Blog: From Zero to Kubernets Subproject Lead

Getting started in any open-source community can be daunting, especially if it’s a big one like Kubernetes. I wrote this post to share my experience and encourage others to join up. All it takes is some curiosity and a willingness to show up! Here’s how my journey unfolded at a high level: First things first. What are you interested in learning more about? There are so many wonderful SIGs and working groups in the Kubernetes community: there’s something for everyone. And continuing to show up and participate will be so much easier if you think what you are doing is interesting. Likewise, continued participation is what keeps the community thriving, so that interest will drive you to have more of an impact. Also: it’s ok to show up knowing nothing! I remember showing up knowing very little about Kubernetes or how the community itself worked. And while I know more about how the community functions today, I am still learning all the time about it and the project. Fortunately, the community is full of friendly people who want to help you learn. Learning as you go is expected and celebrated. When you raise your hand to do something, even if you know nothing, people will cheer and help you along the way. This method was my exact story.