Keywords: community, open source, diversity, R
The most successful open source projects are the ones that are built around thriving communities and with an active, creative and diverse developer base. The R project suffered for years from an underrepresentation of women (and minorities) in every role and area of participation whether as leaders, package developers, conference speakers, conferences participants, educators, or users. To achieve greater participation in the project, the creation of the R-Ladies organization was a key factor to this growth and expansion. This talk will cover the R-Ladies history, the growth and the challenges of maintaining a vibrant and engaged community and how the organization changed the landscape of the R project.