Blog: Spotlight on CNCF Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Working Group (DHHWG)

In recognition of Deaf Awareness Month and the importance of inclusivity in the tech community, we are spotlighting Catherine Paganini , facilitator and one of the founding members of CNCF Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Working Group (DHHWG). In this interview, Sandeep Kanabar , a deaf member of the DHHWG and part of the Kubernetes SIG ContribEx Communications team , sits down with Catherine to explore the impact of the DHHWG on cloud native projects like Kubernetes. Sandeep’s journey is a testament to the power of inclusion. Through his involvement in the DHHWG, he connected with members of the Kubernetes community who encouraged him to join SIG ContribEx - the group responsible for sustaining the Kubernetes contributor experience. In an ecosystem where open-source projects are actively seeking contributors and maintainers, this story highlights how important it is to create pathways for underrepresented groups, including those with disabilities, to contribute their unique perspectives and skills. In this interview, we delve into Catherine’s journey, the challenges and triumphs of establishing the DHHWG, and the vision for a more inclusive future in cloud native. We invite Kubernetes contributors, maintainers, and community members to reflect on the significance of empathy, advocacy, and community in fostering a truly inclusive environment for all, and to think about how they can support efforts to increase diversity and accessibility within their own projects. Sandeep Kanabar (SK): Hello Catherine, could you please introduce yourself, share your professional background, and explain your connection to the Kubernetes ecosystem? Catherine Paganini (CP) : I’m the Head of Marketing at Buoyant , the creator of Linkerd , the CNCF-graduated service mesh, and 5th CNCF project. Four years ago, I started contributing to open source. The initial motivation was to make cloud native concepts more accessible to newbies and non-technical people. Without a technical background, it was hard for me to understand what Kubernetes, containers, service meshes, etc. mean.