and it was amazing. It was like one day I just went to [AMITA 00:01:39] and actually, they talk about a topic that I didn’t know about that is development, but I was really fascinated because they were sharing their knowledge and that’s amazing.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
So I was like, oh my God, everyone’s need to know about this WordPress community, so I would like to help them and that is the beginning of Vanessa helping the local WordPress community. In the last four year I’ve been helping them and in the communication area, digital marketing, and also as a meetup organizer, working organizer. So, I don’t know, it’s been thrilled to be because it changed my life and because they helped me to communicate my ideas. I am not a shy person, but I don’t know how to explain it. It was really different when I started in the WordPress community, for example, one of the members of the community told me one day, “Vanessa, you need to talk about [inaudible 00:02:46] and those kinds of things in front of these people.”
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
And, I was like, “Really, oh my God! But I don’t know a lot about this topic.” And he was like, “Go, just do it.” And I started talking like, the community is this and that. So you should come to this amazing event where you can find… Where you will learn a lot also with new people. And I was like shaking, but I was trying to hide my hands, but I was like, oh my God, I’m doing this in my head. Like really? Are you talking about the WordPress community? It was really exciting and amazing at the same time. And now, I can say that I can speak in front of like 500 people. So it’s amazing. I don’t know guys. And it helps me with my confidence in probably [inaudible 00:03:37] scenario. So the WordPress community changed my life and I am really grateful and blessed and that is my beginning. I don’t know, what if I have to add something else, if you can ask me any question. I don’t know.
Tracy Apps:
I love that, because I remember I was doing WordPress development and design and stuff before I found the community. And when you say that, like the WordPress community, it just changed your life, I relate. I absolutely think because I remember that same thing. People are like, oh wow, they’re sharing this. It’s not a competition. It’s everyone’s kind of-
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
It’s for free.
Tracy Apps:
For free. Exactly and I love that you were able to use that and I actually am teaching some online courses for digital marketers and we do teach WordPress and I’m excited because then I can introduce them to the WordPress community right off the bat because like you said, like this gives you so many different experiences and connections and such for digital marketing. You don’t have to be a web developer.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
You don’t have… Yeah. That is a big deal here. Like for example, when I talk about the community or if introduce one meetup or [WordCamp 00:09:07], everyone thinks that I am a developer and I started like, I’m Vanessa Martinez. I am social communicator, who fell in love with digital marketing and everyone’s like, I blow their mind because at the beginning they thought I am a developer, but I am not. And also I understand WordPress obviously because I am a content creator, but I am not a developer. I would like to learn it, but not right now. And I am trying to involve more women like in this industry, in this platform. Like for example, if you are a designer, if you are a marketer, you can join us and I am the good example of it. Also, I would like to say, oh my God, I forgot the idea. Tracy, just said something, but I forgot it. Sorry.
Tracy Apps:
It happens to me even while I’m talking.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Yes. Right now I forgot it.
Amy Masson:
So what is in Nicaragua? What is the community like in terms of men versus women? Are there a lot of women that are involved and working in WordPress?
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
When I started, like four years ago, there was only two women and I was like, we need more. So I started like sharing this idea with my friends, also with coworkers, female coworkers. So when I was in one job, I talk about the WordPress community and they join us. So, I didn’t help into the community to join more women to the platform and it’s different. For example, also we create a new methodology. For example, if we are going to organize one meetup, we need to have one woman and one man. So in this way we are working on the gender equality, also in the endeavors and we are trying to do that also on the WordCamps. And also we create the [culture 00:07:10] speaker.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
There’s one that dedicated for women and this is, oh my God, I forgot the name, oh my God, oh my God. Sorry.
Amy Masson:
Is it like diversity and inclusion?
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Yes. It’s about diversity and inclusion, but we name it like, oh my God, I forgot it. I’m going to try to watch it on our social media platforms. But it helped us. We saw the different, for example, when I started, I joined, I was a volunteer in the 2017 WordCamp and then in 2019, I was a colleague and the difference, it was amazing. We have more women and related to the two years ago and it was amazing. Like people very comfortable like, oh my God, there’s women. Also, there is not only an event for men because everyone was thinking about it. And I thought that is only for developers and only men developers. And I was like, no, there is for women too. So you can learn about obviously development or design or even [novel 00:08:26] entrepreneurship because we talk about this topic.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
When you’re starting your business, so you only have, or you only have a group of one or two. So a group of one of two. So you have to deal with a lot of things. For example, your website, your social media platforms and for example, the brand of your third assignment or the design of your brand. So we tried that to talk about the entrepreneurship. So that is interested for a lot of people, not only for developers. So we work in that way to catch more people to the events, because obviously not everyone knows about WordCamp or WordPress. So that’s our mission to get to that people and create the spaces where they can keep going and it’s been excited. I can lie you.
Tracy Apps:
Yeah. One of the things that, because that whole thing of like, oh, well, you must be a web developer or this space is only welcoming to web developers. But the reason I love that, that’s not the case in the WordPress community because it takes so much more. WordPress is a tool that is being continually improved and built upon so that it doesn’t have to be a developer to be able to create a website, to create a business, to start a blog, to start creating content.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Exactly. Also one of my, oh my God. The last year in working in Spain, 2020 online, we talk because I have a partner, it was Alex [Quara 00:10:11]. We talk about not everything in WordPress, it’s code in a Spanish show. We thought like, what involve WordPress? WordPress that is not only code. So, that was amazing. Like everyone was paying attention. We have a little issues in when we were like, I lost my partner, to internet connection and I was present for a minute and I was like, oh my God, you have to keep talking Vanessa. And I was talking like, okay, it was the part that we were talking about design, but it was his part, but we’ll learn all day on the speech, so it was easy. But yeah, we try to cover all that because there’s a lot of work to do on that because people still believe that it’s only for men and for developers.
Amy Masson:
That’s why we’re here.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Yes. Thank you so much. I was nervous guys. When I received the DM, I was like, really?
Angela Bowman:
Yeah. That was the first thing you said is you said I’m not a developer and I don’t know if I qualify for your podcast. And it’s like, I think we’ve had all of two developers on the podcast, maybe three.
Amy Masson:
Well, it depends on what you call developer, because there’s that [crosstalk 00:11:39] big fight within the development world about, you know are you a real developer? You’re not a real developer? And it’s like, just shut up.
Tracy Apps:
I mean, language is CS as a program. Yes. It’s cool.
Amy Masson:
Shut up. I mean-
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Yes, yes. I repeat that to myself a lot like Vanessa, I was thinking like I need to counsel because I was afraid. But I was telling to myself, if you are afraid, do this with this afraid and I’m here talking about my experience and I am really excited for you now.
Tracy Apps:
Well, I mean, and one that we do is like, we’re like, okay, well we get that a lot. People, especially women in the WordPress community, we’re like, oh, well I just did this. You know, we always kind of lessen what we do, but the WordPress community, I am convinced. WordPress it’s self would just crumble and fall and just become dust if it weren’t for all the women that are just doing this or just organizing this or just volunteering at this, because those are the things that are making this community so like thriving in industry where it’s very competitive. But…
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
I just remember Tracy, when you talk, you give me the ideas. No, we were talking about like how competitive are another areas. For example, marketing in Nicaragua is really difficult. You can share your ideas because everyone like, no, it’s not like that. No, you are wrong with this. No, you can back to college and do these things. So I was like really scared when I started digital marketing because I didn’t find like a community where I can feel like supported. And then I met the WordPress community that involve all these platforms and I was like, oh my God, it is a relief because I can call someone and I can tell them like, oh my God, I don’t know how to do this and I won’t be embarrassed of it because everyone are embarrassed to ask one question in digital marketing in Nicaragua, in my country and I don’t want to generalize but it is true.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
It’s real difficult because you are afraid to ask one question when in the WordPress community, everyone die to answer that question and that what’s… Sorry. That’s what is amazing and I really love it and that’s the reason why one of the girls who is always talking about WordPress community, because I wonder that people have a place where they can share the ideas and ask questions without fear, because we don’t have the final answer. Of course, we can learn and learn every day, and that’s the reason, and that’s one of the point that the WordPress community support or try to share with us. So that what I was trying to say at the beginning, like it is a difficult area, digital marketing,
Angela Bowman:
You know, you’re not the only person who’s told us that we had someone else on the podcast who came from a marketing background and had gone to marketing conferences. And they said that same thing, that it was in the states though, and it was highly competitive and you did have, you just felt bad and you just would feel totally embarrassed and all of that. And they had the exact same experience, but then they went to a WordCamp and it was so the opposite. And they’re like, I like this a lot better.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Yes, everyone. For example, at the beginning, when I told my friends, you need to be on a meetup, you need to share your ideas and they were like, oh my God, I don’t have like 20 years of experience. I don’t know about a paper and I was like, really? Okay, everyone’s have knowledge. Everyone has something to share. So you are one person and you have knowledge and you can share it. So that’s the reason that for these are spaces, not for who is better than that. Oh, I know that, but you know, so I am here. Like we don’t have [inaudible 00:16:06]. I don’t know. It’s like, you feel comfortable, that’s the most amazing thing and also I deal with this a lot.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Like when I met a person and I know that this person, or this woman have the potential to be in a meetup or WordCamp, I have like to work at time and time, like little steps, like sharing her, oh my God, you know you are really good at this. You can share this idea in one meetup, but [inaudible 00:16:37] told me, “But okay, it doesn’t matter. You can start it as a volunteer. You can share with us.” And they started getting involved and then I just tell them, “You know, it was easy.” Then you can share this idea on a meetup and they were like, “Okay, I;m going to try it.” And then when they try it, they were like, “Oh my God, it was cool. I feel amazing. I want to do it again.”
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
So, and I tell them like, okay, that the next step is going to be the WordCamp and I need to work like one by one, by little step, because it’s really difficult. To me like, it was a community who helped me to believe in myself, to be in front of 500 people and to share my ideas. So that’s the reason what I am and try not to push the girls, but to try to be with them. Like you have this power and you can share it with the world. Don’t think about this, for example, if you are in marketing don’t think about this community in the Nicaragua, or if you are a designer, don’t think about it, think about what are you capable to do and what you are capable to share. So in this way, they started speaking and that’s the reason why we have more women participating and I am excited and I am trying to continue this. And because I am really exhausted to hear like, no, I don’t know that. No, I can’t and no, no stop. Like you have the power.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Oh my God. I do remember the name of the… It calls it the girl power. When we do this call for a speaker, we create a design specifically for women like call girl power and this way, like okay, we need women also in this event and you can be one of them and it was amazing. So, it has been amazing, and it is been okay and I think that it will never stop because for example, I told them in the form that I am a victim of imposter syndrome and it’s been difficult to me. For example, when I received the DM, I was clearly, do I have to… I am the right one, or also when I send my application as a WordCamp speaker, then when I got selected, I think later like, oh my God, do I really know that? I don’t know the [inaudible 00:19:29] to share this idea and, oh my God, I question myself a lot.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
But then my other side is like, Vanessa, stop it. Quiet. You know, look to the past and oh my God, try to analyze everything that you have to do to achieve this place. So you are capable. You have to do it. If you are afraid to do it, you will do a good fear. So I talk to myself a lot in this moment, for example, when I have to challenge, one of my challenge in 2020 was also like, for example, [inaudible 00:20:11] everyone knows about [inaudible 00:20:12], and she asked me like, “Vanessa, can you please be a volunteer WordCamp Europe?” And I was like, “Oh my God, WordCamp Europe, I don’t even speak English. And I was going to be with a lot of people,” and I was like, but I didn’t have an answer her and I was like, okay, Vanessa, you have to do it. It doesn’t matter if you speak like really good English, but you have to do.
Amy Masson:
I don’t know what language you’re speaking then, because it sounds like really good English to me.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Same. I know, I know-
Amy Masson:
That’s imposter syndrome.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
My imposter syndrome talking. Yes. I know. I’m still working with it.
Amy Masson:
Raise your hand if you’ve ever had imposter syndrome? Oh, look, all of our hands are up. All of us.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
So, I answer her to guess I going to help you [inaudible 00:21:08] and when we were in the practice, like I was, oh my God, I’m here. That’s amazing. And also, the WordCamp Europe helped me to understand that it doesn’t matter if you don’t speak the perfect English or Spanish. Well, English specifically because I get connected with people around the world, like India and other countries, and they were speaking English and they were speaking in their way and I was like, Vanessa, and you were worried about it, but you can understand and so they can understand you. So, that was amazing, the experience. I love [challenge 00:21:50] and the WordPress community gave me a lot of challenge. So that’s one of the reason why I love it, also I can share my idea. I’m always in constant pushing, working, or challenging myself. So I don’t know. I don’t want to never leave them because I have learned a lot here.
Tracy Apps:
And one of the things that I really think that, because we’re in this, especially like you should talk about digital marketing. Well, if you’re not, if you don’t, if you have questions, then people will think of you as less than because you don’t have this universal knowledge. You don’t have like this one attainable, but the WordPress community and what we’ve experienced, but have had that imposter syndrome is that we have our expertise in our own world, and that is welcome in the WordPress community, especially since it’s global. And just like being able to sit down is like, you know what, you know a whole lot more about Nicaragua and the WordPress community there and how the digital communication’s there. So, that makes you an expert in that and only you can do that and you can sit there and give us that information and like that it’s amazing and I love that because I just love hearing and learning from people from their own experience.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Yes, yes, yes, totally true. And that’s the only reason why I always like, or trying to give like, talks about WordPress community, because I don’t know when you talk about your experience, you can talk a lot right now, for example, and that in a moment I am feeling like I am talking a lot and I am like, oh my God, I’m talking a lot that’s awesome.
Amy Masson:
Well, are you helping out with WordCamp Europe that’s going on right now?
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
No, not this year.
Amy Masson:
Oh, not this year. Okay.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
It’s been a challenging year for me. So I was out of duty until like one month that I started helping with meetups and what we are going to start the organization for WordCamp Nicaragua 2021 online. I’m going to help. I am not a lead, but I’m going to be part of the team as sponsor team. So I’m going to contacts, my [inaudible 00:24:23] to find help. So, I’m really excited right now, because I am back on track.
Amy Masson:
And are you able to have in person meetups?
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Well, we have one, but it was the first one. It was like two weeks ago. It was to celebrate the 18th celebration of WordPress and it was the first time that we saw each other, like one and a half year and we were like celebrating. We were talking a lot. We were laughing. Actually, we worked more than we were than in holding… Oh my God, I forgot the word. We work more online than what we do when it’s present and we were like, oh my God, we need to… So we see each others again, and we are trying to do it like a mixed, virtual and also presential. So we are going to work on that, but WordCamp is going to be online on me.
Amy Masson:
I am ready for in person, again. I’m almost out of sunglasses and that’s where I get like 99.9% of my sunglasses at WordCamps and I’m running-
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Did they cherish those, I have like a lecturing.
Amy Masson:
Yeah. I have like, several bluehost pairs and I’ve got restrict content pro and I’ve got easy digital downloads and just WordPress, just ones that say WordPress, but I’m down to like five pairs and that’s just not enough. But I also, I really miss my nerd friends and I just miss getting together and talking, shopping and doing things that are not in my house.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Yes, of course. Yes, yes, yes. We definitely, we are looking for that and I hope that it started soon because we really miss it. It’s different. It’s different. We have also, for example, we have one meetup, like it’s only for networking, it’s called [foreign language 00:26:33] Friday Beers, we need to drink beers. But also we accept if someone drinks only water, you can join us, but you have to talk about WordPress. I mean, technologies or everything that you want. So it’s really amazing because these places, these meetups, they were full when we’re in person like everyone, we went to a bar and we talk a lot, like two, three, four, five hours, and with [inaudible 00:27:03] a lot. For example, one day, it was really funny because someone got close to us and asked, “are you the WordPress community?” And we were like, yeah we’re and we were really excited because it really [inaudible 00:27:21]. It touched the attention when you said like Friday’s Beers or Beers Friday. So, it was really amazing that someone recognize us and we missed those spaces. So, I hope that everything change for now.
Amy Masson:
Has anybody heard anything about 2022 if they’re going to start to schedule WordCamp in person or not?
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
I haven’t heard about it.
Amy Masson:
I mean, there’s nothing on WordCamp Central.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
We’re stilled focused on 2021 and…
Angela Bowman:
Well, in so many places in the world are still struggling like India and so many places are still struck going with, with their case loads and low vaccination rates.
Amy Masson:
Right.
Angela Bowman:
And so we’re kind of in the US weirdly now, doing so much better and it’s just so hard to know, like what’s going to happen in the rest of the world and I’m so curious when it’s going to come online. We’re still doing our meetups online. But the cool thing is that we’ve had people from all over the world attend our meetups on zoom and so now, instead of maybe there’s like 12 people at our meetup now we have like 60 and it’s like amazing to meet so many people and I think I’ll miss that part, but I definitely miss seeing people in person. And now that we’ve been able to do that, it’s so great. But we really want to all the women in WordPress, when we were at WordCamp US in 2019, we had the most amazing happy hour ever and we want that again. We were going to do that for WordCamp Europe, and we want it again and we… It’s special to see people in person, it’s just magical.
Amy Masson:
Yeah. I’m totally overwhelmed at that party. There was so many people.
Angela Bowman:
It was so great. Amy’s little, so we had to kind of protect her.
Amy Masson:
I hid in a corner because I was so overwhelmed with so many people, but you know, I need them small doses, but I definitely want to see people.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Yes. One of my friend showed me the photos of WordCamp Europe 2019 I think so. The party, the after party, oh my God. How can you do that?
Angela Bowman:
You were there Tracy, weren’t you? And was that Berlin?
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
I thought my friend have a picture with you, Tracy. I don’t know.
Angela Bowman:
Of course, she does.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Yes, probably. Yeah. But I was like amazed, like oh my God, I’m going to have the opportunity to meet these people one day and I was expecting like 2020, but it was a huge change and as you said, okay, it was a great opportunity to have more people on our meetups and also opportunity to, for example, being on a speaker or WordCamp Spain or WordCamp Mexico and I was like, oh my God, I was able to [live 00:30:33] in this, in my house and okay. But obviously we missed this part. We connected and it catched my attention when we have the after party because online and WordCamp Spain and WordCamp Mexico and no one wants to leave because they want to keep sharing also in WordCamp Europe, we spend like six or eight hours talking.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
And for example, one people in, one people out and they were like in one moment, we were only Latin people and we started talking in Spanish like, oh my God, why we are talking in English if we are only Latin people here and we started talking, but then someone in and he only speaks English. So we started again. But it was amazing how we miss all this part of this connection.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Besides, we are at the Utah, we work on detail. We like the connection with people and that is the most amazing thing of the community that I am always standing to people like you don’t, you are not only working like in front of your computer, you are working on the connection with people. When you are in front of them and you learn a lot, for example, from the community I have met for people like person, like who work and travel around the world and I want to do that one day and I am looking for that. They inspire me. So you can find like someone that inspire you. You can find also someone that can be your partner in one project and you never know, you can start a big company in one meetup and so we are missing that, but I hope so that too.
Angela Bowman:
It’s so true.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
I think we’re going to start it again.
Angela Bowman:
Yeah. I think what you’re saying about that in person, and there is that synergy that happens when people are in person and I would see that in my meetups where people were getting together and partnering on projects a lot and they were like starting little ad hoc agencies together. Like one person was more of a designer, the other person was more of a marketer or maybe more of a coder, dev developer kind of type and so people were really making those really, not that you don’t make meaningful online connections, but I think you make more deeper, meaningful connections in person and it just can’t be discounted those partnerships, I just really haven’t seen that kind of thing happen this past year. Lots of connecting, but not that way.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Not that way. That’s true.
Angela Bowman:
Yeah. Something.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
You to say people in the face. So in that way you can know if you can trust them.
Amy Masson:
No, I totally agree. I feel like there’s just something about being in person in the room and being able to have real meaningful connections that I think are lacking online.
Tracy Apps:
Anyone else, when you see people online or you made them online and then like the whole mystery of like, you think of them as a certain height, but then you meet them in person and they’re completely like, that almost feels to me I’m like, do I even know this person? They’re much smaller than I was expecting. Or they were taller?
Amy Masson:
My very, very first meetup in Vegas and I got there and the organizer, I had been watching her podcast, but I’d never or met her. You’re much taller than you are on your podcast.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Oh my god! Also, yes. When I met [inaudible 00:34:09], I was expecting she was taller than me, but that’s happened.
Amy Masson:
Well, and now its weird thing about seeing people’s faces now that we can start taking off masks and you know, there are people that I’ve only known with masks on, so I volunteered our vaccine clinic and so, you know you’re always wearing your mask all the time and all the health department people that work there and one day I was talking to a guy that I’d been volunteering there with for five months and he pulled down his mask and he was like a completely different person. I’m like, who is this stranger that I’ve been talking to for five months.
Tracy Apps:
Draw a face on your mask and then people…
Angela Bowman:
Or have like a button that has your real face on it.
Tracy Apps:
Yeah.
Angela Bowman:
Oh, yeah. I was at a doctor’s appointment and they were just about to, like I had, was having this procedure and they had to put the oxygen on me. So I had to take my mask off and she goes to put the oxygen, you know she takes my mask off and she’s like, “Oh you’re so pretty without your mask.”
Angela Bowman:
I was like, so what did I look like with my mask?
Angela Bowman:
[crosstalk 00:35:13] No, but she was like surprised like, oh…
Amy Masson:
A mask was world. It’s something we have to ease back into.
Tracy Apps:
Yeah. It’s so weird because now they’re like with facts, like oh the store is a lot around here. They have the signs of like wear masks. But if you’re fully vaccinated, you can, I still I’m like…
Amy Masson:
Well see now I’m on the fence. I don’t want people to think I haven’t vaccinated if I’m wearing mask. So I made buttons that say fully vaccinated and they have the little our town’s logo for crushing COVID and I’m like, I can just wear my button when I’m in public and people know I’m fully vaccinated, but you know, in stores I’ve mostly still been wearing my mask.
Angela Bowman:
I feel naked without my mask and I also, I have to say, I like the anonymity of my mask. Like I feel like when I have it on, no one can recognize me. Of course, they can recognize me, had someone recognize me on a trail nearby. But I do feel like I’m not seen, I’m just floating in this space and like a movie star with dark glasses or something.
Tracy Apps:
I talk to myself a lot and so you…
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
That’s what I’m going to say. I talk to myself a too and I can speak and no one’s noticed.
Tracy Apps:
Yeah. Or even just mouthing things, be like, okay, all right, buddy. Like, I’m going to have to actually remember how to make outside faces of like that are socially acceptable. That’s going to take some…
Amy Masson:
See, I talk with my hands, so the mask doesn’t help anything. Even though I’m on the phone, I’m talking with my hands because people can see my hands on the phone, I don’t know.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Oh my God.
Amy Masson:
Well, I’ve been wondering if for WordCamp US, if they come back in person next year, do you think it’ll be in St. Louis? Do you think they’re going to move to a new location?
Tracy Apps:
I hope so. I want that-
Amy Masson:
You hope that they move or you hope they go to St. Louis?
Tracy Apps:
Well, they go there because it was supposed to be there and that museum was really great.
Amy Masson:
That museum was so fun. I just go back and look at the pictures cause it was so much fun.
Tracy Apps:
And Vanessa you’ll have to come and join us and we’ll hang out at the after party.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
I’m going to think about it. I am [inaudible 00:37:26] because you have a lot of places to choose and here in Nicaragua we don’t have like a lot of places, big places where we can join a lot of people. So we are trying to, oh my God, where is going to be the next local for the WordCamp. But we are always trying to get the support of college. But in the last five years, if that’s been difficult in the country to the social, political situation and the college are not a safe place. So, [inaudible 00:38:00] right now we are online, but then we have to think where we are going to organize this next event.
Amy Masson:
So are you going to be involved in organizing more upcoming events?
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Yes, I would like it. I don’t know if in Nicaragua because I am looking for a scholarship to Europe. But I’m always going to try to be in contact with the WordPress, with the local WordPress community where I am and so for example, if I am in the US, I’m going to contact your girls. Or if I am, in Canada or Europe or I don’t know Spain, if there’s not exist, I’m going to create it because the community have to be everywhere. So I hope so.
Angela Bowman:
We’ll be so happy to have you.
Amy Masson:
Well, it has been so great having you on today before we go. Can you everybody where they can find you online?
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Yes. They can find me on Twitter.
Vanessa Martínez Hernández:
Yeah, I hope so too. It was a great time to talk with you and heard all the experiences. So I hope so to find you very soon.
Speaker 1:
Thanks for listening. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter or join our Facebook group. We would be honored if you subscribe to the show. You can find us on Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play and iTunes. Finally, if you want to be on the show or know someone who would visit our website@womeninwp.com. Until next time.
